Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American
rapperRapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
,
entrepreneurAn entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
,
investorAn investor is a party that makes an investment into one or more categories of assets --- equity, debt securities, real estate, currency, commodity, derivatives such as put and call options, etc...
,
record producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, and
actorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He rose to fame with the release of his albums
Get Rich or Die Tryin'Get Rich or Die Tryin is the debut studio album of American rapper 50 Cent, released February 4, 2003, on Aftermath Entertainment under a joint venture with Shady Records and distribution by Interscope Records. Its initially planned release was pushed seven days ahead due to heavy bootlegging and...
(2003) and
The MassacreThe Massacre is the second studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released March 3, 2005 on Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records in the United States. Its initially planned release was pushed five days ahead to avoid Internet leakage. The album debuted at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard...
(2005).
Get Rich or Die Tryin'Get Rich or Die Tryin is the debut studio album of American rapper 50 Cent, released February 4, 2003, on Aftermath Entertainment under a joint venture with Shady Records and distribution by Interscope Records. Its initially planned release was pushed seven days ahead due to heavy bootlegging and...
has been certified eight times platinum by the RIAA. His album
The MassacreThe Massacre is the second studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released March 3, 2005 on Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records in the United States. Its initially planned release was pushed five days ahead to avoid Internet leakage. The album debuted at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard...
has been certified five times platinum by the RIAA.
Born in
South Jamaica, QueensSouth Jamaica, known colloquially as Southside & Southside Jamaica Queens, is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, located south of downtown Jamaica, the Long Island Rail Road tracks Jamaica Avenue and Liberty Avenue. The western border is the Van Wyck Expressway, and it...
, Jackson began drug dealing at the age of twelve during the 1980s crack epidemic. 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?Guess Who's Back? is a compilation album by American rapper 50 Cent, released April 26, 2002 on independent label Full Clip Records in the United States. It is his first official release after his 2000 effort Power of the Dollar went unreleased. The album features production by Trackmasters, DJ...
in 2002, Jackson was discovered by rapper
EminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
and signed to
Interscope RecordsInterscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
. With the help of Eminem and
Dr. DreAndre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
, 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 RecordsG-Unit Records is an American record label, specializing in hip hop music, founded in 2003 by rapper 50 Cent and his manager Sha Money XL. Upon its inception, it operated as a subsidiary of, and was distributed through, Universal Music Group's Interscope Records...
, which signed several successful rappers such as
Young BuckDavid Darnell Brown , also known as Young Buck, is an American Southern rapper. Buck is a former member of the New York City Hip-Hop group G-Unit, also a former artist of G-Unit Records as of Nov 26, 2011...
,
Lloyd BanksChristopher Charles Lloyd , better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper and member of the rap group G-Unit. Raised in South Jamaica, Queens, he dropped out of high school in 1998. G-Unit released two albums, Beg for Mercy in 2003 and T.O.S. in 2008...
, and
Tony YayoMarvin Bernard , better known by his stage name Tony Yayo, is a Haitian American rapper and member of the hip hop group G-Unit...
.
Jackson has engaged in feuds with other rappers including
Ja RuleJeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
,
NasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
,
Fat JoeJoseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
,
JadakissJason Phillips , better known as Jadakiss, is an American rapper. He is a member of the group The LOX. Jadakiss is one of the three owners of the imprint known as D-Block. In early 2007, Jadakiss signed to Roc-a-Fella Records / Def Jam Records.-Early life:By the age of 16, Jadakiss was a freestyle...
,
Cam'ronCameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
, Puff Daddy,
Rick RossRick, Ricky or Richard Ross may also refer to:* Rick Ross , American rapper* Richard J. Ross, a Massachusetts State Senator* Richard Ross , an American photographer...
, and former G-Unit members
The GameJayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
and
Young BuckDavid Darnell Brown , also known as Young Buck, is an American Southern rapper. Buck is a former member of the New York City Hip-Hop group G-Unit, also a former artist of G-Unit Records as of Nov 26, 2011...
. 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 BraveHome of the Brave is a 2006 drama film following the lives of four Army National Guard soldiers in Iraq and their return to the United States. The film was shot in Morocco and in Spokane, Washington.-Plot:...
in 2006, and
Righteous KillRighteous Kill is a 2008 crime thriller film with elements of a buddy cop film directed by Jon Avnet, and starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Righteous Kill also features John Leguizamo, Carla Gugino, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy, and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson...
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
EminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
and
NellyCornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
.
Billboard magazine also ranked him as the sixth best and most successful Hot 100 Artist of the 2000s and as the number one rap artist of the 2000s.
