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50 Cent

Did you mean: 50 Cent (Rapper), 50 CENT (abbreviation), 50 Cent Party, 50 Cent discography, 50 cent piece (Canadian coin), 50 Cents (abbreviation), Australian 50 cent coin

 
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Born Curtis Jackson, in Queens, rap singer 50 Cent has made his mark on the American hip-hop music scene, writing and performing music that borrows from his violent past, being raised on the streets of New York. He has released several hit CDs and is considered one of the stars of the rap music scene.

Last updated: June 28, 2007.

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Who2 Biography: 50 Cent, Rapper
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  • Born: 6 July 1975
  • Birthplace: Queens, New York
  • Best Known As: Rapper who made the hit album Get Rich or Die Tryin

Name at birth: Curtis Jackson

Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's 2003 album Get Rich or Die Tryin was a top-seller, propelled by the hit song "In Da Club" and by support from hip-hop superstars Eminem and Dr. Dre. 50 Cent's troubled past was part of the package: he was raised by his grandparents after his drug-dealing mother died, and in 2000 he survived being shot 9 times. Before his mainstream breakthrough he was popular in clubs and on the streets, thanks to locally distributed tapes. Although it didn't get national airplay, his Power of a Dollar (1999) was an underground hit, as was his earlier single "Thug Love." His second album, 2005's The Massacre, was almost overshadowed by 50 Cent's public feud with fellow rapper and protegé, The Game. Between the gunfire, feuds and hit singles, Rolling Stone magazine was moved to call 50 Cent "in many ways the ideal East Coast hardcore rapper." His autobiography, From Pieces to Weight, was published in 2005.

50 Cent says in his autobiography that he borrowed his name from a local robber, a "stickup kid from Brooklyn"... The rapper announced in March of 2003 that he'd had a special bullet-proof jacket made for his six-year-old son... 50 Cent swapped insults with rapper Ja Rule in an ongoing public feud throughout the early 2000s.

 
Artist: 50 Cent
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50 Cent

Similar Artists:

Influenced By:

Followers:

Formal Connection With:

The Game, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, Young Buck, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Sha Money XL, DJ Whookid, Trackmasters
  • Born: July 06, 1976, Queens, NY
  • Active: '90s, 2000s
  • Genres: Rap
  • Instrument: Vocals, Producer, Executive Producer
  • Representative Albums: "Get Rich or Die Tryin'," "Guess Who's Back?," "The Massacre"
  • Representative Songs: "In da Club," "Candy Shop," "Ayo Technology"

Biography

Though he would later struggle with the nature of his fame as well as market expectations, 50 Cent endured substantial obstacles throughout his young yet remarkably dramatic life before becoming the most discussed figure in rap, if not pop music in general, circa 2003. Following an unsuccessful late-'90s run at mainstream success (foiled by an attempt on his life in 2000) and a successful run on the New York mixtape circuit (driven by his early-2000s bout with Ja Rule), Eminem signed 50 Cent to a seven-figure contract in 2002 and helmed his quick rise toward crossover success in 2003. The product of a broken home in the rough Jamaica neighborhood of Queens and, in turn, the storied hood's hustling streets themselves, 50 Cent lived everything most rappers write rhymes about but not all actually experience: drugs, crimes, imprisonments, stabbings, and most infamously of all, shootings. Of course, such experiences became 50 Cent's rhetorical stock-in-trade. He reveled in his oft-told past, he called out wannabe gangstas, and he made headlines. He even looked like the ideal East Coast hardcore rapper: big-framed with oft-showcased biceps, abs, and tattoos as well as his trademark bulletproof vest, pistol, and iced crucifix. But all-importantly, 50 Cent may have fit the mold of a prototypical hardcore rapper, but he could also craft a catchy hook. As a result, his music crossed over to the pop market, appealing to both those who liked his roughneck posturing and rags-to-riches story as well as those who liked his knack for churning out naughty singalong club tracks. And too, 50 Cent didn't forget about his posse. He helped his G-Unit crew grow into a successful franchise, spawning platinum-selling solo albums for his group members, lucrative licensing deals for the brand name, and sell-out arena tours to promote the franchise internationally. By the time of his third album (Curtis, 2007), however, 50 Cent faced a formidable backlash, particularly among hip-hop purists, who were displeased by his turn toward crossover pop-rap and thus away from street-level credibility.

Born Curtis James Jackson III on July 6, 1975, and raised in Southside Jamaica, Queens, New York City, 50 Cent grew up in a broken home. His hustler mother passed away when he was only eight, and his father departed soon after, leaving his grandmother to parent him. As a teen, he followed the lead of his mother and began hustling. The crack trade proved lucrative for 50 Cent, until he eventually encountered the law, that is, and got arrested repeatedly in 1994. It's around this point in time that he traded crime for hip-hop. His break came in 1996 when he met Run-D.M.C.'s Jam Master Jay, who gave him a tape of beats and asked him to rap over it. Impressed by what he heard, Jay signed the aspiring rapper to his JMJ Records label. Not much resulted from the deal, though, and 50 Cent affiliated himself with Trackmasters, a commercially successful New York-based production duo known for their work with such artists as Nas and Jay-Z. Trackmasters signed the rapper to their Columbia sublabel and began work on his debut album, Power of the Dollar. A trio of singles preceded the album's proposed release: "Your Life's on the Line," "Thug Love" (featuring Destiny's Child), and "How to Rob." The latter generated a significant buzz, attracting a lot of attention for its baiting lyrics, which detail how 50 Cent would rob specific big-name rappers. This willingness to rap openly and brashly and the attention it attracted came back to haunt him, however. His first post-success brush with death came shortly after the release of "How to Rob," when he was stabbed at the Hit Factory studio on West 54th Street in Manhattan. Shortly afterward came his most storied incident. On May 24, 2000, just before Columbia was set to release Power of the Dollar, an assassin attempted to take 50 Cent's life on 161st Street in Jamaica, Queens (near where Jam Master Jay would later be fatally shot two and half years later), shooting him nine times with a 9mm pistol while the rapper sat helpless in the passenger seat of a car. One shot pierced his cheek, another his hand, and the seven others his legs and thighs, yet he survived, barely. Even so, Columbia wanted nothing to do with 50 Cent when they heard the news, shelving Power of the Dollar and parting ways with the now-controversial rapper.

