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Bossip recently posted an interview they did with Marquise Jackson, son of 50 Cent, at the 2015 BET Hip-Hop Awards. In it, the 18-year-old burgeoning rapper and actor was asked to speak on his tense relationship with his father, and to share whether or not they’d mended fences after their nasty, public fallout in 2013. Sadly, things have not improved.

“Actually, our relationship is still strained,” Jackson said. “But, as far as on my end, it’s all love. I don’t have any problems. But maybe one day we’ll figure it out, and everything can be well. But as of right now, our relationship is still strained.”

Jackson continued to display his maturity throughout the interview, including when he was asked about his mother and estranged father’s poor relationship, which has played out, fallen apart and turned ugly not only in the public eye but been put on blast in his father’s music.

“Of course it affects you, that’s your mom and your dad. And you know, God just gave me the willpower to stay strong. Keep on moving. Keep being positive. That’s all I can do.”

But what struck me the most in his interview with the site, was his response to the question of whether or not he had been introduced to Sire. The 3-year-old child that 50 Cent has clung to, flaunted and nurtured for all of social media to see. Jackson’s baby brother.

“No, I haven’t! I would love to meet him, though. I would love to.”

And that’s when my heart sank. I guess you can call me dramatic, but his response, even through a broad grin, reeked of hurt. Not only does he have a brother in the world that he hasn’t met, but one that, in a way, has been lauded as his replacement. The golden child. And where does Jackson’s connection with 50 fall at this point? To the young man being resigned to seeing his estranged father only on TV:

“I do watch Power! I see that he killed me, but I don’t know why. I don’t know why he killed me, man [laughs]. I mean, well, it is what it is. It’s all entertainment I guess…”

I think this whole situation between the rapper and his son hurts my heart as much as it does because it reminds me of the terrible relationship that my brother and nephew once had, and how it impacted the relationship my nephew had with the rest of us, but specifically, his connection to his little brother.

When my nephew, now 23, and his twin sister were little, their relationship with their father was great. My brother got along well with their mother, his ex-girlfriend, and when things were good. We were able to see the twins all the time. But when things went south with my brother and his ex (support disputes, jealousy, etc.), things went downhill for everyone. All of a sudden, we couldn’t see the twins at all. Their mother would pick up and move, and we could barely get a phone number to keep in touch. Things went this way for years. And while my niece’s relationship with my brother was steady (she’s consistently stayed in contact with him since obtaining her first cellphone), the relationship with my nephew hit a wall.

My brother went on to have a son with his new wife (who also came into the picture with an amazing daughter), and they were a family. A unit that my nephew missed out on.

When he would come around the family as an adult, he wouldn’t really talk much to his little brother, who, shy and knowing the volatile relationship my nephew had with the family, was nervous about saying anything. All that despite the fact that they both loved sports (they get that from their dad), played them well and could probably relate on that front. Instead, they would stay on their sides of the room, and when it was time to take a we-don’t-know-when-you’ll-come-around-next photo, it was always awkward. But when my nephew would leave, and I would ask his little brother what he thought of him, he would only say that it was nice to see him, but that it would be even nicer if they could actually talk and have a relationship.

Seeing that isolation firsthand, bestowed upon all parties involved, broke my heart. And that’s why this situation with 50, Marquise and Sire makes me so uncomfortable. I know how low it can go.

But I also know what maturity and love can bring. Despite some really shaky moments here and there, my brother was able to get it together and repair his relationship with my nephew. It’s not perfect, and they’re not in the backyard throwing the old pigskin around or anything like that. But they have found peace and spent time together when my nephew is home from school. And by fixing that relationship, my brother allowed the relationship between my nephews to grow. Those two now call one another “bro” and post pictures of one another on social media from time to time. It’s not a miraculous jump, but it’s growth nonetheless, and I know my young nephew (now 12) appreciates it.

What I’m trying to say is that it would be nice if Marquise and 50 could finally work things out, because the longer the father acts more like the child and continues to allow that relationship to deteriorate, the more damage will be done. And this will be especially damaging to the relationship between Marquise and Sire.

And what’s even more tragic about all of this is that 50 believes Marquise has allowed his mother to get into his head, to believe bad things about him. And that is the root of why things have gone sour. That may be true. But the reality is that, in the last few years, the rapper hasn’t shown his son much positivity to make him believe any different. The behavior and mistakes a child makes, and the behavior they exhibit towards a parent, can often be blamed on what they’ve seen, been subjected to, and on the basic fact that they’re a kid (and most children can’t help but be immature).

What’s 50’s excuse for such immature treatment of his first-born son?

 

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