Billboard ranked his album
Get Rich or Die Tryin'Get Rich or Die Tryin is the debut studio album of American rapper 50 Cent, released February 4, 2003, on Aftermath Entertainment under a joint venture with Shady Records and distribution by Interscope Records. Its initially planned release was pushed seven days ahead due to heavy bootlegging and...
as the twelfth best album of the 2000s and his album
The MassacreThe Massacre is the second studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released March 3, 2005 on Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records in the United States. Its initially planned release was pushed five days ahead to avoid Internet leakage. The album debuted at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard...
as the 37th best album of the 2000s. 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.
Early life
Curtis Jackson III grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood of
QueensQueens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, 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
druggedA date rape drug is any drug that can be used to assist in the execution of a sexual assault, such as date rape. Drugs used to facilitate rape may have sedative, hypnotic, dissociative, and/or amnesiac effects, and can be added to a food or drink without the victim's knowledge.The act of adding...
her drink. She was then left for dead after the gas in her apartment was turned on and the windows shut closed. After her death, Jackson moved into his grandparents' house with his eight aunts and uncles. 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".
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. In the mid 1980s, he competed in the Junior Olympics as an
amateur boxerAmateur boxing is practised at the collegiate level, at the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games, and in many other venues sponsored by amateur boxing associations. Amateur boxing bouts are short in duration and fighters wear head protection, so this type of competition prizes point-scoring rather...
. 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". At the age of twelve, Jackson began dealing
narcoticThe term narcotic originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with any sleep-inducing properties. In the United States of America it has since become associated with opioids, commonly morphine and heroin and their derivatives, such as hydrocodone. The term is, today, imprecisely...
s when his grandparents thought he was at after-school programs. He also took guns and drug money to school. In the tenth grade, he was caught by
metal detectorA metal detector is a device which responds to metal that may not be readily apparent.The simplest form of a metal detector consists of an oscillator producing an alternating current that passes through a coil producing an alternating magnetic field...
s at
Andrew Jackson High SchoolAndrew Jackson High School is a defunct comprehensive high school in the Cambria Heights section in southeastern Queens, New York. The school was opened in 1937. However, the city closed down the school in 1994...
. 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.'"
Following time spent in a correctional boot camp, Jackson adopted the nickname "50 Cent" as a
metaphorA metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for "change". The name was derived from
Kelvin MartinKelvin Darnell Martin , known to the underworld as 50 Cent, was an American criminal who grew up in the Bronx, New York, but later moved to Brooklyn, New York and was known as a stick-up kid in a Public Housing Project in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.Throughout the 1980s, Martin became a well-known robber...
, 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".
1996–2000: Early career
Jackson started rapping in a friend's basement where he used
turntablesThe phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
to record over instrumentals. In 1996, a friend introduced him to Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC who was organizing his label
Jam Master Jay RecordsJam Master Jay Records was an American record label which was founded by Jason Mizell in 1989. They are most known for signing 50 Cent and Onyx. The label folded after Jason Mizell was brutally murdered in 2002. Its back catalogs were sold to Rapp Records....
. Jay taught him how to count
barsIn musical notation, a bar is a segment of time defined by a given number of beats of a given duration. Typically, a piece consists of several bars of the same length, and in modern musical notation the number of beats in each bar is specified at the beginning of the score by the top number of a...
, write
chorusesA refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
, structure songs, and how to make a record. Jackson's first official appearance was on a song titled "
React"React" was the lead single released from Onyx's third album, Shut 'Em Down. It featured Onyx affiliates X-1, Bonifucco and Still Livin' and a then unknown 50 Cent in his first official appearance on a song. React was released on June 2, 1998 through Def Jam Recordings and was produced by Bud'da...
" with the group
OnyxOnyx is a hardcore hip hop group from South Jamaica, Queens, New York. The group consists of Sticky Fingaz, Fredro Starr and Sonsee . The late Big DS was also a member, but left after the group's debut album.-Early career:...
on their 1998 album
Shut 'Em DownShut 'Em Down is the third album from rap group Onyx. The album marked the group's highest debut on the Billboard 200, peaking at #10. Two singles were released from the album, "React", which features the very first major label appearance of 50 Cent and "Shut 'Em Down, featuring DMX...
. He credited Jam Master Jay as an influence who helped him improve his ability to write
hooksA hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
. Jay produced Jackson's first album; however, it was never released. In 1999, after leaving Jam Master Jay, the platinum-selling producers
TrackmastersThe Trackmasters are the successful production duo of Poke and Tone , sometimes credited as Poke & Tone, best known for their commercial hit records in the late 90s and early 2000s. Throughout their career they have worked with various hip-hop and R&B artists including R...
took notice of Jackson and signed him to
Columbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. They sent him to a studio in
Upstate New YorkUpstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
where he produced thirty-six songs in two weeks. Eighteen were included on his unofficially released album,
Power of the Dollar in 2000. He also started the now-defunct Hollow Point Entertainment with former
G-UnitG-Unit is an American hip hop group originating from New York City formed by 50 Cents. G-Unit emerged on the New York scene by independently releasing several mix tapes...
affiliate Bang 'Em Smurf.
