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50 Cent

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50 Cent
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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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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.

Next:Aaron Carter (Singer), Aaron Copland (Composer / Pianist)
AMG AllMovie Guide:

50 Cent

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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, Rovi
Gale Musician Profiles:

50 Cent

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Rap musician

Born and bred in the hustling streets of Queens, New York, 50 Cent became one of the most popular contemporary rappers before his debut album was even released. Prior to becoming a superstar, 50's hard-living past included time as a drug dealer and a shooting victim, but his tough background made him out to be a highly interesting character. His music—a blend of thug lifestyle and ghetto love—turned out to be just as captivating. A partnership with two of rap's biggest names, Eminem and Dr. Dre, made 50's 2003 debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin' one of the most successful debuts by a new artist in history. Wearing a bulletproof vest on the cover of his album and on stage wasn't just a fashion statement for 50; it was a safety precaution ever since he was shot an infamous nine times in 2000. From drug dealer to rap superstar, record mogul, and clothing designer, 50 Cent was as much a businessman as a popular entertainer.

Born Curtis Jackson III on July 6, 1976, 50 Cent grew up in Southside Jamaica, Queens, NY. His mother, a drug dealer, raised Jackson until he was eight, when she died in a fire at the age of 23. 50's father left shortly after she died. Then raised by his grandparents, Jackson fell into the same business as his mother in his teens, and became one of Queens' most popular crack cocaine dealers. Hustling became a way of life for Jackson, and with the money and notoriety came a life of danger and run-ins with the law.

After spending enough time behind bars, Jackson began to explore rap music as a way out of an illegal lifestyle. Calling himself 50 Cent, a meeting with Run-D.M.C.'s Jam Master Jay in 1996 gave 50 his first big break. Jay signed the fledgling rapper to his label JMJ Records and although nothing was ever released, it prompted a working relationship with the production duo Trackmasters (who had worked with Jay-Z and Nas). The New York team then signed 50 to their own label, a subsidiary of Columbia, and started work on Power of the Dollar. Before the record was released, the sessions generated three singles including one with Destiny's Child and the underground street classic "How to Rob."

The buzz from "How to Rob" was both positive and negative. In the tune, 50 rapped about how he would rob popular rappers and was just the beginning of 50's soon-to-be many lyrical feuds against others. 50's first music-related threat came shortly after the release of "How to Rob" when he was stabbed at Manhattan's Hit Factory studio. But that was nothing compared to the now famous incident that occurred on May 24, 2000. Just months before Power of the Dollar was to be released, as 50 sat in a car in front of his house, with his grandmother on the porch and his young son inside, an assassin attempted to take 50's life. Shot nine times with a 9 mm pistol, 50 was hit with bullets in his cheek, his hand and his legs. He survived and recuperated, but lost his record contract with Columbia.

In the following two years, 50 returned to rapping as a way of life, stronger than ever. With his fellow rhyme makers Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, 50 formed the rap collective G-Unit. With the help of producer Sha Money XL, 50 and his crew began to release a number of mix tapes, which gained 50 and his friends serious underground attention. While some of the tracks had 50 rapping over other's music, his lyrics—often aggressive and dissing other rappers—were a discerning characteristic. Detroit rap star Eminem became a big fan and when record labels began to court 50 for a deal, Eminem and his friend Dr. Dre were able to not only offer 50 the best financial deal but also a friendship when they signed the East Coast rapper to their Shady/Aftermath label. "He had the style, the flow and the attitude—and he wanted it badly," Dr. Dre told Newsweek about 50's potential. Work soon began with 50, Eminem, and Dre collaborating on beats and lyrics for what would be 50's major label debut.

To introduce the world to 50 Cent—already one of the most-hyped rappers of all time, thanks to his crimeridden past and high-profile friends—Eminem included two 50 tracks on the soundtrack to his feature film 8 Mile. In November of 2002, Interscope records released the soundtrack with 50's "Places to Go" and "Wanksta." A call-out to fake gangsters (50 had already had a beef with Ja Rule), "Wanksta" became an instant radio hit. Interscope president Jimmy Iovine saw the potential in selling 50's persona, telling Newsweek that 50 was, "One of the best businessman I've ever worked with. He's got a game plan for whatever happens. But more important, he's a true artist like Marvin Gaye or the Rolling Stones. Like them, he can make truly edgy records that appeal to the mainstream and it's a gift."

Soon after the hype of 8 Mile, 50 struck gold when the single "In Da Club" blew up at radio, debuting at number one on Billboard, forcing the record label to bump up the release of 50's debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. When the album was released on February 6, 2003, 50 Cent was one of the biggest names in music. His hype was backed up by record setting sales. CNN. com announced that in its first week Get Rich or Die Tryin' sold 872,00 copies making it the "biggest opening week for a major label debut by any recording artist in the SoundScan era." 50 beat out Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle, which held the previous record at 803,000 copies.