During the next two years, 50 Cent returned to the rap underground where he began. He formed a collective (G-Unit, which also featured Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo), worked closely with producer Sha Money XL (who had also been signed to JMJ around the same time that 50 Cent had), and began churning out mixtapes (selections from which were later compiled on Guess Who's Back? in 2002). These mixtape recordings (many of which were hosted by DJ Whoo Kid on CDs such as No Mercy, No Fear and Automatic Gunfire), earned the rapper an esteemed reputation on the streets of New York. Some of them featured 50 Cent and his G-Unit companions rapping over popular beats, others mocked popular rappers (namely Ja Rule, who quickly became an arch-rival), and a few discussed his shooting. This constant mixtape presence throughout 2000-2002 garnered industry attention as well as street esteem, particularly when Eminem declared on a radio show his admiration for 50 Cent. A bidding war ensued, driving up the signing price into the million-plus figures in the process and slowly moving the rapper into the up-and-coming spotlight once again as word spread. Despite the bidding war, Eminem indeed got his man, signing 50 Cent to a joint deal with Shady/Aftermath -- the former label Em's, the latter Dr. Dre's. During the successive months, 50 Cent worked closely with Eminem and Dre, who were both credited as executive produced on his upcoming debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', each of them producing a few tracks for the highly awaited album. Before Get Rich dropped, though, Eminem debuted 50 Cent on the 8 Mile soundtrack. The song "Wanksta," previously released on the No Mercy, No Fear mixtape, became a runaway hit in late 2002, setting the stage for "In da Club," the Dre-produced lead single from Get Rich. The two singles became sizable crossover hits -- the former peaking at number 13 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, the latter at number one -- and Interscope (Shady/Aftermath's parent company) consequently had to move up Get Rich's release date to combat bootlegging.

Amid all this, 50 Cent made headlines repeatedly. Most notably, he was tied to Jam Master Jay's shooting in October 2002, the F.B.I.'s investigation of Murder Inc's relationship to former drug dealer Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, and a shooting incident at the offices of Violator Management. Furthermore, he made more headlines when he was jailed on New Year's Eve 2002 for gun possession. The media recounted his life story ad nauseam, particularly his storied brush with death -- and not just the expected media outlets like MTV -- even such unlikely mainstream publications as The New York Times ran feature stories ("Amid Much Anticipation, a Rapper Makes a Debut"). By the time Get Rich finally streeted on February 6, 2003, 50 Cent had become the most discussed figure in the music industry, and bootlegged or not, his initial sales figures reflected this (a record-breaking 872,000 units moved in five days, the best-selling debut album since SoundScan started its tracking system in May 1991), as did his omnipresence in the media. Late in the year, following another round of popular hits, "21 Questions" (which charted number one on the Hot 100) and "P.I.M.P." (number three), 50 Cent made his group debut with G-Unit, Beg for Mercy. The album charted at number two and spawned a couple Top 15 hits, "Stunt 101" and "Wanna Get to Know You." In 2004, 50 Cent stayed on the sidelines for the most part as G-Unit affiliates Lloyd Banks and Young Buck released popular solo albums. Another G-Unit affiliate, the Game, released his debut in January 2005, and it proved the most successful among these solo spin-offs, in particular the singles "How We Do" and "Love It or Hate It," both Top Five hits that prominently featured 50 Cent. As these singles were riding high on the charts, however, 50 Cent and the Game were feuding, and the latter was acrimoniously booted out of G-Unit. There were also feuds with Fat Joe and Jadakiss (instigated by the song "Piggy Bank") during the run-up to the March 2005 release of The Massacre, 50 Cent's second album. Nearly as popular as Get Rich or Die Tryin', The Massacre debuted at number one, sold millions (over ten million worldwide), and spawned a series of smash hits ("Disco Inferno," "Candy Shop," "Just a Lil Bit").

By this point in time, 50 Cent's fame overshadowed his music, thereby predicating "street" credibility issues that would haunt him in the years to follow. For instance, the marketing rollout of The Massacre carried over into ventures such as the video game 50 Cent: Bulletproof, the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin', and the soundtrack to that film -- all released in 2005, along with other product. The fallout from 50 Cent's overexposure was evident via the singles from the film soundtrack ("Hustler's Ambition," "Window Shopper," "Best Friend," "Have a Party"), which failed to gain much traction in the marketplace, charting modestly relative to past singles. The next round of G-Unit solo releases (Tony Yayo's Thoughts of a Predicate Felon, 2005; Mobb Deep's Blood Money, 2005; Lloyd Banks' Rotten Apple, 2006; Young Buck's Buck the World, 2007) didn't perform commercially well, either, and it's wasn't entirely surprising when plans for another, Olivia's Behind Closed Doors, were shelved. The grim outlook didn't bode well for 50 Cent's next album, which was pushed back repeatedly and retitled a couple times. The final title, Curtis, was inspired by yet another feud, this one with Cam'ron, who taunted 50 Cent, somewhat oddly, by addressing him by his born name. After a pair of lead singles, "Straight to the Bank" and "Amusement Park," failed to connect in the marketplace, Curtis was reworked one last time and pushed back from a summer release date to a fall one (i.e., the memorable date September 11, which -- to the glee of industry observers -- pitted the album against Kanye West's Graduation). A second round of singles, "I Get Money" and "Ayo Technology," was released in the latter half of the summer, while the video for a fifth single, "Follow My Lead," was leaked to the Internet -- to the frustration of 50 Cent, who reportedly cursed out Interscope for endangering the commercial prospects of his album -- over a month before street date. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
 