Jackson's popularity started to increase after the successful but controversial underground single, "
How to Rob"How To Rob" is the first single released by 50 Cent from his album Power of the Dollar. The single also features vocals by D-Dot, also known as "The Madd Rapper"...
", which he wrote in half an hour while in a car on the way to a studio. 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". Rappers
Jay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
,
KuruptRicardo Emmanuel Brown , better known by his stage name Kurupt, also known as Kurupt Tha Kingpin, Kurupt Young Gotti or Young Gotstra is an American rapper and former Executive Vice President of Death Row Records...
, Sticky Fingaz,
Big PunChristopher Lee Rios , better known by his stage name Big Pun , was an American rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s...
,
DMXEarl Simmons , better known by his stage name DMX, is a multiplatinum American rapper and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80's...
,
Wyclef JeanWyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
and the
Wu-Tang ClanThe Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
replied to the song and
NasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
, who received the track positively, invited Jackson to travel on a promotional tour for his
NastradamusNastradamus is the fourth studio album by American rapper Nas, released November 23, 1999 on Columbia Records in the United States. It was originally scheduled to be released as a follow-up album composed of material from recording sessions for his third album, I Am… on October 26, 1999...
album. The song was intended to be released with "
Thug Love"Thug Love" is the third single released by rapper 50 Cent, after "Rowdy Rowdy", and the second and final single from his unofficially released album Power of the Dollar after "How to Rob". The song features R&B girl group Destiny's Child. There was going to be a music video made for the song,...
" featuring
Destiny's ChildDestiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
, 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.
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. 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
handgunA handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
and fired nine shots at close range. He was shot nine times: in the hand (around hit his right thumb, to where the bullet passed through and out his
little fingerThe little finger, often called the pinky in American English, pinkie in Scottish English , or small finger in medicine, is the most ulnar and usually smallest finger of the human hand, opposite the thumb, next to the ring finger.-Muscles:There are four muscles that...
), arm, hip, both legs, chest, and his face (his left cheek). The face wound resulted in a swollen tongue, the loss of a wisdom tooth, and a small slur in his voice. 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. Baum was also
Mike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
's close friend and bodyguard.
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 shit, somebody shot me in the face! It burns, burns, burns.'" 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". He used a
walkerA walker or walking frame is a tool for disabled or elderly people who need additional support to maintain balance or stability while walking...
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.
While in the hospital, Jackson signed a publishing deal with
Columbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. 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. Along with his business partner
Sha Money XL-Dream Big Ventures:With Distribution from The Orchard, Sha Money founded a new record label, Dream Big Ventures. Quickly upon its creation, Sha Money signed close Shady/Aftermath/G-Unit affiliates DJ Whoo Kid and Stat Quo, as well as former Young Money artist, Kidd Kidd. Sha is currently trying to...
, he recorded over thirty songs for mixtapes, with the purpose of building a reputation. According to
Shady RecordsShady Records is an American record label specializing in hip hop music. Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg founded the label in 1999 after the release of The Slim Shady LP.Since the formation, the label has signed nine acts...
A&R Marc Labelle in an interview with
HitQuartersHitQuarters is an international music industry publication and contact database founded in 1999. It is noted for in-depth interviews with industry figures, with past subjects including Simon Cowell, Martin Kierszenbaum, Jason Flom, Diane Warren, Peter Edge, Ron Fair and RedOne, as well as its A&R...
, 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." Jackson's popularity rose and in 2002, he released material independently on the mixtape,
Guess Who's Back?Guess Who's Back? is a compilation album by American rapper 50 Cent, released April 26, 2002 on independent label Full Clip Records in the United States. It is his first official release after his 2000 effort Power of the Dollar went unreleased. The album features production by Trackmasters, DJ...
. Beginning to attract interest, and now backed by
G-UnitG-Unit is an American hip hop group originating from New York City formed by 50 Cents. G-Unit emerged on the New York scene by independently releasing several mix tapes...
, Jackson continued to release music including
50 Cent Is the Future50 Cent Is the Future is the first official mixtape released by 50 Cent and G-Unit. The mixtape was recorded after his unreleased album Power of the Dollar was recorded and 50 Cent was dropped from the label and blacklisted from the recording industry due to being shot. He then travelled to Canada...
. The mixtape revisited material by
Jay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
and
Raphael SaadiqRaphael Saadiq is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Saadiq has been a standard bearer for "old school" R&B since his early days as a member of the multiplatinum group Tony! Toni! Toné! He also produced songs of such artists as TLC, Joss Stone, D'Angelo, Mary J...
.