Brushes with the law, including a new gun possession charge on new Year's Eve in 2002, kept 50 in the spotlight for more than just his music, boosting Get Rich or Die Tryin' sales to over 10 million. Rolling Stone gave Get Rich or Die Tryin' four stars, noting that 50's beat makers had something to do with his success. "Dre, Eminem and a handful of lesser-known producers are at the top of their game here, concocting these alternately club-ready and spaced-out tracks out of dark synth grooves, buzzy keyboards and persistently funky bounce," wrote Christian Hoard. Singles "P.I.M. P," "Many Men (Wish Death)," and "In Da Club," were popular on both pop and hip-hop stations. 50's hardcore East Coast style was just at home in the dance clubs and streets as it was in white teenage suburban homes. With all the acclaim being thrown his way, 50 was quick to point out that he couldn't have achieved his success without help from his mentors. "I know that I absolutely have to utilize them [Dre and Eminem] for my success. I need to go to Em—he made "On Fire" a hit. I know I need Dre. You can't buy the beats I get from him without being part of the team. I got beats from The Chronic—The first Chronic!—that he didn't use," 50 told Vibe.

With the world as his oyster, 50 created G-Unit Records to release his group of the same name's 2004 debut, Beg For Mercy. With Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck riding high off of 50's success, G-Unit's debut sold over 2 million copies. Later that year, Lloyd Banks and Young Buck released their own solo albums, with 50 producing both. In February of 2004, 50 earned five Grammy nominations while continuing to top the Billboard charts for weeks on end.

2004 was also a huge year for 50 Cent as a businessman. 50 partnered with Reebok for a very successful line of G-Unit sneakers, with Ecko Unlimited for a G-Unit clothing line, and while his peers were promoting energy drinks and alcohol, 50 teamed up with Glaceau Vitamin Water company for the grape-flavored Formula 50 drink.

Come January of 2005, 50 protégé The Game released his number one debut, The Documentary. The 50 and Game collaboration "How We Do" was a huge hit, but in 50-style, a bubbling feud began between the two friends, which resulted in a shooting outside a radio station. Neither 50 nor The Game was hurt—a friend was shot—and the highly publicized affair only helped both rappers' careers. Illegal copies of 50's upcoming 2005 album, The Massacre, began flooding the Internet, so Interscope once again bumped up the album's release date by a week. In brutally honest interviews and scathing lyrics on the new record 50 set out to destroy his competition in 2005. The Massacre track "Piggy Bank" outright dissed rappers New York rappers Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and Nas. "My thought process going into The Massacre took me back to the days when I was hustling," 50 said in his official biography. "I'm looking to move the competition of the block. I feel like anything less that what I've accomplished with Get Rich is a disappointment. I had time to grow during the last two years, so I just feel like I'm a better artist. The album title says it all: I want all the rappers to move the f∗∗k out of the way."

In late 2005, production began on a film based loosely on 50's life story. Starring 50 Cent as the lead character, director Jim Sheridan set out to make 50 a movie star. In a review of The Massacre, Rolling Stone's Nathan Brackett appropriately summed up 50's appeal and success: "It helps that 50 Cent is the most likeable rapper ever to need a bulletproof vest. Like his Kevlarwearing predecessor and idol, Tupac Shakur, 50 has charisma up the muzzle-hole. But where Tupac could be manic and unpredictable, 50 is so cool and easy to be around—you get the sense that if he weren't so busy getting shot, stabbed and selling millions of albums, he would be an enormously successful fraternity president or restaurateur."

Selected discography
Guess Who's Back?, Full Cup, 2002.
(Contributor) 8 Mile (soundtrack), Shady/Interscope, 2002.
Get Rich or Die Tryin', Shady/Aftermath/Interscope, 2003.
(With G-Unit) Beg For Mercy, G-Unit Records/Aftermath/Interscope, 2003.
The Massacre, Shady/Aftermath/Interscope, 2005.

Sources
Periodicals
Newsweek, February 21, 2005.
Vibe, April 2005.

