50 CENT

Signature Air Terminal, McCarran International Airport

Las Vegas, NV

January 1, 2010

Photo credit: 50 Cent

Only 12 hours in, and this year is off to a great start.

After a night of quality celebrating in America's playground, I was headed out of town along with several thousand other people. I was with a couple of friends at McCarran Airport in a small terminal for private planes. Sadly, we'd already missed Prince who came through at 6 AM but we were right on time for this guy.

Another girl saw him first. “Oh my God!” she said. A group of guys were coming down the hall. I didn't know who she saw but I knew I had to make a move before whomever-it-was walked out to the tarmac. “Who is it?” I asked. She couldn't remember his name but she grabbed her camera and stood up. Someone yelled, “Fiddy!” Ah, 50—or let's say 56 as he was walking with a few guys who I can only guess were his bodyguards.

He was leading the pack wearing black jeans, a big black hoodie, and hopefully a protective vest underneath as he has a history of attracting bullets. I headed over.

The other girl was a couple of steps ahead of me and blurted, “Can I …?” “No pictures,” 50’s guard said while still in motion. Oooh! Shot down. Sucks for her. Let me give it a try. I quietly replaced her enthusiasm, ignored the gatekeeper, and walked along with them. “No pictures,” he said again to someone else.

Last chance.

Fifty had his hand on the door, ready to go out to his plane but for some reason, he turned around and looked at me. I'm not sure why, but with my miraculous streak of good luck, I had his full attention.

“This is kinda different…” I said. He took his hand off the door and held it out to hold mine. (Woo-hoo!) He's just a minute off the street but has the charm of a choir boy.

He took the camera and shifted his position as if trying to get his boys in the background. The last time I looked there were about 8 people behind me but they quickly scattered. “Okay…” he said. He took one picture, looked at it, and proudly nodded. “That's good!” Then he handed my camera back with a smile, I thanked him, and the pack proceeded to strut out to their plane.

I just hit it big in Vegas. Not only did I get a celebrity to take my picture, but he is a celebrity who is named after money. Jackpot!!

Afterward, my friend surprised me with this excellent photo he took documenting the big event.

Photo credit: my friend