Kanye West and 50 Cent are having a chest-beating contest. 50 (pronounced "fit-ty") says he'll retire if Kanye's CD outsells his next week.

Who gives a rat's ass?

Ironically, country crooner Kenny Chesney's latest album will be released the same day. Chesney will outsell both of them, but I digress.

I wish they'd both retire. The last thing kids need today is yet another dumb kid that can rhyme being held up as a role model. 50 Cent was selling drugs by age 12. His mother was a coke dealer, murdered when she was 23. At age 19 he was arrested for drug possession, and in 2000 was shot 9 times at point blank range with a 9mm handgun.

Kanye West, on the other hand, grew up in a middle class family. His father, once a Black Panther, became a respected photographer and Christian counselor. His mother was the Chair of the English department at Chicago State University. Kanye attended art school in Chicago. He's an insightful kinda guy:

1. "I think in the daily life of a black male, we gay-bash way more than we
   

   disrespect women. We would call a gay guy a fag to his face. But if we walked
   

   up to a woman and said Aiight, bitch! we would know that was disrespectful."

   
   

Gee, ya think?

Each of these guys thinks that the world revolves around him. Each also thinks that after a couple of years in the "bidness" they're the biggest acts ever. Have I got news for them.

Luciano Pavarotti died today at age 71. He is one of the most celebrated singers, ever. His signature aria, Nessun Dorma from the Puccini opera Turandot, was one of those iconic performances that was celebrated in every country and every culture. Pavarotti performed Nessun Dorma at the last Winter Olympics in Turin and received the longest standing ovation ever at an Olympics performance.

Pavarotti was a star for over 30 years, appearing in venues as diverse as Saturday Night Live and La Scala. 500,000 people saw him in his Central Park performance, and millions more watched on television. His first Three Tenors album has the distinction of being the best selling classical album of all time. He holds the Guinness world record for curtain calls: 165.

Pavarotti was a diva in his own right with an ego to match. But he also had the goods. He was a humanitarian and a great teacher. Kanye West thinks he's important and famous enough to be in the Bible. Let's see if anyone remembers who he is in 3 years, let alone 30.