Online
"50 Cent," All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com (April 27, 2005).
"50 Cent," RollingStone.com, http://www.rollingstone.com (April 27, 2005).
"Rapper 50 Cent sets sales record," CNN, http://www.cnn.com (April 27, 2005).
Additional information was provided by Interscope records.
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:

50 Cent

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  • Genres: Rap

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, Rovi
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50 Cent

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"50 cent" redirects here. For the currency amount, see 50 cents. For the 1980s Brooklyn-area robber known as "50 cent", see Kelvin Martin.
"Curtis Jackson" redirects here. For other people with this name, see Curtis Jackson (disambiguation).
50 Cent

50 Cent at the 2009 American Music Awards
Background information
Birth name Curtis James Jackson III
Born July 6, 1975 (1975-07-06) (age 36)
Origin South Jamaica, Queens, New York, United States
Genres Hip hop
Occupations Rapper, actor
Years active 1997–present
Labels Shady, Aftermath, Interscope
Associated acts G-Unit, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Sha Money XL, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo
Website 50cent.com

Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003) and The Massacre (2005). His album Get Rich or Die Tryin' has been certified six times platinum by the RIAA.[1]

Born in South Jamaica, Queens, Jackson began drug dealing at the age of twelve during the 1980s crack epidemic.[2] 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, Jackson 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, Jackson 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.

Jackson has engaged in feuds with other rappers including Ja Rule, Nas, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Cam'ron, Puff Daddy, Rick Ross, and former G-Unit members The Game and Young Buck. 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. 50 Cent was ranked as the sixth best artist of the 2000s by Billboard magazine. The magazine also ranked him as the fourth top male artist and as the third top rapper behind Eminem and Nelly.[3] Billboard magazine also ranked him as the sixth best and most successful Hot 100 Artist of the 2000s[4] and as the number one rap artist of the 2000s.[5] Billboard ranked his album Get Rich or Die Tryin' as the twelfth best album of the 2000s[6] and his album The Massacre as the 37th best album of the 2000s.[7] As of September 2011, 50 Cent is working on his yet-to-be-titled fifth studio album, which is set to be released in December 2011.[8]

Contents

Early life

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 twelve, when she was killed in 1988. Twenty-seven 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.[9][10]

After her death, Jackson moved into his grandparents' house with his eight aunts and uncles.[11][12][13] 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".[14]

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.[15] 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".[16] At the age of twelve, Jackson began dealing narcotics when his grandparents thought he was at after-school programs.[17] 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.'"[14]

Following time spent in a correctional boot camp, Jackson adopted the nickname "50 Cent" as a metaphor for "change".[18] 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".[19]

Music career

1996–2000: Early career

Jackson started rapping in a friend's basement where he used turntables to record over instrumentals.[20] 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.[21][22] Jackson'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.[16] Jay produced Jackson's first album; however, it was never released.[9]

In 1999, after leaving Jam Master Jay, the platinum-selling producers Trackmasters took notice of Jackson 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.[10] Eighteen were included on his unofficially released album, Power of the Dollar in 2000.[23] He also started the now-defunct Hollow Point Entertainment with former G-Unit affiliate Bang 'Em Smurf.[24][25]

Jackson'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.[18][26] 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".[18] Rappers Jay-Z, Kurupt, Sticky Fingaz, Big Pun, DMX, Wyclef Jean and the Wu-Tang Clan replied to the song[26] and Nas, who received the track positively, invited Jackson to travel on a promotional tour for his Nastradamus album.[13] 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, Jackson was shot and confined to a hospital due to his injuries.[27]

2000–01: Shooting

On May 24, 2000, Jackson 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.[10] Upon returning to the back seat of the car and already seated, another car pulled up nearby. An assailant then walked up to Jackson'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, to where the bullet passed through and out his little finger), arm, hip, both legs, chest, and his face (his left cheek).[9][14][28] The face wound resulted in a swollen tongue, the loss of a wisdom tooth, and a small slur in his voice.[13][14][29] His friend also sustained a gunshot wound to the hand. They were driven to the hospital where Jackson spent thirteen days.

Baum, the alleged shooter, was killed three weeks later.[30]

Baum was also Mike Tyson's close friend and bodyguard.[31]

Jackson 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 @#!*% , somebody shot me in the face! It burns, burns, burns.'"[14] In his autobiography, 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".[11] 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.[9][14][32]

While in the hospital, Jackson signed a publishing deal with Columbia Records. However, he was dropped from the label and "blacklisted" in the recording industry because of his song "Ghetto Qu'ran".

Unable to find a studio to work with in the U.S, he traveled to Canada.[33][34] Along with his business partner Sha Money XL, he recorded over thirty songs for mixtapes, with the purpose of building a reputation.

