Hustle Harder Hustle Smarter

Nothing hits you harder than a parent's death. It's an experience that is mentally, physically and emotionally devastating. When I lost my father to cancer in February 2024, I thought the world would end the next day. As the first son of an African family, I now had to take on a new responsibility of looking after everyone else, although I was also grieving myself. It was around this time that I got an email confirming an admission and partial funding to study Corporation Law at New York University. I was excited by this news and thought of it as the perfect escape from the sadness that had enveloped everyone. But coming to New York was nothing like I had imagined. Having lived in South Africa all my life, this city seemed to move faster than the speed of light. I had to settle quickly, make new friends and attend classes almost immediately. Amidst this chaos and my dream of landing a role on Wall Street, I saw my results, and it turned out that I had failed two modules, including my favourite on financial regulation. I locked myself away for several days, crying and barely surviving on food. One evening, while scrolling online in a moment of equal discouragement and boredom, I came across 'Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter' by Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson. I read a few excerpts before ordering a physical copy of the book. That has been one of the best decisions of my life to date.

I share a lot of similar experiences with the author, and this helped me identify several positive aspects of the book. One of this book's core strengths is how it speaks honestly about self-awareness, adaptability and fear. What makes this book compelling is that it is not theoretical, but rather narrated from the author's lived experiences. Jackson explores his encounters with Allah Understanding, Blackie, and Corentin Villemeur in explaining why it is important to be fearless. For him, the best way to face fear is to face it head-on. In the second chapter, he examines the importance of developing the heart of a hustler using the case of Gracas Silva, the first woman CEO of Petrobras. He also outlines other lifestyle choices like finding focus, committing to healthy eating and exercise, as part of the keys to a successful life. Other parts of the book dissect the importance of embracing competition, knowing your value, evolving, shaping perception, learning from your mistakes, avoiding entitlement and having a strong and disciplined crew, using Bang 'Em Smurf's fight with Marcus as an example. I totally enjoyed the confidence and clarity with which he wrote, and it encouraged me to confront my fear rather than run from it. This book also sparked my excitement and made me feel as though I was conversing with someone who understands the pain of struggling.

Despite being a truly interesting New York Times bestseller, this book does have two major weaknesses. First, the book is very specific to a theme of hustle that revolves around business and entertainment. Like any memoir, the examples are the author's experiences in deal-making, television and music. Although they are authentic, they may be restrictive to readers who are not in those industries, particularly professionals or students who want lessons relevant to the public sector, academia, or other non-commercial sectors. The book would be more generally helpful with a broader context or a clearer demonstration of how these lessons can be applied elsewhere. Second, Jackson's personal relationships are often referred to in the book, including his ex-partner Shaniqua and his son Marquise. Although the stories are supposed to depict the perils of entitlement, they can be emotional and too detailed, getting in the way of the bigger picture. The anecdote about buying 300 pairs of sneakers from a closing store on 125th Street in Harlem, or Shaniqua's comment on page 243 that 'ain't nobody work if they don't have to,' are more about disappointment than lesson. Similarly, the mention of Marquise taking a picture with the son of Kenneth McGriff brings up personal conflict that is not resolved, which can turn away the reader who does not know the entire situation. These sections risk reducing entitlement to a mere moral failing instead of a relationship problem formed by upbringing, expectation and environment.

I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. Despite some limitations, it is still a strong book that provides valuable insight about personal responsibility, resilience, and mindset. It is best suited to readers who are interested in entrepreneurship, business, entertainment or anyone who is in a high-pressure environment and needs to be adaptable. It will appeal to self-driven, ambitious individuals who are ready to own their growth, particularly those who are in the process of seeking direction amid significant life changes or failures.