# White people. How do you pronounce 50 Cent? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 11, 2011, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588 "2011-05-11T23:48:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/21 "2011-05-12T00:18:15Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > … > > Ok, I’ll go take my meds now… **knocks the meds out of your hand, pills go flying** Listen here, kittenblue. He doesn’t want you to say his name any special way! He wants you to say it normally. I want you to say it normally. My concern is that either A. the white folks in my office honestly think his name is pronounced ‘fiddy’ because of a hip hop slang flair or B. they think that we sound as if we are saying ‘fiddy’ when we are saying ‘fifty’. You guys see what I mean? It’s like I’m paranoid that every day, as I go about my life, saying the word ‘fifty’ in a way that I think is totally normal, _white people are hearing it as ‘fiddy’!!_ ---
**Author:** ![colonial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@colonial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colonial)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/22 "2011-05-12T00:18:33Z")
Fifty. I have never heard anyone white, black or otherwise say fiddy. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/23 "2011-05-12T00:23:43Z")
Can you link to a sound clip of Fifty Cent saying his own name? To answer your question if that’s what white people think black people/Fifty Cent is saying, that might make it easier… ETA: Because it seems like there are two questions: 1. How do you pronounce it? 2. How do you hear (black) people pronouncing it? ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/24 "2011-05-12T00:25:21Z")
[Here ya go.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWG8rCAz9WI) ETA: I pronounce it like 50 does in that interview. fi’tee. The interviewer seems to be saying ‘fiddy’. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/25 "2011-05-12T00:26:44Z")
Thanks for the link. Sounds like he’s saying Fifty to me. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/26 "2011-05-12T00:26:52Z")
Fitty because that’s how I’ve always heard it pronounced in the media. I assumed that’s how he pronounced it as well and, as discussed in the pretentiousness thread, a person’s name is pronounced however they say it is. Though I honestly don’t remember the last time I pronounced it at all (though I have said Curtis, James, Jackson and “the Third” all in conversation and all in the past week) and I couldn’t name one of his songs or tell you what he looks like save that I assume he’s black and male and under 40. Of course the fact that he says ‘Cent’ instead of ‘Cents’ is not up for debate removes any pronunciative high ground or accusations of racism that he may have over saying ‘Fiddy’. Henceforth I’ll just call him by his Cherokee name, “Two Case Quarters”. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/27 "2011-05-12T00:27:24Z")
I guess I’m confused by the options. I pronounce it Fitty. Like kitty with an F. Isn’t that option 2? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/28 "2011-05-12T00:27:25Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > “Fifty cents.” Well, that’s literally incorrect - his name is “cent”, not “cents”. Come to think of it, with my accent it’s really in-between even if I’m telling you what the price of a can of Coke used to be back when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/29 "2011-05-12T00:27:53Z")
I agree with you. I can see how some may say the f is dropped a bit, but not enough to mean anything. But, Freudian, can you hear the interviewer saying it with a hard D? ETA: this post was in response to Freudian Slit. ETA again: Yes, Richard, I think ‘fitty’ is the same as ‘fiddy’. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/30 "2011-05-12T00:28:55Z")
Oh yes. I can hear a difference between how the interviewer says it and how Fifty himself says it. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/31 "2011-05-12T00:31:45Z")
I don’t ever say fifty, unless I’m really trying to enunciate so someone can understand me better. For the number and the name, I say something closer to fi’tee. The ‘f’ is there, but very softened. I have, however, called 50 Cent ‘Fiddy’, but I was joking around. For the record, I’m a white Southern woman. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/32 "2011-05-12T00:33:52Z")
I didn’t vote because I’m not an albino, but I pronounce the name ‘Fitty’. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/33 "2011-05-12T00:37:50Z")
I said “fifty”, though my American accent makes it sound like “fifdy” if you listen carefully. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/34 "2011-05-12T00:38:30Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Well, that’s literally incorrect - his name is “cent”, not “cents”. His name is (according to wikipedia) Curtis Jackson. His made up name is grammatically incorrect so I corrected it. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/35 "2011-05-12T00:41:07Z")
Voted & didn’t read anything besides the OP - I pronounce it fiddy as I think he does so as part of his professional moniker; I don’t think black folk in general do all the same thing of any one thing besides self-identify as black. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/36 "2011-05-12T00:41:25Z")
“fitta sen” ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/37 "2011-05-12T00:41:41Z")
[QUOTE=Nzinga, Seated] You guys see what I mean? It’s like I’m paranoid that every day, as I go about my life, saying the word ‘fifty’ in a way that I think is totally normal, _white people are hearing it as ‘fiddy’!!_ [/QUOTE] If it’s any consolation I internally would roll my eyes (dramatic recreation :rolleyes:) just as much at somebody saying ‘cent’ for ‘cents’ as I would for ‘fiddy’ instead of ‘fifty’. I knew there was a reason though that I have a sense memory of having formed the word ‘fiddy’ more times. It’s because of SOUTH PARK- Chef’s father was constantly being hit up for “tree fiddy” by the Loch Ness monster and I’ve quoted that scene several times, usually when somebody asks me “What’d that guy want?” or “Guess what I was asked for?” or “How are you today?” or something else to which it seems appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/38 "2011-05-12T00:42:45Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Same. > > Does that mean P Diddy’s name is really P Difty? Nooooo don’t give Diddy any more name ideas. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/39 "2011-05-12T00:42:52Z")
Sorry! I was typing my answer when there were only three responses, and I didn’t see your clarification. And to my ear, fitty and fiddy sound too alike to be distinguished. But after watching the video, the interviewer does drop the second f, and Curtis does seem to pronounce it. Which is counter to the way I was first introduced to this controversy a few years back, where I don’t recall, when it was stated that the rapper wanted it pronounced without the second f. Not Fif-tee, which is how I pronounce it. The lips make a different movement for fif than for fid or fit. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588/40 "2011-05-12T00:43:33Z")
Well, I’ll cop to it. I’m from the south (Memphis, again) and I say it… well, not quite Fiddy (although I have done that, for comedic effect, when correcting my mom), but definitely not “fifty.” It’s more like described above, “fi’dy”. Which isn’t, as a matter of fact, how I say fifty normally; I usually pronounce the second “f” more. I think it sounds a little silly, pronouncing it perfectly. It makes the name comical instead of kinda cool. I also thought you were supposed to say it like that; like **Sampiro** , I try to pronounce names the way people like them said. I never really thought about how black people say his name; I’ve heard it on TV but not many times and I don’t remember from who. Mostly he doesn’t come up in my conversations, so I never paid attention. Although I will now!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-people-how-do-you-pronounce-50-cent/581588.md?page=3)