According to Shady Records A&R Marc Labelle in an interview with HitQuarters, Jackson shrewdly used the mixtape circuit to his own advantage saying, "He took all the hottest beats from every artist and flipped them with better hooks. They then got into all the markets on the mixtapes and all the mixtape DJs were messing with them."[35] Jackson'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, Jackson continued to release music including 50 Cent Is the Future. The mixtape revisited material by Jay-Z and Raphael Saadiq.[23]

2002–2009: Rise to fame

In 2002, Eminem listened to a copy of Jackson's Guess Who's Back? CD. He received the CD through Jackson's attorney, who was working with Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg.[27] Impressed with the album, Eminem invited Jackson to fly to Los Angeles, where he was introduced to Dr. Dre.[9][21][27] After signing a $1 million record deal,[21] Jackson released the mixtape, No Mercy, No Fear. It featured one new track, "Wanksta", which was put on Eminem's 8 Mile soundtrack.[23] He was also signed to Chris Lighty's Violator Management and Sha Money XL's Money Management Group.

In February 2003, Jackson 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".[36] Rolling Stone noted the album for its "dark synth grooves, buzzy keyboards and a persistently funky bounce" with Jackson complementing the production in "an unflappable, laid-back flow".[37]

It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 872,000 copies in the first four days.[38] The lead single, "In da Club", which The Source noted for its "blaring horns, funky organs, guitar riffs and sparse hand claps",[39] broke a Billboard record as the most listened-to song in radio history within a week.[40]

Interscope granted Jackson his own label, G-Unit Records in 2003.[41] 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, Jackson's second commercial album, The Massacre, sold 1.14 million copies in the first four days-the highest in an abbreviated sales cycle[38]- and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 for six weeks.[42]

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".[43] 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".[44]

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

After The Game's departure, Jackson signed singer Olivia and rap veterans Mobb Deep to G-Unit Records. Spider Loc, M.O.P., 40 Glocc and Young Hot Rod later joined the label.[45][46] Jackson 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.[47] In September 2007, he released his third album Curtis, which was inspired by his life before Get Rich or Die Tryin'.[48] It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 691,000 units in the first week,[49] 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, Jackson released a song entitled "Ok, You're Right". The song was produced by Dr. Dre and was included in Before I Self Destruct.

In Fall 2009, 50 Cent appeared in the new season of VH1's Behind The Music.

On September 3, 2009 months upon the release of his "Before I Self Destruct" album 50 Cent posted a video[50] for the Soundkillers' Phoenix[51] produced track "Flight 187" which introduced his mixtape, the 50th LAW, and was also featured as a bonus track on his iTunes release of Before I Self Destruct. The song ignited speculation that there was tension between rapper 50 Cent and Jay Z for Jackson's comments in the song.[52]

2010 – present

In an interview with the British entertainment website ContactMusic, 50 Cent announced that he was working on a dance album named Black Magic. 50 Cent said he was inspired by the European nightclubs. "First they played hip-hop which suddenly changed to uptempo songs, known as Eurodance".[53] He went on The Invitation Tour in the summer of 2010, in support of Before I Self Destruct album, and the then shelved Black Magic album. He "recorded 20 songs to a whole different album concept" before he put those to the side and did something different.[54]

50 Cent revealed that he wanted his new album to have the same "aggression" as his debut record, Get Rich or Die Tryin'.[55][56]

He later tweeted that the album was "80 percent done", and stated that fans can expect the album in the summer of 2011; however, the album has been delayed to 2012 at the earliest, due to tensions and disagreements at Interscope Records, Later 50 Cent said that he will release his album in November 2011[8] and it has also been confirmed that "Black Magic" will not be the album's title.[8] 50 Cent has already confirmed that Eminem will appear on the album, but he also confirmed that he has been working with new producers such as Boi-1da and Alex da Kid.[57] Cardiak, who produced Lloyd Banks' “Start It Up”, also confirmed that he had produced a song for the upcoming album.[58]

DJ Whoo Kid confirmed in an interview that 50 Cent was filming a new movie with Robert DeNiro in New Orleans.[59]

50 Cent released the first song from his fifth studio album, titled "Outlaw", to the Internet on June 16, 2011.[60]

The single was produced by Cardiak.

It was released to iTunes on July 19, 2011,[61] although 50 Cent confirmed through his Twitter account that the song was not the album's first single.[62]

50 Cent is set to release a book titled Playground.

Unlike his previous literary efforts — which focus on his life story and the rules of power — this time he's aiming at a teen audience with a semi-autobiographical novel about bullying. According to a statement from the book's publisher, the first-person novel is slated for release in January 2012 and will tell the story of a 13-year-old schoolyard bully "who finds redemption as he faces what he's done."[63]

50 Cent has promised to deliver his fifth studio album album over the past few years, but the LP may be delayed until 2012. In a series of tweets, 50 Cent explained that him and his label Interscope Records aren’t on the same page on how to roll out the album and that he’s delaying its release until they see eye to eye.[8]