Discography: 50 Cent
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Ayo Technology [4 Tracks]

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Thug Love [CD]

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Curtis [Circuit City Exclusive]

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Massacre [CD & DVD]

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Massacre [CD & DVD]

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Massacre [CD & DVD] [Clean]

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Curtis

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Curtis

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Curtis [Clean]

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Curtis [Bonus Track]

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No Mercy No Fear

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50 Cent Is the Future

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God's Plan

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G Unit Radio, Pt. 10: 2050 Before the Massacre

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G Unit Radio, Pt. 14: Back in Business

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P.I.M.P. [Australia CD]

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From Pieces to Weight

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21 Questions [Australia CD]

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Return of the Mixtape Millionaire: G Unit Radio 13

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In da Club [Australia CD]

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Massacre

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Massacre

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Massacre

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Massacre

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Massacre [Clean]

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Massacre [Bonus Track]

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Just a Lil Bit [3 Track Single]

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No Mercy, No Fear [Clean]

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Maximum

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G Unit Radio, Pt. 7: King of New York

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Candy Shop [CD #2]

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Straight to the Bank [UK CD]

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Re-Massacre

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Hip Hop Is Dead: G-Unit Radio, Pt. 22

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Bulletproof, Vol. 4

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Get Rich or Die Tryin' [Import Bonus Track]

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If I Can't

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Thug Love [12"]

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Hustler's Ambition, Pt. 1 [Maxi Single]

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Get Rich or Die Tryin'

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Get Rich or Die Tryin' [Clean]

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Get Rich or Die Tryin' [Bonus DVD]

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Window Shopper

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Ayo Technology

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Freestyle B4 Paystyle

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In Concert

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Thug Love/I'm a Hustler [CD/12"]

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Guess Who's Back?

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Are You a Window Shopper: G-Unit Radio, Pt. 15

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Return of the Body Snatchers: This 50 Cent, Vol. 1 [Bonus Tracks]

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Back to Business: G-Unit Radio, Pt. 14

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New Breed [DVD & CD]

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New Breed [DVD & CD]

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Candy Shop/Disco Inferno [Australia CD]

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Return of the Body Snatchers: This 50 Cent, Vol. 1

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Future Is Now

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Greatest Street Hitz

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Best of 50 Cent

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Actor: 50 Cent
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  • Born: Jul 06, 1976 in Queens, New York
  • Occupation: Actor, Director
  • Active: 2000s
  • Major Genres: Music
  • Career Highlights: Streets of Blood, 50 Cent: The Money and the Power, Before I Self Destruct
  • First Major Screen Credit: 50 Cent: The New Breed (2003)

Biography

Born Curtis James Jackson III in Queens, NY, superstar hardcore rapper 50 Cent -- more than any of his contemporaries -- lived out the mythology of the "urban gangsta," to such a degree that he's quite fortunate to be alive, let alone a pop-culture superstar. The product of a broken home, 50 Cent survived stabbings, shootings, crack dealing, multiple incarcerations, and many other calamities and near-misses, and then drew lyrically from his own violent personal history, using this authentic material (with the help of Run-D.M.C.'s Jam Master Jay and Eminem) to establish himself as one of the most important rap acts of the early 21st century. 50 Cent's albums Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003) and The Massacre (2005) thrived on the songster's outstanding hooks, clever lyrics, and superlative production values; consequently, each album sold several million copies and turned the rapper into an American icon. The musician's look also turned heads: tall, rippled, and tattooed, frequently sporting a bulletproof vest and a large pistol, he became the newest spokesperson for the "gangsta" subculture.

The leap from rap superstardom to movie stardom can be a short one, as Ice-T and Ice Cube demonstrated. Although 50 Cent launched his cinematic career as an onscreen subject -- in the 2003 documentaries 50 Cent: The New Breed and 50 Cent: Unauthorized -- Shoot First -- he soon branched out into more challenging material. In 2005, 50 Cent headlined a gritty big-screen biopic of his own life, Get Rich or Die Tryin', directed by My Left Foot helmer Jim Sheridan. In that movie, the rapper hearkened back to his given name, with billing as Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. In 2008, he went on to co-star in the cop thriller Righteous Kill, directed by Jon Avnet, with legendary actors Robert De Niro and Al Pacino as a pair of Manhattan cops on the trail of a serial murderer. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
 
Wikipedia: 50 Cent
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50 Cent
50 Cent outside a building in New York City in January 2006
50 Cent outside a building in New York City in January 2006
Background information
Birth name Curtis James Jackson III
Born July 6, 1975 (1975-07-06) (age 34)
Origin South Jamaica, Queens, New York, U.S.
Genre(s) Hip hop
Occupation(s) Rapper, actor, entrepreneur, executive producer, singer
Years active 1998 – present
Label(s) Jam Master Jay
Columbia
Violator
Aftermath/Shady/G-Unit/Interscope, Ill Flava Records, Baby Ray Productions
Associated acts G-Unit, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Mobb Deep, Olivia, Sha Money XL, Ciara, Karl Hinds, Akon, Spider Loc, Young Hot Rod, Nyce Da Future, 40 Glocc, Snoop Dogg
Website 50cent.com,
ThisIs50.com

Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975),[1] better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003) and The Massacre (2005). Both albums achieved multi-platinum success, selling over twenty-one million copies combined.[2]

Born in South Jamaica, Queens, 50 Cent began drug dealing at the age of twelve during the 1980s crack epidemic.[3] After leaving drug dealing to pursue a rap career, he was shot at and struck by nine bullets during an incident in 2000. After releasing his album Guess Who's Back? in 2002, 50 Cent was discovered by rapper Eminem and signed to Interscope Records. With the help of Eminem and Dr. Dre—who produced his first major commercial successes—he became one of the world's highest selling rappers. In 2003, he founded the record label G-Unit Records, which signed several successful rappers such as Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo.

50 Cent has engaged in feuds with other rappers including Ja Rule, The Game, Cam'ron, Fat Joe and most recently Rick Ross. He has also pursued an acting career, appearing in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin' in 2005, the Iraq War film Home of the Brave in 2006, and Righteous Kill in 2008.

Contents

Life and music career

Early life

50 Cent, born Curtis Jackson III, grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens in New York City. He grew up without a father and was raised by his mother, Sabrina, who gave birth to him at the age of fifteen. Sabrina, a cocaine dealer, raised Jackson until the age of eight, when she was murdered in 1983. Twenty-three at the time, she became unconscious after someone drugged her drink. She was then left for dead after the gas in her apartment was turned on and the windows shut closed.[4][5] After her death, Jackson moved into his grandparents' house with his eight aunts and uncles.[1][6][7] He recalls, "My grandmother told me, 'Your mother's not coming home. She's not gonna come back to pick you up. You're gonna stay with us now.' That's when I started adjusting to the streets a little bit".[8]

Jackson's mug shot, August 23, 1994

Jackson began boxing around the age of eleven. At fourteen, a neighbor opened a boxing gym for local kids. "When I wasn't killing time in school, I was sparring in the gym or selling crack on the strip", he recalled.[9] In the mid 1980s, he competed in the Junior Olympics as an amateur boxer. He recounts, "I was competitive in the ring and hip-hop is competitive too... I think rappers condition themselves like boxers, so they all kind of feel like they're the champ".[10] At the age of twelve, Jackson began dealing narcotics when his grandparents thought he was at after-school programs.[11] He also took guns and drug money to school. In the tenth grade, he was caught by metal detectors at Andrew Jackson High School. He later stated, "I was embarrassed that I got arrested like that... After I got arrested I stopped hiding it. I was telling my grandmother [openly], 'I sell drugs.'"[8]

On June 29, 1994, Jackson was arrested for helping to sell four vials of cocaine to an undercover police officer. He was arrested again three weeks later when police searched his home and found heroin, ten ounces of crack cocaine, and a starter gun. He was sentenced to three to nine years in prison, but managed to serve six months in a shock incarceration boot camp where he earned his GED. Jackson said that he did not use cocaine himself, he only sold it.[1][12][13] He adopted the nickname "50 Cent" as a metaphor for "change".[14] The name was derived from Kelvin Martin, a 1980s Brooklyn robber known as "50 Cent". Jackson chose the name "because it says everything I want it to say. I'm the same kind of person 50 Cent was. I provide for myself by any means".[15]

1996–2000: Early career

50 Cent started rapping in a friend's basement where he used turntables to record over instrumentals.[16] In 1996, a friend introduced him to Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC who was organizing his label Jam Master Jay Records. Jay taught him how to count bars, write choruses, structure songs, and how to make a record.[17][18] 50 Cent's first official appearance was on a song titled "React" with the group Onyx on their 1998 album Shut 'Em Down. He credited Jam Master Jay as an influence who helped him improve his ability to write hooks.[10] Jay produced 50 Cent's first album, however it was never released.[4] In 1999, after leaving Jam Master Jay, the platinum-selling producers Trackmasters took notice of 50 Cent and signed him to Columbia Records. They sent him to a studio in Upstate New York where he produced thirty-six songs in two weeks.[5] Eighteen were included on his unofficially released album, Power of the Dollar in 2000.[19] He also started the now-defunct Hollow Point Entertainment with former G-Unit affiliate Bang 'Em Smurf.[20][21]

50 Cent's popularity started to increase after the successful but controversial underground single, "How to Rob", which he wrote in half an hour while in a car on the way to a studio.[14][22] The track comically explains how he would rob famous artists. He explained the reasoning behind song's content as, "There's a hundred artists on that label, you gotta separate yourself from that group and make yourself relevant".[14] Rappers Jay-Z, Kurupt, Sticky Fingaz, Big Pun, DMX, Wyclef Jean and the Wu-Tang Clan replied to the song[22] and Nas, who received the track positively, invited 50 Cent to travel on a promotional tour for his Nastradamus album.[7] The song was intended to be released with "Thug Love" featuring Destiny's Child, but two days before he was scheduled to film the "Thug Love" music video, 50 Cent was shot and confined to a hospital due to his injuries.[23]

