During a recent visit to EYL, Rotimi Akinosho, known for his role in the hit series “Power,” opened up about his experiences working with 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson) and how the rapper-turned-entrepreneur is a marketing genius. Rotimi, who portrayed the character Dre in “Power” from season 2 until the final season, shed light on how 50 Cent strategically used controversy to elevate his show’s profile and stay ahead of the competition.
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When “Power” came into the picture, while good in its own right it was going up against, “Empire,” created by Lee Daniels, that had already established its own loyal following. Both shows had their own strengths, but 50 Cent, realizing the massive marketing budget that “Empire” had on its side, definitely thought outside of the box when it came to his marketing plan.
“Realized the man was a marketing genius, bro. When he sat us all down, he sat the cast down, and this is when we were filming season two,” Rotimi shared. “He was like, yo, ‘Empire,’ they on Fox, they got the big bag. We can’t compete with them with their marketing or their promotion, their advertisement. We’re on Starz, we cannot compete.”
50 Cent decided to create a beef with “Empire” that would force his competitors to mention “Power” in every interview they gave. His target was the lead actors of “Empire,” Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard.
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“I’m gonna go straight for Taraji. I’m gonna go straight for Terrence. I’m gonna go straight for everybody and make whoever is the interviewer ask about, did you hear what 50 said about ‘Power’ being better and everything?” Rotimi recalled 50 Cent saying.
With his strategy in place (something that echoes his rap beef marketing plan he used for Ja Rule), 50 Cent attached himself to a $100 million promotional campaign for “Empire.” This move not only generated buzz for both shows but also positioned “Power” in the spotlight.
“It put us like this was better. ‘Power’ Empire. Some create that,” Rotimi added. “It was like on Monday he said, ‘I’m gonna go sit down’; by Wednesday, it was Power, and this to a point where Taraji is going crazy about Fif, Terence is going crazy, and it was just like, wow, like you guys don’t understand that this man really just playing with you strategically.”
50 Cent’s beef strategy paid off as his show gained significant traction, eventually becoming one of the most-watched series during its run. And has since given us three additional spin-offs
Beyond his music career, 50 Cent’s business acumen has been evident in various ventures, including television production and brand endorsements. His ability to navigate the entertainment industry’s competitive landscape and leverage controversies to his advantage has proven instrumental in cementing his status as a marketing genius.
“We’re happy to get the kind of money that jingles, but we’d rather get the kind that folds.” – Lisa, Coming to America
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