A WA magistrate has told a 16 year-old Aboriginal teen to follow 50 Cent‘s example in order to stay out of trouble.
As ABC report, The teen was in court to be sentenced for burglary charges when the judge decided to use a contemporary example in order to connect with the kids.
On the surface it may seem like an odd example to use. 50 Cent declared bankruptcy last year and was infamously shot nine times before his career took off but on further inspection 50 has really turned his life around.
The rapper who dropped his debut, number one album Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ in 2003, had a mother who was a drug dealer and he was only eight when she died. He also started dealing when he was a teenager but turned things around after he was shot nine times in 2000.
“Like you, 50 Cent came from the most tragic, traumatic circumstances,” Magistrate Dean Potter told the teen.
“He was able to rise above them through sheer hard work and dedication. I think you have the potential to do the same and avoid a life in that criminal justice system.”
According to the magistrate the teen had experienced domestic violence, alcoholism and drug use in the home.
Potter said it was a testament to his character that he had not ended up in the “criminal system earlier”.
Potter further challenged the teen to reverse Australia’s Indigenous incarceration rate saying, “In 10 years I want to look you up and see your successes.”
Watch: 50 Cent – ‘In Da Club’
