Hip-Hop and NASCAR

Earlier today it was announced that 50 Cent partnered his SMS Audio line with NASCAR. The venture is with Swan Racing and they will advertise 50′s company on both vehicles and driver suits.

Already involved in boxing, 50 Cent is now venturing into NASCAR.
(Finlay MacKay for ESPN)

But Why? 50 spoke to ESPN about it his fascination for cars.

“Well, it’s collaboration between SMS and Swan Racing,” says Mr. Jackson (50 Cent). “ attended the Daytona 500 last year and there was so much publicity — and an awkward moment: I was saying hi to Erin Andrews (reporter) and she turned around right at the same time, and I almost kissed her. It got 10 million views online. And I enjoyed myself (at the race) and I became open to the idea. I watched it a lot on TV and hung out with (drivers) at parties, but that was the first race I actually attended. ”

He would also discuss how he wants to get hip-hop more involved in the sport and the lack of diversity in the sport.

“Yeah, for me to be in this space, it’s not common for them to do this. With their tradition in marketing, you end up — where you have huge success is when you go outside of that cookie-cutter mentality and the norms. Hip-hop culture is exposed to the point where it’s pop culture now. Even skateboarding is a part of hip-hop culture. So a lot of viewers of NASCAR, they actually choose hip-hop culture as a preference in music. They played hip-hop music while I was at the Daytona 500. Hip-hop is already there. It’s just about them actually getting involved more."

50 Cent - (Curtis James Jackson III)

50 Cent will partner with Swan Racing as an associate sponsor on the stock-car team’s No. 26 and No. 30 Toyota Camrys during the 2014 and 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series seasons. 

The new partnership will include SMS Audio branding on the two cars and on their drivers’ uniforms, as well as Swan-branded headphones featuring his wheelmen, Cole Whitt and Parker Kligerman. You can also look for 50 Cent at races throughout the season.