50 Cent later suggested that his album will be releasing in November 2011, along with his headphone line SMS by 50.[8]

50 Cent spoke to MTV in relation to the possibility of leaving Interscope Records. "I don't know," 50 told MTV News when asked if he would ink back with Interscope once his five-album deal was fulfilled. "It will all be clear in the negotiations following me turning this actual album in. And, of course, the performance and how they actually treat the work will determine whether you still want to stay in that position or not."[64]

On June 20, 2011, 50 Cent announced that he will release an LP titled Before I Self Destruct II. The announced sequel to his 2009 LP is suggested to be released after his fifth studio album.[65]

On June 26, 2011, 50 Cent planned to shoot a music video for the lead single from his fifth studio album titled I'm On It.[66] However, the music video never surfaced.[67]

50 Cent spoke to Shade45 in relation guest appearances for his fifth studio album. "I did four songs in Detroit with Eminem. I did two with Just Blaze, a Boi-1da joint, and I did something with Alex da Kid. We made two that are definite singles and the other two are the kinds of records that we been making, more aimed at my core audience, more aggressive, more of a different kind of energy to it."[68]

In September 2011, 50 Cent released a song titled "Street King Energy Track #7" in attempt to promote his charitable energy drink Street King.[69]

On September 28, 2011, it was confirmed that 50 Cent is shooting a music video for his lead single from his fifth studio album titled "Girls Go Wild", which features Jeremih.[70][71]

On October 26, 2011, 50 Cent announced that his fifth studio album will be released in December 2011.[72]

Other ventures

Jackson 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.[73][74] 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.[75][76] 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 Jackson, who owns a stake in the company, earned $100 million from the deal after taxes.[77] He has teamed up with Right Guard to launch a body spray called Pure 50 RGX Body Spray and a condom line called Magic Stick Condoms,[78] in which he planned to donate part of the proceeds to HIV awareness.[79]

Jackson has signed a multi-year deal with Steiner Sports to sell his memorabilia.[80]

In 2005, Jackson 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.[81]

Jackson is working[when?] 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.[82]

He also started the film production companies G-Unit Films in 2007 and Cheetah Vision in 2008.[83][84]

In August 2007, Jackson announced plans to launch a dietary supplement company in conjunction with his movie Spectacular Regret.[85]

50 Cent with Val Kilmer at the AMAs 2009

In August 2005, shortly before appearing in Get Rich or Die Tryin', Jackson published an autobiography entitled From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens. In it, Jackson explores the cultural and economic forces that led him to sell cocaine and crack, details his entrepreneurship as a drug-dealer and then as a rapper, and reflects on his own ethos and on society.

On January 4, 2007, Jackson launched his G-Unit Books imprint at the Time Warner Building.[86] 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.[79] Jackson 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.[79][87] In May 2008, Jackson met billionaire Patrice Motsepe to forge a joint venture selling 50 Cent-branded platinum.[88]

In 2008, Jackson started a reality television show on MTV titled 50 Cent: The Money and the Power; the winning contestant, Ryan Mayberry, won a $100,000 investment from Jackson.[89]

On September 8, 2009, he published his book The 50th Law.[90]

In 2010, Jackson's film company Cheetah Vision landed $200 million in funding.[91]

In July 2011, 50 Cent revealed his initiative to provide food for millions of people in Africa by 2016. 50 Cent teamed up with Pure Growth Partners to launch a charitable energy drink called Street King that will help aid in combating world hunger. For every purchase of Street King, a portion of the sales will go to providing a daily meal to an underprivileged child around the world. The partnership coincides with Fiddy’s mission statement of feeding a billion people in Africa over the next five years.

“50 Cent and I share a common vision: To address the world’s problems through smart and sustainable business models,” said Chris Clark, the founder and CEO of Pure Growth Partners. “With the rampant starvation in Africa and hunger afflicting children worldwide, we need socially responsible businesses that affect real change now more than ever.”

50 concurs, stating, “I’m inspired by Clarke’s vision and innovative approaches to tackling serious issues. It’s our mission with Street King to really change children’s lives around the world.”[92][93]

Jackson founded SMS Audio, selling headphones with the name Street by 50. He has pledged to donate a portion of the sales to charity.[94]

Personal life

Jackson 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,"[34] 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."[34]

Family

On October 13, 1997, Jackson's then-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins gave birth to a son, Marquise Jackson.[2][95]

The birth of his son changed Jackson'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."[96] He credited his son for inspiring his career and being "motivation to go in a different direction".[97]

Politics

In 2005, Jackson expressed support for President George Walker Bush after rapper Kanye West criticized him for the slow response in assisting the Hurricane Katrina victims.[98]