2000–2001: Shooting

On May 24, 2000, 50 Cent was attacked by a gunman, alleged to be Darryl "Hommo" Baum, outside his grandmother's former home in South Jamaica, Queens. He went into a friend's car, but was asked to return to the house to get jewelry. His son was in the house while his grandmother was in the front yard.[5] Upon returning to the back seat of the car, another car pulled up nearby. An assailant then walked up to 50 Cent's left side with a 9mm handgun and fired nine shots at close range. He was shot nine times: in the hand (a round hit his right thumb and came out of his little finger), arm, hip, both legs, chest, and left cheek.[4][8][24] The face wound resulted in a swollen tongue, the loss of a wisdom tooth, and a small slur in his voice.[7][8][25] His friend also sustained a gunshot wound to the hand. They were driven to the hospital where 50 Cent spent thirteen days. The alleged shooter, Darryl Baum, was killed three weeks later.[26] Darryl Baum was also Mike Tyson's close friend and bodyguard.[27]

50 Cent recalled the incident saying, "It happens so fast that you don't even get a chance to shoot back... I was scared the whole time... I was looking in the rear-view mirror like, 'Oh shit, somebody shot me in the face! It burns, burns, burns.'"[8] In his memoir, From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens, he wrote, "After I got shot nine times at close range and didn't die, I started to think that I must have a purpose in life... How much more damage could that shell have done? Give me an inch in this direction or that one, and I'm gone".[1] He used a walker for the first six weeks and fully recovered after five months. When he left the hospital, he stayed in the Poconos with his then-girlfriend and son. His workout regime helped him attain his muscular physique.[4][8][28]

While in the hospital, 50 Cent signed a publishing deal with Columbia Records. However, he was dropped from the label and "blacklisted" in the recording industry after it was discovered he was shot. Unable to find a studio to work with in the U.S, he traveled to Canada.[29][30] Along with his business partner Sha Money XL, he recorded over thirty songs for mixtapes, with the purpose of building a reputation. 50 Cent's popularity rose and in 2002, he released material independently on the mixtape, Guess Who's Back?. Beginning to attract interest, and now backed by G-Unit, 50 Cent continued to make songs. They released the mixtape, 50 Cent Is the Future, revisiting material by Jay-Z and Raphael Saadiq.[19]

2002–present: Rise to fame

In 2002, Eminem listened to a copy of 50 Cent's Guess Who's Back? CD. He received the CD through 50 Cent's attorney, who was working with Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg.[23] Impressed with the album, Eminem invited 50 Cent to fly to Los Angeles, where he was introduced to Dr. Dre.[4][17][23] After signing a one million dollar record deal,[17] 50 Cent released the mixtape, No Mercy, No Fear. It featured one new track, "Wanksta", which was put on Eminem's 8 Mile soundtrack.[19] He was also signed to Chris Lighty's Violator Management and Sha Money XL's Money Management Group.

In Bangkok, Thailand, February 26, 2006

In February 2003, 50 Cent released his commercial debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. Allmusic described it as "probably the most hyped debut album by a rap artist in about a decade".[31] Rolling Stone noted the album for its "dark synth grooves, buzzy keyboards and a persistently funky bounce" with 50 Cent complementing the production in "an unflappable, laid-back flow".[32] It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 872,000 copies in the first four days.[33] The lead single, "In da Club", which The Source noted for its "blaring horns, funky organs, guitar riffs and sparse hand claps",[34] broke a Billboard record as the most listened-to song in radio history within a week.[35]

Interscope granted 50 Cent his own label, G-Unit Records in 2003.[36] He signed Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck as the established members of G-Unit. The Game was later signed under a joint venture with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. In March 2005, 50 Cent's second commercial album, The Massacre, sold 1.14 million copies in the first four days—the highest in an abbreviated sales cycle[33]— and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 for six weeks.[37] He became the first solo artist to have three singles on the Billboard top five in the same week with "Candy Shop", "Disco Inferno", and "How We Do".[38] Rolling Stone noted that "50's secret weapon is his singing voice — the deceptively amateur-sounding tenor croon that he deploys on almost every chorus".[39]

From left: With Olivia, Lloyd Banks, and Young Buck in Bangkok, Thailand, February 2006

After The Game's departure, 50 Cent signed singer Olivia and rap veterans Mobb Deep to G-Unit Records. Spider Loc, M.O.P., and Young Hot Rod later joined the label.[40][41] 50 Cent expressed interest in working with rappers outside of G-Unit, such as Lil' Scrappy of BME, LL Cool J from Def Jam, Mase from Bad Boy, and Freeway of Roc-A-Fella, some of whom he recorded with.[42] In September 2007, he released his third album Curtis, which was inspired by his life before Get Rich or Die Tryin'.[43] It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 691,000 units in the first week,[44] behind Kanye West's Graduation, whom he had a sales competition with, as both albums were released on the same day. He confirmed on TRL on September 10, 2008 that his fourth studio album, Before I Self Destruct, will be "done and released in November". On May 18 2009, 50 cent released a song entitled "Ok, You're Right". The song was produced by Dr. Dre and will be included in Before I Self Destruct.[45]

Non-musical projects

50 Cent has established himself in a variety of fields. In November 2003, he signed a five year deal with Reebok to distribute a "G-Unit Sneakers" line as part of his G-Unit Clothing Company.[46][47] He provided the voice-over as the protagonist in the video game, 50 Cent: Bulletproof, which was released for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and the PlayStation Portable. Its sequel, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, was released in early 2009.[48][49] He worked with Glacéau to create a Vitamin Water drink called Formula 50. In 2007, Coca-Cola purchased Glacéau for US$4.1 billion. Forbes estimated 50 Cent, who owns a stake in the company, to have earned $100 million after taxes.[50] He has teamed up with Right Guard to launched a body spray called Pure 50 RGX Body Spray and a condom line called Magic Stick Condoms,[51] in which he planned to donate part of the proceeds to HIV awareness.[52] 50 Cent has signed a multi-year deal with Steiner Sports to sell his memorabilia.[53]

