(AllHipHop Exclusive) Robert Greene’s bestseller 48 Laws of Power has become required reading for anyone interested in the obtaining power in the modern world. Businessmen, athletes, and particularly Hip-Hop artists have used Greene’s book as a blueprint for rising higher on the socioeconomic ladder.
Greene has since written four other books including his collaborative effort with 50 Cent, The 50th Law, and his latest work Mastery.
During an exclusive interview with AllHipHop.com, Greene gave his perspective on a few celebrities related to Hip Hop culture, and whether they have mastered their realm of expertise.
“[50 Cent] is a master of the connection between music and business,” says Greene. In The 50th Law, Greene explains how 50 used his early days with Jam Master Jay at Columbia Records as an apprenticeship that taught him how to maneuver in the music business.
“When he came to have his mixtape campaign on the streets, he brought that mix of music and business together where he knows how to market his music,” says Greene about 50’s pre-superstar run of releasing free music. “He was just a marketing genius when it came to that part of his life.”
While Greene acknowledges 50 Cent’s exceptional promotion skills, he recognizes that the Queen emcee’s musical career is on the comeback trail these days.
“His music was driven from a particular experience, and it was fueled by the shooting and his anger at the fake gangster phenomenon,” explains Greene. “When you’ve got millions and millions of dollars and you live in a hotel at the Four Seasons, you’re not around that anymore, and it almost becomes like a myth.”
Greene believes 50, whom he regards as a true master, is not to be counted out musically or otherwise.
“If he has ups and downs in his career, I would put my money on him landing on his feet.”
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Of course 50 has other business ventures outside of music that he is constantly building, and according to Greene, success in today’s world will require mastering one skill and then moving on to another. The author cites another rapper-turned-mogul as the symbol of the master in the 21st Century.
“Jay-Z is probably the one person that’s maintained a real incredible high level of quality [of music], but even still he understands that’s not a base of power moving forward,” says Greene. “The fact that he early on established business credentials, built his little empire and then moved it over to sports, it’s all interconnected. It’s all related, and I think he’s a brilliant example of that kind of mastery that I think is really modern.”
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There is one group of famous individuals that Greene does not see as masters with the potential to maintain a position of power in the near future. Greene views reality stars as just flashes in the pan.
“People like the Kim Kardashians don’t last very long,” says Greene. “Probably someone like that is sort of miserable, because she’s probably massively insecure knowing that it’s built on smoke-and-mirrors.”
Greene has faith that in 10 years the public will look back at this era of revering reality show personas and laugh.
“I think we are heading into a period of sobriety where we’re going to celebrate people who get things done, who build things, who solve problems.”
Robert Greene’s Mastery is available for purchase at bookstores or online at amazon.com.