If his felony convictions did not prevent him from voting, he claimed he would have voted for Bush.[99]

He later stated that Bush "has less compassion than the average human. By all means, I don't aspire to be like George Bush."[100]

Wealth

In 2007, Jackson was the second wealthiest performer in the rap industry, behind Jay-Z.[101] He resides in Farmington, Connecticut, in the former mansion of ex-boxer Mike Tyson.[102]

He put the mansion for sale at $18.5 million to move closer to his son who lives in Long Island with his ex-girlfriend.[103] 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.[104]

One of his homes in New York purchased for 2.4 million dollars in January 2007 and at the center of a lawsuit between Jackson and ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins caught fire on May 30, 2008 while he was out of town filming for a movie in Louisiana.[105]

In December 2008 Jackson told the Canadian press that he had been affected by the recession, losing several million dollars in the stock market as an investor. 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.[106]

Legal issues

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.[11][107][108]

His ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins sued Jackson for $50 million, 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."[109]

50 Cent was sentenced to two years probation on July 22, 2005 from an incident in May 2004 when 50 Cent jumped into the audience after being hit with a water bottle.[110] He was charged with three counts of assault and battery.[110]

Lawsuits

On July 21, 2007, Jackson filed a $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]

In November 2009, 50 Cent won in a lawsuit against Taco Bell over the fast food chain using his name to promote the brand without his permission.[113]

Feuds

How to Rob

50 Cent said that he intended the single to be a joke, and not meant to disrespect anybody. Nevertheless, a number of rappers mentioned on the song responded on record.

The comments made towards the Wu-Tang Clan were responded to on the Ghostface Killah album Supreme Clientele on a track called "Ghost Deini" and even more directly on a skit called "Clyde Smith" which included one of the Wu-Tang Clan members talking about how they intended to harm the rapper, which is identifiable as Raekwon when the track is sped up. A supposed diss song, "Who the @#!*% Is 50 Cent", which circulated the web in the beginning of 2001 was rumored to be by the Clan, but was proven to be recorded by Polite of American Cream Team (Raekwon's then-side project).

Jay-Z also reacted to the comments in the track called "It's Hot (Some Like It Hot)", off the album Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter:

"Go against Jigga yo' @#!*% is dense
I'm about a dollar, what the @#!*% is 50 Cents?"

Sticky Fingaz responded to the diss with the track "Jackin' for Beats."

"The real 50 from Brooklyn god bless he got outed
You just a fake clown who front and rout about it."

Big Pun responds to this track on his album Yeeeah Baby, in the song "My Turn."

"And to the 50 Cent Rapper, very funny – get your nut off, 'cuz in real life, we all know I'd blow your @#!*% head off...If I'm gonna write a song, it'll be about how I had to beat your @#!*% ' @#!*% . And that'll be the name of the @#!*% : 'That's Why I Had To Beat Your @#!*% @#!*% ', featuring Tony Sunshine."

Kurupt responded on the diss track "Callin' Out Names."

"Now it's 50 mc's that ain't worth @#!*%
Get ya @#!*% kicked 50 times, beat to 10 cent"

Wyclef Jean responded on the song "Low Income", from his 2000 album, The Ecleftic.

"I stay so hungry that if 50 Cent came to rob me
he'd be part of my charity."

The Inc.

Before signing with Interscope, Jackson engaged in a well-publicized dispute with rapper Ja Rule and his label The Inc.. Jackson claims that a friend robbed Ja Rule of his jewelry and that Ja Rule accused him of setting it up.[114] However, Ja Rule claimed the conflict stemmed from a video shoot in Queens because Jackson did not like seeing him "getting so much love" from the neighborhood.[115] In March 2000, while at The Hit Factory studio in New York, Jackson had an altercation with Murder Inc. associates. He was treated for three stitches after receiving a stab wound.[114][116] Rapper Black Child claimed responsibility for the stabbing, saying he acted in self-defense because he thought someone reached for a gun.[117]

An affidavit by an IRS agent suggested that Murder Inc. 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 Jackson. 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.[33]

In an interview with MTV, Ja Rule acknowledged his defeat against 50 Cent and stated that his new album, The Mirror, will not be continuing any past feuds that he has engaged in. He said: There was a lot of things I wanted to say, and I didn't want there to be any bitter records on the album. Because I'm not bitter about anything that happened [in the past few years].