In 2005, 50 Cent made a cameo appearance on The Simpsons episode "Pranksta Rap", in which he makes light of his legal troubles. The same year, he starred alongside Terrence Howard in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin'. He starred in the 2006 film, Home of the Brave, as a soldier returning home from the Iraq War, traumatized after killing an Iraqi woman.[54] 50 Cent is working on a role as a fighter in an Angola State Prison in Spectacular Regret alongside Nicolas Cage, and starred opposite Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in 2008's Righteous Kill, a movie regarding a police death.[55] He also started the film production companies G-Unit Films in 2007 and Cheetah Vision in 2008.[56][57] In August 2007, 50 Cent announced plans to launch a dietary supplement company in conjunction with his movie Spectacular Regret.[58]

Shortly before appearing in Get Rich or Die Tryin', 50 Cent released a memoir about his life and how he became successful titled From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens. On January 4, 2007, he launched his G-Unit Books imprint at the Time Warner Building.[59] He also co-wrote The Ski Mask Way, a novel about a small-time drug dealer who attempts to rob his employers, which is to be turned into a film.[52] 50 Cent said he read Robert Greene's The 33 Strategies of War and worked with the author on a book titled The 50th Law, an urban take on The 48 Laws of Power.[52][60] In May 2008, Jackson met billionaire Patrice Motsepe to forge a joint venture selling 50 Cent-branded platinum.[61]

Jackson started a reality television show on MTV titled 50 Cent: The Money and the Power; the winning contestant won a $100,000 investment from Jackson. The Winners name is Ryan Mayberry.[citation needed]

Personal life

On October 13, 1997, 50 Cent's then-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins gave birth to a son, Marquise Jackson.[3][62] Tompkins later sued 50 Cent for $50 million dollars, claiming that he said that he would take care of her for life; the suit, which includes 15 claims was later dismissed by a judge, calling it "an unfortunate tale of a love relationship gone sour."[63] As of February 2009, Tompkins' and her lawyer are considering an appeal.[64]

The birth of his son changed 50 Cent's outlook on life: "when my son came into my life, my priorities changed, because I wanted to have the relationship with him, that I didn’t have with my father".[65] He credited his son for inspiring his career and being "motivation to go in a different direction".[66] He also has a younger cousin, Michael Francis, who lived with him when he was a child.[67] Two Five earned the nickname "25 Cent" for being his younger counterpart and he raps under that stage name.[67]

50 Cent has a tattoo of "Marquise" with an axe on his right biceps. "The axe is 'cause I'm a warrior. I don't want him to be one, though",[30] he explains. He also has "50", "Southside", and "Cold World" inscribed on his back because "I'm a product of that environment. It's on my back, though, so it's all behind me".[30] 50 Cent dated actress Vivica A. Fox in 2003. After a few months, he announced their split up on the The Howard Stern Show when pictures from a photo shoot they did ended up on the cover of Today's Black Woman magazine without his knowledge.[68][69]

In 2005, 50 Cent expressed support for President George W. Bush after rapper Kanye West criticized him for the slow response in assisting the Hurricane Katrina victims.[70] If his felony convictions did not prevent him from voting, he claimed he would have voted for Bush.[71] He later stated that Bush "has less compassion than the average human. By all means, I don’t aspire to be like George Bush".[72]

In 2007, Forbes recognized 50 Cent for his wealth, placing him second behind Jay-Z in the rap industry.[73] He resides in Farmington, Connecticut, in the former mansion of ex-boxer Mike Tyson.[74] He put the mansion for sale at US$18.5 million to move closer to his son who lives in Long Island with his ex-girlfriend.[75] On October 12, 2007, the Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut declared it "50 Cent Curtis Jackson Day". He was honored with a key to the city and an official proclamation.[76] One of his homes in New York purchased for 2.4 million dollars in January 2007 and at the center of a lawsuit between 50 Cent and ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins caught fire on May 31, 2008 while he was out of town filming for a movie in Louisiana.[77]

In December 2008 50 told the Canadian Press that he had already been hit by the recession, losing several million dollars on the stock market. He also went on to say that he had been unable to sell his Connecticut mansion and pushed Before I Self-Destruct back because of the recent economic downturn.[78]

Controversy

Murder Inc.

Before signing with Interscope, 50 Cent engaged in a well-publicized dispute with rapper Ja Rule and his label Murder Inc. (now The Inc.). The rappers engaged in mixtape "disses". 50 Cent claims that a friend robbed Ja Rule of his jewelry and that Ja Rule accused him of setting it up.[68] However, Ja Rule claimed the conflict stemmed from a video shoot in Queens because 50 Cent did not like seeing him "getting so much love" from the neighborhood.[79] In March 2000, while at The Hit Factory studio in New York, 50 Cent had an altercation with Murder Inc. associates. He was treated for three stitches after receiving a stab wound.[68][80] Rapper Black Child claimed responsibility for the stabbing, saying he acted in self-defense because he thought someone reached for a gun.[81]

An anti-50 Cent billboard in Tribeca, New York.