2002–2009: Rise to fame
In 2002,
EminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
listened to a copy of Jackson's
Guess Who's Back?Guess Who's Back? is a compilation album by American rapper 50 Cent, released April 26, 2002 on independent label Full Clip Records in the United States. It is his first official release after his 2000 effort Power of the Dollar went unreleased. The album features production by Trackmasters, DJ...
CD. He received the CD through Jackson's attorney, who was working with Eminem's manager
Paul RosenbergPaul Rosenberg is an American music manager known for his association with hip hop artists Eminem, The Knux and pop punk band Blink-182. As well as managing said artists, Rosenberg is also the co-founder of hip hop record label Shady Records, founded in 1999...
. Impressed with the album, Eminem invited Jackson to fly to Los Angeles, where he was introduced to
Dr. DreAndre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
. After signing a $1 million record deal, Jackson released the mixtape,
No Mercy, No FearNo Mercy, No Fear is the second mixtape by 50 Cent and G-Unit. It was recorded after signing a $1 million deal with Aftermath Entertainment and Shady Records after releasing his 2002 compilation album Guess Who's Back?...
. It featured one new track, "
Wanksta"Wanksta" is the second single from the 8 Mile soundtrack. Released in 2002, the single, performed by 50 Cent, reached No. 13. It was first used on the mixtape No Mercy, No Fear.-Background:...
", which was put on Eminem's
8 Mile soundtrack. He was also signed to Chris Lighty's
Violator ManagementViolator is a company, record label, marketing group, and multi-media entertainment conglomerate founded and run by Chris Lighty.-History:Violator specializes in managing the careers of hip hop and R&B performers and is also a record label...
and
Sha Money XL-Dream Big Ventures:With Distribution from The Orchard, Sha Money founded a new record label, Dream Big Ventures. Quickly upon its creation, Sha Money signed close Shady/Aftermath/G-Unit affiliates DJ Whoo Kid and Stat Quo, as well as former Young Money artist, Kidd Kidd. Sha is currently trying to...
's Money Management Group.
In February 2003, Jackson released his commercial debut album,
Get Rich or Die Tryin'Get Rich or Die Tryin is the debut studio album of American rapper 50 Cent, released February 4, 2003, on Aftermath Entertainment under a joint venture with Shady Records and distribution by Interscope Records. Its initially planned release was pushed seven days ahead due to heavy bootlegging and...
. Allmusic described it as "probably the most hyped debut album by a rap artist in about a decade".
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
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". It debuted at number one on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, selling 872,000 copies in the first four days. The lead single, "
In da Club"In Da Club" is a hip hop song performed by rapper 50 Cent from his commercial debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin. The song was produced by Dr. Dre with co-production from Mike Elizondo. 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, and Elizondo wrote the song...
", which
The SourceThe Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
noted for its "blaring horns, funky organs, guitar riffs and sparse hand claps", broke a
Billboard record as the most listened-to song in radio history within a week.
Interscope granted Jackson his own label,
G-Unit RecordsG-Unit Records is an American record label, specializing in hip hop music, founded in 2003 by rapper 50 Cent and his manager Sha Money XL. Upon its inception, it operated as a subsidiary of, and was distributed through, Universal Music Group's Interscope Records...
in 2003. He signed
Lloyd BanksChristopher Charles Lloyd , better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper and member of the rap group G-Unit. Raised in South Jamaica, Queens, he dropped out of high school in 1998. G-Unit released two albums, Beg for Mercy in 2003 and T.O.S. in 2008...
,
Tony YayoMarvin Bernard , better known by his stage name Tony Yayo, is a Haitian American rapper and member of the hip hop group G-Unit...
, and
Young BuckDavid Darnell Brown , also known as Young Buck, is an American Southern rapper. Buck is a former member of the New York City Hip-Hop group G-Unit, also a former artist of G-Unit Records as of Nov 26, 2011...
as the established members of
G-UnitG-Unit is an American hip hop group originating from New York City formed by 50 Cents. G-Unit emerged on the New York scene by independently releasing several mix tapes...
.
The GameJayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
was later signed under a joint venture with Dr. Dre's
Aftermath EntertainmentAftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Universal Music Group's Interscope Records. Current acts include Dr. Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent and Slim da Mobster, with former acts including Busta Rhymes, Game, Raekwon,...
. In March 2005, Jackson's second commercial album,
The MassacreThe Massacre is the second studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released March 3, 2005 on Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records in the United States. Its initially planned release was pushed five days ahead to avoid Internet leakage. The album debuted at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard...
, sold 1.14 million copies in the first four days-the highest in an abbreviated sales cycle- and peaked at number one on the
Billboard 200 for six weeks. He became the first solo artist to have three singles on the
Billboard top five in the same week with "
Candy Shop"Candy Shop" is the second single by rapper 50 Cent from his second commercial album The Massacre . It features R&B singer Olivia, and was written by 50 Cent....