Fat Joe, Nas & Jadakiss

Before releasing The Massacre, Jackson 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.[118] Fat Joe responded with a song, "My Fofo", accusing Jackson of taking steroids, hiding in his home, and being jealous of The Game. Jadakiss also responded with a song, "Checkmate", and said that Jackson was trying to "create a buzz for his new album".[119] The "Piggy Bank" music video portrays animated caricatures of Jadakiss (as a Ninja turtle), Fat Joe (as King Hippo from Mike Tyson's Punch-Out), Nas (as a kid chasing a "milkshake" truck in a Superman costume), and The Game (as Mr. Potato Head). He also disses all of them on the beef version of his single "Window Shopper"[120] Kelis, Nas's then-wife, responded to the song on her single "Bossy".[citation needed] Nas later responded with "Don't Body Ya Self (MC Burial)." Nas later dissed 50 on the song "Street Ridaz" on Game's mixtape "Brake Lights".

Sean Combs

Jackson 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.[121] The feud was resolved, with both rappers appearing on MTV's TRL and Sucker Free, respectively, stating that there were no longer problems.[122] The feud reignited in 2010 with 50 Cent dissing Diddy, saying his music "sucks".

Cam'ron

On February 1, 2007, Cam'ron and Jackson had a live argument on The Angie Martinez Show on Hot 97 radio. Jackson commented that Koch Entertainment was a "graveyard", meaning major record labels would not work with their artists.[123] 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.[123] Both rappers released "diss" songs with videos on YouTube. Jackson 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 Jackson's appearance, calling him "a gorilla, with rabbit teeth".[124] Jackson responded by releasing "Hold On" with Young Buck.

Game

Main article: G-Unit vs. The Game feud

Although he was close with The Game, before The Game released his debut album The Documentary, they soon became at odds. After its release, Jackson 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.[125]

50 Cent performing at a concert in 2007

Jackson 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.[126][127] When the situation escalated, both rappers held a press conference to announce their reconciliation.[128] Fans had mixed feelings as to whether the rappers created a publicity stunt to boost the sales of the albums they had just released.[129] Nevertheless, even after the situation deflated,[130] 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".[131]

After the performance at Summer Jam, The Game responded with "300 Bars and Runnin'", an extended "diss" aimed at G-Unit as well as members of Roc-A-Fella Records on the mixtape You Know What It Is Vol. 3. Jackson responded through his "Piggy Bank" music video, which features The Game as a Mr. Potato Head doll and also parodies other rivals.[132] Since then both groups continued to attack each other. The Game released two more mixtapes, Ghost Unit and a mixtape/DVD called Stop Snitchin, Stop Lyin.

Jackson posted a cover of The Game's head on the body of a male stripper for "Hate It or Love It (G-Unit Radio Part 21)" mixtape, as a response to The Game displaying pictures of G-Unit dressed as Village People.[133] 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 (although others claim Jackson pressured Dr. Dre to kick him off).[134] G-Unit member Spider Loc had also began to insult The Game on various songs. In addition, The Game released "240 Bars (Spider Joke)" and "100 Bars (The Funeral)" both attacking G-Unit, Spider Loc and others. Jackson's response was "Not Rich, Still Lyin'" where he mocks The Game.[135] Lloyd Banks replied to the Game on a Rap City freestyle booth session. The Game quickly released a "diss" record called "SoundScan" where The Game pokes fun at Lloyd Banks' album Rotten Apple falling thirteen spots on the Billboard 200 chart and disappointing second week sales. Lloyd Banks replied on his mixtape Mo' Money In The Bank Pt. 5: Gang Green Season Continues with a song called "Showtime (The Game's Over)". Lloyd Banks states that Jackson wrote half of The Game's first album The Documentary and pokes fun at The Game's suicidal thoughts.

In October 2006, The Game extended a peace treaty to Jackson, which was not immediately replied to.[136] However, a couple days later, on Power 106, he stated that the treaty was only offered for one day.[137] On The Game's album, Doctor's Advocate, he claims that the feud is over on a few of the songs.

In July 2009, The Game stated the beef was squashed with help from Michael Jackson and Diddy,[138] and he apologized for his actions during the beef.[139] Tony Yayo said that neither Jackson (50 Cent) or G-Unit would accept his apology.[140] Since then, The Game continued his old "G-Unot" ways at live concerts. Jackson released "So Disrespectful" a diss song on Before I Self Destruct targeting Jay-Z, The Game and Young Buck.[141] Game later responded with the song "Shake", poking fun of the music video for 50's single "Candy Shop", quote, "Me and 50 aint agreeing on @#!*% so I had to (Shake) Aint no telling what he putting in that protein (Shake) Seen the candy shop video look at this @#!*% (Shake) And thats the same @#!*% that made the @#!*% Young Buck (Shake)". He also takes shots at Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, in which he says, "I'm surprised that Lloyd Banks and Yayo didn't (Shake) Wasn't selling no records Jimmy Iovine said (Shake)". Game also dissed G-Unit several times on the song "400 Bars".