An affidavit by an IRS agent suggested that the label had ties to Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, a New York drug lord who was suspected of being involved in the murder of Jam Master Jay and the shooting of 50 Cent. An excerpt of the affidavit read:

The investigation has uncovered a conspiracy involving McGriff and others to murder a rap artist who has released songs containing lyrics regarding McGriff's criminal activities. The rap artist was shot in 2000, survived and thereafter refused to cooperate with law enforcement regarding the shooting. Messages transmitted over the Murder Inc. pager indicate that McGriff is involved in an ongoing plot to kill this rap artist, and that he communicates with Murder Inc. employees concerning the target.[29]

New York rappers

Before releasing The Massacre, 50 Cent recorded a song "Piggy Bank", a response to Ja Rule's song "New York", which was leaked before the album's release. The song takes aim at rappers including Fat Joe, Nas, and Jadakiss.[82] Fat Joe responded with a song, "My Fofo", accusing 50 Cent of taking steroids, hiding in his home, and being jealous of The Game. Jadakiss also responded with a song, "Checkmate", and said that 50 Cent was trying to "create a buzz for his new album".[83] The "Piggy Bank" music video portrays animated caricatures of Jadakiss (as a Ninja turtle), Fat Joe (as an overweight boxer who receives a knockout), Nas (as a kid chasing a "milkshake" truck in a Superman costume), and The Game (as Mr. Potato Head).[84] Kelis, Nas's wife, responded to the song on her single "Bossy."[citation needed]

50 Cent spoke negatively about Bad Boy Entertainment mogul Sean Combs and recorded a song, "Hip-Hop", revealing the reasons behind his negative feelings: primarily, a contract dispute over Mase. In the song, he implied that Diddy knew about The Notorious B.I.G.'s murder and threatened to expose him through former associates.[85] The feud was resolved, with both rappers appearing on MTV's TRL and Sucker Free, respectively, stating that there were no longer problems.[86]

On February 1, 2007, Cam'ron and 50 Cent had a live argument on The Angie Martinez Show on Hot 97 radio. 50 Cent commented that Koch Entertainment was a "graveyard", meaning major record labels would not work with their artists.[87] Cam'ron then ridiculed the record sales of G-Unit members Lloyd Banks and Mobb Deep by stating that Jim Jones outsold their albums despite being signed to an independent label and that his group, The Diplomats, had a distribution deal from several labels.[87] Both rappers released "diss" songs with videos on YouTube. 50 Cent suggested in "Funeral Music" that Cam'ron is no longer able to lead The Diplomats and that Jim Jones should take his place. Cam'ron responded with "Curtis" and "Curtis Pt. II", in which he makes fun of 50 Cent's appearance, calling him "a gorilla, with rabbit teeth".[88] 50 Cent responded by releasing "Hold On" with Young Buck.[89] He has recently squashed his feud with Jadakiss, but still has conflict with Fat Joe.[citation needed]

Feud with The Game

50 Cent began a feud with The Game, with whom he was close before The Game released his debut album The Documentary. After its release, 50 Cent felt The Game was disloyal for saying he did not want to participate in G-Unit's feuds with other rappers and even wanting to work with artists they were feuding with. He also claimed that he wrote six songs on the album and was not receiving proper credit for his work, which The Game denied.[90]

50 Cent later dismissed The Game from G-Unit on Hot 97 radio. After the announcement, The Game, who was a guest earlier in the evening, attempted to enter the building with his entourage. After being denied entry, one of his associates was shot in the leg during a confrontation with a group of men leaving the building.[91][92] When the situation escalated, both rappers held a press conference to announce their reconciliation.[93] Fans had mixed feelings as to whether the rappers created a publicity stunt to boost the sales of the albums they had just released.[94] Nevertheless, even after the situation deflated,[95] G-Unit criticized The Game's street credibility. The group denounced The Game and announced that they will not be featured on his albums. During a Summer Jam performance, The Game launched a boycott of G-Unit called "G-Unot".[96]

After the Summer Jam performance, The Game released a track, "300 Bars and Runnin'", which addresses 50 Cent and G-Unit.[97] He continued his attacks in a Stop Snitchin, Stop Lyin' DVD. After numerous songs aimed at G-Unit, 50 Cent responded to The Game's rebuttals on mixtapes. One track, "Not Rich, Still Lyin'", imitates The Game, attacks his credibility, and mentions his feud with his brother, Big Fase 100.[98]

The Game also released mixtape covers parodying the group. After he displayed pictures of G-Unit dressed up as the Village People, 50 Cent posted a cover of The Game's head on the body of a male stripper.[99] Although he was signed to Aftermath Entertainment, The Game left the label and signed with Geffen Records to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit.[100] On July 2009, The Game apologizes to 50 Cent about the whole feud going on between him and G-Unit and claims that their beef is officially over.

