Rappers and jails

Gregory Kane:

Fiddy -- as 50 Cent, born Curtis Jackson, is known to his adoring legion of addle-brained fans -- stands wearing a sleeveless T-shirt, black pants and a black doo-rag. His hands appear to be clasped behind his back.

To his left stands Yayo in an orange prison jumpsuit. He has his hands behind his back. The caption tells us that Fiddy and Yayo are "G-Unit's convicted felons." G-Unit is Fiddy's clique. It stands for either "Gorilla Unit" or "Guerrilla Unit." Or at one time stood for "Guerrilla Unit" and now stands for "Gorilla Unit." It depends on which Web site you access.

Oh, it gets worse.

"50 Cent & Tony Yayo" another caption tells us. Then, perhaps the most frightening revelation of all: "We Can't Be Stopped."

Just what we're afraid of, Fiddy and Tony. Just what we're afraid of.

This sordid tale hasn't hit rock bottom quite yet. If readers of the "Jail Issue" of XXL flip it over, the back cover shows Fiddy and Yayo from behind. They see Fiddy with some chain cutters and Yayo in handcuffs that clearly have been cut.

Clever stuff, what?

Potential buyers who've been weirded out by the cover and the theme will open the magazine and read what some of "hip-hop's incarcerated soldiers" have to say at their own risk. But they'll learn one of the "soldiers" is Antron "Big Lurch" Singleton. "Big Lurch" is serving life without parole for murdering a woman and eating part of her lung.

Homicide trends in the U.S.