In September 2011, 50 Cent dissed Game on the song "Love, Hate, Love", in which Game responded to on his twitter, saying he was going to diss him back after his tour was finished, quote:

[@50Cent I'm on tour doin shows but as soon as @avanterose find a studio for me i'm killin yo "Planet of the Apes" face havin @#!*% @#!*%

Rick Ross

In January 2009, Rick Ross started a feud with 50 Cent because he supposedly looked at him the wrong way at the BET Awards. However, Jackson told news sources that he did not even remember seeing Rick Ross there.[142] In late January, a track entitled "Mafia Music" by Rick Ross, leaked onto the Internet. There were several lines that seem to diss Jackson. Days later, Jackson released "Officer Ricky (Go Head, Try Me)" in response to Rick Ross's disparaging remarks on his "Mafia Music" song. The next day Rick Ross appeared on Shade 45, and told Jackson to come up with something better in 24 hours.

Before going to Venezuela, Jackson uploaded a video entitled "Warning Shot", where he warns Rick Ross: "I'ma @#!*% your life up for fun". In addition, Jackson released the first of a series of "Officer Ricky" cartoons. Early February, Jackson once again made a video which he uploaded to YouTube where he interviews "Tia", the mother of one of Rick Ross's children. She verifies his being a correctional officer and claims his whole persona is fake and fraudulent.[143] On Thursday, February 5, 2009, The Game, who Jackson has a long-standing "beef" with, called up Seattle's KUBE 93 Radio Station. When asked about the beef between Jackson and Rick Ross, The Game sided with Jackson and said that things are not looking good for Rick Ross. However, he offered to help Rick Ross get out of this situation, stating "Rick Ross, holla at your boy, man," and "50 eating you, boy."[144]

On his album Deeper Than Rap, Ross references Jackson in the song "In Cold Blood". A video for the song was released that portrayed Jackson's mock funeral. Upon release, Ross stated that he has ended Jackson's career.[145]

In an interview, Jackson 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."[146]

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".[147] Wayne never really responded to the song, although a 50 Cent diss track called "Louisianimal" did leak much later on November 17, 2008.[148] Jackson responded to Lil Wayne in January 2009 in a song entitled "Play This On The Radio".[149] As of August 14, 2009, the controversy between Jackson and Lil Wayne seems to have ended after Jackson appeared and performed at Lil Wayne's America's Most Wanted Musical Festival stop in Anaheim, California.[150]

Young Buck

After numerous rumors of a "beef" within G-Unit, Jackson officially dismissed Young Buck from the group, in 2008. He later assured that he was still signed with the label.[151] Numerous slander songs then arose on the internet from both camps, with Young Buck appearing in a music video of former rival The Game.[152][153] Jackson then leaked a taped phone conversation between himself and Young Buck, which showed one of the true reasons for the falling out; Jackson was owed money by the Southern rapper. Young Buck later stated the conversation took place over a year before the leak.[154] The two camps have since released a multitude of songs against each other, with the feud settling down by 2009, with Young Buck stating he's been working on his latest album, which is still to be released under the G-Unit label.[155]

Discography

Main articles: 50 Cent discography and G-Unit discography

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by 50 Cent

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
2003 50 Cent: The New Breed Himself Documentary DVD
2005 Get Rich or Die Tryin' Marcus Film debut
2006 Home of the Brave Jamal Aiken Supporting Role
2008 Righteous Kill Spider Supporting Role
Before I Self Destruct Clarence Supporting Role
50 Cent: The Money and the Power Himself TV series (one episode: "Choose Your Crew Wisely")
2009 Streets of Blood Stan Johnson
Entourage Himself TV series (Season 6, Episode 3: "One Car, Two Car, Red Car, Blue Car")
Dead Man Running Thigo
Caught in the Crossfire Tino Executive producer
2010 13 Jimy
Gun Rich
Twelve Lionel Supporting Role
Morning Glory Himself
2011 Vengeance Black Post-production
Blood Out Hardwick
Setup Sonny
2012 All Things Fall Apart Deon
Freelancers Malo
Fire with Fire – Producer
Odd Thomas Shamus Cocobolo
Lives of the Saints Pre-production

Voice work

Year Film Role Notes
2005 The Simpsons Himself TV series (one episode: "Pranksta Rap")
50 Cent: Bulletproof Himself Video game, voice only
2009 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand Himself Video game, voice only
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2[158][159] Navy SEAL, announcer Video game, voice only

References

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  139. ^ The Game Apologizes To 50 Cent, Interscope. Hip-Hop DX.
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  141. ^ 50 Disses Game, Young Buck On BISD Snippet. All Hip-Hop.
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