", "
Disco Inferno"Disco Inferno" is the first single from 50 Cent's second album, The Massacre. Although not as big as a global success as "In da Club", the lead single from his first album, "Get Rich Or Die Tryin'", it was still a success in America, peaking at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.-Background:Released in...
", and "How We Do".
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".
After The Game's departure, Jackson signed singer
OliviaOlivia Theresa Longott , professionally known as Olivia, is an American R&B singer and rapper.-Early life:Raised in New York City, Longott is of Puerto Rican, and Indian descent....
and rap veterans
Mobb DeepMobb Deep is an American hip hop duo from Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S., that consists of Havoc and Prodigy. The duo is "one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast hip-hop groups." The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery, as exemplified by the single "Shook Ones...
to G-Unit Records.
Spider LocCurtis Norvell Williams, more commonly known as Spider Loc is an American rapper signed to G-Unit Records.Loc is also the CEO of G-Unit West.-Biography:...
,
M.O.P.M.O.P., short for Mash Out Posse, is an American hip hop duo. The duo, composed of Billy Danze and Lil' Fame, is known for the aggressive delivery typically employed by both emcees. Although they maintain a strong underground following, they are mainly known for the song "Ante Up," released on...
,
40 GloccTory Gassway , is an American rapper and actor, better known as 40 Glocc. He is currently signed to Infamous Records and G-Unit Records. 40 is also currently signed to G-Unit West.-Early life:...
and Young Hot Rod later joined the label. Jackson expressed interest in working with rappers outside of G-Unit, such as Lil' Scrappy of
BMEBME Recordings is an American record label founded by Lil Jon, Rob Mac, Emperor Searcy, and Vince Phillips Warner Bros. Records is the distributor for BME recordings...
,
LL Cool JJames Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
from Def Jam,
MaseMason Durell Betha , better known by stage name Mase who was previously known as Murda Ma$e, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor and inspirational speaker...
from
Bad BoyBad Boy Records is a record label founded in 1993 by producer/rapper/entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records.-Beginnings:...
, and
FreewayLeslie Edward Pridgen , better known by his stage name Freeway, is an American rapper. Best known for his tenure on Roc-A-Fella Records and his affiliation with Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel, he is recognized by his high-pitched delivery and for the long beard he keeps due to his Muslim faith...
of Roc-A-Fella, some of whom he recorded with. In September 2007, he released his third album
CurtisCurtis is the third studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released September 11, 2007, on Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album features production from Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Timbaland, among others...
, which was inspired by his life before
Get Rich or Die Tryin. It debuted at number two on the Billboard
200, selling 691,000 units in the first week, behind Kanye WestKanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's GraduationGraduation is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released September 11, 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2005 to 2007 at Chung King Studios and Sony Music Studios in New York City and at Chalice Studios and The Record Plant...
, whom he had a sales competition with, as both albums were released on the same day. He confirmed on TRLTotal Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
on September 10, 2008 that his fourth studio album, Before I Self DestructBefore I Self Destruct is the fourth studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released November 9, 2009 on Interscope Records in the United States. It is his final solo release for his current contract with Interscope Records, excluding a "greatest hits" album. A feature film, also titled Before I...
, will be "done and released in November". On May 18, 2009, Jackson released a song entitled "Ok, You're Right"Ok, You're Right" is the first promotional single by rapper 50 Cent from his fourth album, Before I Self Destruct. It also appears as the first promo single for his mixtape War Angel LP, the song is also featured on Tony Yayo's mixtape The Swine Flu.-Background:The song was produced and mixed by...
". The song was produced by Dr. Dre and was included in Before I Self DestructBefore I Self Destruct is the fourth studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released November 9, 2009 on Interscope Records in the United States. It is his final solo release for his current contract with Interscope Records, excluding a "greatest hits" album. A feature film, also titled Before I...
. In Fall 2009, 50 Cent appeared in the new season of
VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's
Behind The MusicBehind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
. On September 3, 2009 months upon the release of his "Before I Self Destruct" album 50 Cent posted a video for the Soundkillers' Phoenix 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 DestructBefore I Self Destruct is the fourth studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released November 9, 2009 on Interscope Records in the United States. It is his final solo release for his current contract with Interscope Records, excluding a "greatest hits" album. A feature film, also titled Before I...
. The song ignited speculation that there was tension between rapper 50 Cent and Jay Z for Jackson's comments in the song.
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 EurodanceEurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
". He went on The Invitation TourThe Invitation Tour was a tour by rapper 50 Cent in support of his latest/upcoming studio albums, Before I Self Destruct, Black Magic and his fifth studio album respectively. The tour also features, G-Unit artists Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks, 40 Glocc, Spider Loc, Trav and Governor...
in the summer of 2010, in support of Before I Self DestructBefore I Self Destruct is the fourth studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released November 9, 2009 on Interscope Records in the United States. It is his final solo release for his current contract with Interscope Records, excluding a "greatest hits" album. A feature film, also titled Before I...
