ROCKIN' the 500 HP Pontiac G8 partnership with rapper 50 Cent (and Unique Autosports)

(above and all below) 50 Cent and his newly customized Pontiac G8,

unveiled at SEMA in Las Vegas and the New York Auto Show

(above) more recently, Fitty with the Sport Truck version

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What with a new professional friendship that's come into play with DJ Funkmaster Flex (a major presence at Hot 97 in NYC, and host of his own impressive car shows all around the country) I've been aiming to blog about many rappers' continued and steadfast interest in Detroit product. Flex runs with Ford, but recently 50 Cent has been hanging with GM's Vice Chairman, Bob Lutz, as the newest iterations of Pontiac's G8 sedan and sport truck were introduced at SEMA and the New York Auto Show. Here follow a few excerpts from key articles I spotted.

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From http://ezinearticles.com/ (as penned by Brenda Williams, with my editing for space and clarity): "Curtis Jackson, also known as 50 Cent, loves fast cars. He has put a classic GTO in one of his videos, and is collecting a stable of both new and old performance cars for himself and to put into additional music videos. These include several Lamborghinis and Ferraris, but one of his most recent additions is his take on the Pontiac G8. This new "classic car" from Detroit shows the renewed interest by both car manufacturers and the public in stylish, powerful cars.

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"Generally the cars that are put in music videos need to be dressed up for use in those videos, but sometimes the cars themselves [without significant additional exterior adornment] are themselves worthy of attention. Pontiac is now very happy to have their cars featured in 50 Cent's videos, and the trade-off was that Pontiac asked 50 Cent to be in several of their commercials. The designers of the G8 asked for 50's input on the customization, and he came in with the idea of designing something like an AMG kit, but when he saw the existing car design he was pleased with it primarily "as is." So his personal G8 [shown here] is red with a black racing stripe--but it's a special stripe that gets wider as it flows toward the back of the vehicle.

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"One of 50's observations is that the styling of some recent Detroit cars really is reminiscent of the classic muscle cars of the 1960s and 70s. Only a few alterations in the color scheme, detailing, rims, and size of the tires need to be done to give an even more distinctive look to an already distinctive car."

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From http://www.worldcarfans.com/ : "With lyrics that don't pull punches and themes that are brutally honest, rapper 50 Cent (aka Curtis Jackson) has risen to the top of the hip hop scene. He's also a passionate car enthusiast, with a [relatively recent] penchant for Pontiacs. His video for the song "Amusement Park" featured both the G6 GXP and the G8 concept cars.

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"Now, 50 Cent has teamed up with Pontiac and the New York-based tuner-to-the-stars, Will Castro, and his shop, Unique Autosports (the same shop featured on the television show "Unique Whips"), to build a one-of-a-kind G8 performance sedan. It debuted at the 2007 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

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"Partnering with Pontiac," said Fitty in a recent press release, "has given me the opportunity to create something truly unique--a customized performance vehicle I am really proud of. This G8 is like none other, and it pushes the boundaries of what people think a car can be."

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"This new G8--which will make its way to the dealer groups in early 2008--is thoroughly customized [although not radically reconcepted]. It has custom paint and special exterior details, as well as a re-trimmed interior outfitted with an 800 watt JBL audio system that shakes the ground something fierce.

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"Fitty's G8 is powered by an LSX 427 engine, dyno-tested to more than 500 horsepower and assembled with components available from the GM Performance Parts catalog. The engine uses the durable LSX cylinder block as its foundation. The engine assembly was filled out with a variety of production-based components used on the Corvette Z06's 7.0L LS7 engine, including a forged steel crankshaft, lightweight titanium connecting rods, racing-derived aluminum cylinder heads, and a complete LS7 intake/throttle body/fuel injection system. Detroit-area Thomson Automotive oversaw the assembly, dyno testing, and installation of the engine. From there the car was shipped to Unique Autosports, on New York's Long Island, for the rest of its transformation. That included an all-new Spies Hecker Torch Red exterior paint job with a bold graphic that mimics the shape of Pontiac's "dart" insignia; 22-inch chrome wheels from NC Forged that have a deep-dish, seven-spoke design; low-profile Pirelli Scorpion-Zero tires; tinted glass; and a Borla stainless-steel exhaust system.

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"The most interesting aspect of the project is what we didn't do to the exterior," said Unique's Will Castro. "We didn't add a body kit or spoilers, or lower the car. The G8 already has the right stance and appearance. The only real hint of excess is found inside, where the black leather seats have been retrimmed with perforated red-leather inserts and a 50 Cent/Unique Autosports logo embroidered into the headrests."

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Prior to his partnership with Pontiac on the G8, Fitty was impatient to get his hands on the 2006 Dodge Charger. Chrysler was pivotal in their approach to the hip-hop community--letting the artists find them rather than chasing after endorsements. For example, Snoop Dogg quickly turned on to the Chrysler 300 when it was first released. He quickly spruced that up with suede seats and scissor doors. Then, the company allowed him to use several of their sedans in one of his music videos. Then, rapper Nelly was one of the first to showcase a Dodge Magnum in a video.

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50 Cent's association with Vitaminwater "Formula 50" also paved the way for him to be seen with a tricked-out Ford F-150, as may be viewed at http://www.automotiverhythms.com/coolconversions/fw_2007f1fifty.php.

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Much more on rappers and their love of fine whips in the blog that follows.