Feud with Rick Ross

Rick Ross started a feud with 50 Cent because he supposedly looked at him the wrong way at the BET Awards. However, 50 cent told news sources that he did not even remember seeing Rick Ross there.[101] In late January, a track titled "Mafia Music" by Rick Ross, leaked onto the Internet. There were several lines that seem to diss 50 cent. Days later, 50 Cent released "Officer Ricky (Go Head, Try Me)" in response to Rick Ross' disparaging remarks days earlier on "Mafia Music." 50 also took shots at DJ Khaled and Lil Wayne on the song. At the end he claims Ross is "an appetizer. Where you at, Wayne?" He continued to egg Wayne on. "You awfully quiet. You called Em out... You got to pass me to get to him, "[102] referring to the interview Lil Wayne had in 2007, where he reached out to Eminem to collaborate with him. In early February, 50 upped the ante and posted a video on YouTube where he interviews Tia, the mother of Rick Ross' child. She verifies his being a correctional officer and claims his whole persona is fake.[103] On Thursday, February 5, 2009, The Game called up Seattle's KUBE 93 Radio Station. When asked about the feud between 50 Cent and Rick Ross, The Game gave props to 50 Cent and said that things are not looking good for Rick Ross. However, he offered to help Rick Ross get out of this situation. "Rick Ross, holla at your boy, man," Game continued, "50 eating you, boy."[104] In March, 50 released a sex tape to the internet of Ross baby mama, yet filmed with another man–identified as "Brooke" and with a "Double R" tattoo on her chest. 50, in a wig, proceeded to narrate the film disparaging Ross.[105] Tia stated she signed with G-Unit Books to release her book about her life and her relationship with Rick Ross. Some of commented on Rick Ross being the Gusto of Hip-hop. In an interview, 50 Cent said, Rick Ross is ‘Albert From CB4. You ever seen the movie? He's Albert," he added. "It never gets worse than this. You get a guy that was a correctional officer come out and base his entire career on writing material from a drug dealer's perspective such as "Freeway" Ricky Ross". [106]

Feud with Lil Wayne

After hearing word that Lil Wayne had prepared a song for him after 50 made some unkind remarks, 50 lashed out at Wayne first on August 17 2007 with the song "Part Time Lover".[107] Wayne never really responded to the song, although a 50 Cent diss track called "Louisianimal" did leak much later on November 17, 2008.[108] 50 responded to Lil Wayne in a song entitled "Play This On The Radio" which reportedly takes shots at Kanye West as well. In the song he raps First They Say That Fagot Hot, Then They Let That Junkie Shine, referring to Kanye West as a "fagot" and Lil Wayne a "junkie". At the end he dares Wayne to respond saying And I'm on your heels Mr. Carter I heard you want me to die ugly? Ok..Don’t end up on the list.. be a missing person like Cam'ron, like Ja, like Joe.. who want some? Who want it? What up?.[109] However, Wayne responded in the Pimp C song "Let's Talk Money" with T-Pain, referring to 50 Cent as saying That nigga Pimp (Pimp C) called me before he left this bitch, told me keep doing ya thing and don't tell 50 shit.[110]

Lawsuit

On July 21, 2007, 50 Cent filed a US$1 million lawsuit against advertising company Traffix Inc. of Pearl River, New York for using his image in a promotion which he claims threatens his safety. He became aware of the internet ad after one of his staff members saw it on a MySpace page. According to court documents, the ad features a cartoon image of the rapper and the message: "shoot the rapper and you will win $5000 or five ring tones guaranteed". Though the ad did not use his name, the image allegedly intended to resemble him, suggesting he endorsed the ad. The lawsuit calls it a "vile, tasteless and despicable" use of 50 Cent's image that "quite literally calls for violence against him". The lawsuit seeks for unspecified punitive damages and a permanent injunction against the use of his image without permission.[111][112]

Discography

Album Year
Get Rich or Die Tryin' 2003
The Massacre 2005
Curtis 2007
Before I Self Destruct 2009
Fifth studio album[113] 2009
Soundtracks Year
Get Rich or Die Tryin' OST 2005
G-Unit albums Year
Beg For Mercy 2003
T.O.S: Terminate on Sight 2008

Awards and nominations

Filmography

Year Film Role Other notes
2003 50 Cent: The New Breed Himself Documentary DVD
2005 The Simpsons: "Pranksta Rap" Himself His appearance in this episode was animated
Get Rich or Die Tryin' Marcus Film debut
50 Cent: Bulletproof Himself Video game, voice only
2006 Home of the Brave Jamal Aiken
2008 Righteous Kill Spider
Before I Self Destruct[114] Clarence
2009 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand Himself Video game, voice only
Streets of Blood Stan Green Completed
Dead Man Running[115] Thigo Post-production
Spectacular Regret[116] Amos Jenks In-production
2010 13 Jimmy Post-production
The Dance[117] Announced
The Ski Mask Way[118] Seven Announced
Twelve[119] Announced

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  106. ^ http://www.ballerstatus.com/2009/03/03/50-cent-says-rick-ross-is-gusto-from-cb4-laughs-off-ross-sales-predictions/
  107. ^ HipHopDX.com - 50 Cent Disses Lil' Wayne. HipHopDX.com. Accessed August 17, 2007.
  108. ^ HipHopDX.com - Lil Wayne - Louisianimal (50 Cent Diss). HipHopDX.com. Accessed November 27, 2008.
  109. ^ 50 Cent - Play This On The Radio
  110. ^ Pimp C - Let's Talk Money
  111. ^ 50 Cent says ad threatens his life, files lawsuit. CBC (July 21, 2007). Accessed July 23, 2007.
  112. ^ 50 Cent Sues over 'Shoot the Rapper'. Fox News (July 20, 2007). Accessed July 27, 2007.
  113. ^ 50 Cent to drop two albums in 2009
  114. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1310569/
  115. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1311699/
  116. ^ IMDB. "Spectacular Regret" at the IMDB. IMDB. Accessed July 15, 2008.
  117. ^ http://thisis50.com/profiles/blogs/curtis-50-cent-jackson-set-to
  118. ^ IMDB. "The Ski Mask Way" at the IMDB. IMDB. Accessed July 15, 2008.
  119. ^ http://thisis50.com/profiles/blogs/curtis-50-cent-jackson-set-to

External links


 
 

Did you mean: 50 Cent (Rapper), 50 CENT (abbreviation), 50 Cent Party, 50 Cent discography, 50 cent piece (Canadian coin), 50 Cents (abbreviation), Australian 50 cent coin


 

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