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.
50 Cent revealed that he wanted his new album to have the same "aggression" as his debut record, Get Rich or Die Tryin. 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 of 2011 and it has also been confirmed that "Black Magic" will not be the album's title. 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. Cardiak, who produced Lloyd Banks' “Start It Up”, also confirmed that he had produced a song for the upcoming album.
DJ Whoo Kid confirmed in an interview that 50 Cent was filming a new movie with Robert DeNiro in New Orleans.
50 Cent released the first song from his fifth studio album, titled "Outlaw", to the Internet on June 16, 2011. The single was produced by Cardiak. It was released to iTunes on July 19, 2011, although 50 Cent confirmed through his
TwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account that the song was not the album's first single.
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."
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.
50 Cent later suggested that his album will be releasing in November 2011, along with his headphone line
SMS by 50.
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."
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.
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. However, the music video never surfaced.
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."
In September 2011, 50 Cent released a song titled "Street King Energy Track #7" in attempt to promote his charitable energy drink
Street King.
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.
On October 26, 2011, 50 Cent announced that his fifth studio album will be released in December 2011.
Other ventures
Jackson has established himself in a variety of fields. In November 2003, he signed a five-year deal with
ReebokReebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas since 2005, is a producer of Athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle...
to distribute a "G-Unit Sneakers" line as part of his G-Unit Clothing Company. He provided the
voice-overVoice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
as the
protagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
in the video game
50 Cent: Bulletproof50 Cent: Bulletproof is a video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox platforms. It was developed in response to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas after 50 Cent was asked to voice the game's protagonist Carl "CJ" Johnson with 50 Cent stating that he will only voice himself in video games...
, which was released for
PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
,
XboxThe Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, and the
PlayStation PortableThe is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. Its sequel,
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand50 Cent: Blood on the Sand is a third-person shooting video game developed by Swordfish Studios and published by THQ for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game was released on February 20, 2009, in Europe and February 24, 2009, in North America and serves as the sequel to 50 Cent:...
, was released in early 2009. He worked with
GlacéauEnergy Brands, also doing business as Glacéau, is a privately owned subsidiary of Coca-Cola Company based in Whitestone, New York City that manufactures and distributes various lines of enhanced water. Founded in May 1996 by J...
to create a vitamin water drink called Formula 50. In 2007,
Coca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
purchased Glacéau for US$4.1 billion.
ForbesForbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
estimated Jackson, who owns a stake in the company, earned $100 million from the deal after taxes. He has teamed up with
Right GuardRight Guard is a brand of deodorant for men. It is also a brand of shower gel. It is manufactured by the Dial Corporation unit of Henkel of North America, which acquired the brand in 2006 as a condition for Procter & Gamble's Gillette acquisition because P&G has other deodorant brands such as Old...
to launch a body spray called Pure 50 RGX Body Spray and a condom line called Magic Stick Condoms, in which he planned to donate part of the proceeds to HIV awareness. Jackson has signed a multi-year deal with Steiner Sports to sell his memorabilia.
In 2005, Jackson made a
cameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
on
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "
Pranksta Rap"Pranksta Rap" is the ninth episode of the The Simpsons sixteenth season, which originally aired February 13, 2005. It guest stars 50 Cent as himself, and Dana Gould as Barney Fife.-Plot:...
", in which he makes light of his legal troubles. The same year, he starred alongside
Terrence HowardTerrence Dashon Howard is an American actor. Having his first major role in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus, which subsequently led to a number of roles in films and high visibility among African American audiences. Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of well-reviewed television...
in the semi-autobiographical film
Get Rich or Die Tryin'. He starred in the 2006 film
Home of the BraveHome of the Brave is a 2006 drama film following the lives of four Army National Guard soldiers in Iraq and their return to the United States. The film was shot in Morocco and in Spokane, Washington.-Plot:...
, as a soldier returning home from the
Iraq War, traumatized after killing an Iraqi woman. Jackson is working on a role as a fighter in an Angola State Prison in
Spectacular Regret alongside
Nicolas CageNicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
, and starred opposite
Al PacinoAlfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
and
Robert De NiroRobert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
in 2008's
Righteous KillRighteous Kill is a 2008 crime thriller film with elements of a buddy cop film directed by Jon Avnet, and starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Righteous Kill also features John Leguizamo, Carla Gugino, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy, and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson...
, a movie regarding a police death. He also started the film production companies
G-Unit FilmsG-Unit Films is a now defunct American film production company founded by rapper 50 Cent and Interscope in 2003. In 2008 50 Cent stated in an interview that he has created his own independent film production company with Chris Lighty called Cheetah Vision...
in 2007 and Cheetah Vision in 2008. In August 2007, Jackson announced plans to launch a dietary supplement company in conjunction with his movie
Spectacular Regret.
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 BooksG-Unit Books is an imprint started by rapper 50 Cent on January 4, 2007. He launched his G-Unit Books imprint at the Time Warner Building in New York. He also co-wrote The Ski Mask Way, a novel about a small-time drug dealer who attempts to rob his employers...
imprint at the Time Warner Building. 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. Jackson said he read Robert Greene's The 33 Strategies of WarThe 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene is a "guide to the subtle social game of everyday life informed by the ... military principles in war.". It is composed of discussions and examples on offensive and defensive strategies from a wide variety of people and conditions such as Napoleon...
and worked with the author on a book titled The 50th LawThe 50th Law is a book on strategy written collaboratively by 50 Cent and Robert Greene. Its central theme is fearlessness.-Origins:The book The 50th Law grew out of the friendship and mutual admiration between 50 Cent and Robert Greene...
, an urban take on The 48 Laws of PowerThe 48 Laws of Power is a 1998 book by Robert Greene. Robert Greene takes elements of some of the worlds most influential political thinkers to come up with the 48 Laws of Power, from Niccolò Machiavelli to Sun Tsu, he captures their most important points of power. - The Laws :# Never outshine the...
. In May 2008, Jackson met billionaire Patrice Motsepe to forge a joint venture selling 50 Cent-branded platinum.
In 2008, Jackson started a reality television show on MTV titled 50 Cent: The Money and the Power50 Cent: The Money and the Power is a scrapped reality show that initially premiered November 6, 2008 on MTV and is now regularly aired on MTV2. The show was hosted by 50 Cent and follows the same mold as The Apprentice...
; the winning contestant, Ryan Mayberry, won a $100,000 investment from Jackson.
On September 8, 2009, he published his book The 50th Law
.
In 2010, Jackson's film company Cheetah VisionCheetah Vision is an film production company founded in 2009 by Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson and Randall Emmett. The first project that was filmed was called 'Setup' but the first project to go into production and released first is a film called, "Gun". In early 2011, 50 Cent landed a $200 Million...
landed $200 million in funding.
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.”
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," 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."
Family
On October 13, 1997, Jackson's then-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins gave birth to a son, Marquise Jackson.
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." He credited his son for inspiring his career and being "motivation to go in a different direction".
Politics
In 2005, Jackson expressed support for President George Walker Bush after rapper
Kanye WestKanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
criticized him for the slow response in assisting the
Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
victims. If his felony convictions did not prevent him from voting, he claimed he would have voted for Bush. He later stated that Bush "has less compassion than the average human. By all means, I don't aspire to be like George Bush."
Wealth
In 2007, Jackson was the second wealthiest performer in the rap industry, behind
Jay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
. He resides in
FarmingtonFarmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel...
, Connecticut, in the former mansion of ex-
boxerBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Mike TysonMichael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
. He put the mansion for sale at $18.5 million to move closer to his son who lives in
Long IslandLong Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
with his ex-girlfriend. On October 12, 2007, the Mayor of
BridgeportBridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, Connecticut declared it "50 Cent Curtis Jackson Day". He was honored with a key to the city and an official proclamation. 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.
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.
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 incarcerationThe shock incarceration is a short-term imprisonment usually applied to a first-time convict under the theory that it may have better rehabilitation results than a mere suspended sentence...
boot camp where he earned his
GEDGeneral Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
. Jackson said that he did not use cocaine himself, he only sold it.
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."
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. He was charged with three counts of assault and battery.
Lawsuits
On July 21, 2007, Jackson filed a $1 million lawsuit against advertising company Traffix Inc. of
Pearl RiverPearl River is a hamlet , in the Town of Orangetown Rockland County, New York, United States located east of Nauraushaun; north of the state of New Jersey; south of Nanuet and west of Blauvelt...
, 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 damagesPunitive damages or exemplary damages are damages intended to reform or deter the defendant and others from engaging in conduct similar to that which formed the basis of the lawsuit...
and a permanent injunction against the use of his image without permission.
In November 2009, 50 Cent won in a lawsuit against
Taco BellTaco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
over the fast food chain using his name to promote the brand without his permission.
How to Rob
50 Cent said that he intended the
single"How To Rob" is the first single released by 50 Cent from his album Power of the Dollar. The single also features vocals by D-Dot, also known as "The Madd Rapper"...
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 ClanThe Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
were responded to on the
Ghostface KillahDennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
album
Supreme ClienteleSupreme Clientele is the second studio album of American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released January 25, 2000 on Epic Records. The album was recorded at several studios in New York and Florida, with the sessions taking place in 1999...
on a track called "Ghost Deini" and even more directly on a
skitA hip hop skit is a form of sketch comedy that appears on a hip hop album or mixtape, and is usually written and performed by the artists themselves. Skits can appear on albums or mixtapes as individual tracks, or at the beginning or end of a song. Some skits are part of concept albums and...
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
RaekwonCorey Woods , better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with...
when the track is sped up. A supposed diss song, "Who the Fuck 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-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
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' ass is dense
I'm about a dollar, what the fuck 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 PunChristopher Lee Rios , better known by his stage name Big Pun , was an American rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s...
responds to this track on his album Yeeeah BabyYeeeah Baby is the second solo and final studio album by rapper Big Pun. In the wake of Big Pun's death in February 2000, it was posthumously released in April of the same year as planned, peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 charts, and subsequently was certified Gold...
, 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 motherfucking head off...If I'm gonna write a song, it'll be about how I had to beat your mothafuckin' ass. And that'll be the name of the motherfucker: 'That's Why I Had To Beat Your Motherfucking Ass', featuring Tony Sunshine."
KuruptRicardo Emmanuel Brown , better known by his stage name Kurupt, also known as Kurupt Tha Kingpin, Kurupt Young Gotti or Young Gotstra is an American rapper and former Executive Vice President of Death Row Records...
responded on the diss track "Callin' Out Names."
"Now it's 50 mc's that ain't worth shit
Get ya ass kicked 50 times, beat to 10 cent"
Wyclef JeanWyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
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."
Murder Inc.
Before signing with Interscope, Jackson engaged in a well-publicized dispute with rapper
Ja RuleJeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
and his label The Inc. Records. Jackson claims that a friend robbed Ja Rule of his jewelry and that Ja Rule accused him of setting it up. However, Ja Rule claimed the conflict stemmed from a video shoot in
QueensQueens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
because Jackson did not like seeing him "getting so much love" from the neighborhood. In March 2000, while at
The Hit FactoryThe Hit Factory was a recording studio in New York City famous for its clientele. It was officially closed for business April 1, 2005 whereas other Hit Factory studio locations remained open, such as in Miami, Florida.-History:...
studio in New York, Jackson had an altercation with Murder Inc. associates. He was treated for three stitches after receiving a stab wound. Rapper Black Child claimed responsibility for the stabbing, saying he acted in self-defense because he thought someone reached for a gun.
An
affidavitAn affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
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:
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"Piggy Bank" is the fifth track from 50 Cent's second album, The Massacre. It was not released as a single, but charted at eighty-eight on the Billboard Hot 100 due to controversy over its attack on long-time rival Ja Rule, as well as Jadakiss and Fat Joe, who had worked with Ja Rule on his song...
", a response to
Ja RuleJeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
's song "
New York"New York" is a 2004 single by rapper Ja Rule, featuring Fat Joe and Jadakiss, from his album R.U.L.E.. The track was produced by Cool & Dre, and the chorus is based around Boogie Down Productions' 1990 song, "100 Guns" The song peaked at #27 on the US Hot 100 chart, #14 on U.S...
", which was leaked before the album's release. The song takes aim at rappers including
Fat JoeJoseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
,
NasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
, and
JadakissJason Phillips , better known as Jadakiss, is an American rapper. He is a member of the group The LOX. Jadakiss is one of the three owners of the imprint known as D-Block. In early 2007, Jadakiss signed to Roc-a-Fella Records / Def Jam Records.-Early life:By the age of 16, Jadakiss was a freestyle...
. Fat Joe responded with a song, "My Fofo", accusing Jackson of taking
steroidA steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone, and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.The core...
s, hiding in his home, and being jealous of
The GameJayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
. Jadakiss also responded with a song, "Checkmate", and said that Jackson was trying to "create a buzz for his new album". The "Piggy Bank" music video portrays animated
caricatureA caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
s of Jadakiss (as a Ninja turtle), Fat Joe (as
King Hippois a fictional boxer from Nintendo's Punch-Out!! series. King Hippo first appeared on the Nintendo Entertainment System game Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, as the second competitor in the Major Circuit. Hippo also garnered huge fame on the NBC Saturday morning cartoon Captain N: The Game Master, which...
from Mike Tyson's Punch-Out), Nas (as a kid chasing a "
milkshake"Milkshake" is a song by American recording artist Kelis and the lead single from her third studio album, Tasty. The song was released in the United States on August 25, 2003, by Star Trak and Arista Records, and internationally on November 24. It was written and produced by The Neptunes, a duo...
" truck in a
SupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
costume), and The Game (as
Mr. Potato HeadMr. Potato Head! is an American toy consisting of a plastic model of a potato which can be decorated with a variety of plastic parts that can attach to the main body. These parts usually include ears, eyes, shoes, a hat, a nose, and a mouth. The toy was invented and developed by George Lerner in...
). He also disses all of them on the beef version of his single "
Window Shopper"Window Shopper" is a single by rapper 50 Cent. It was the second single and first single from the Get Rich or Die Tryin soundtrack released in 2005...
"
KelisKelis Rogers Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers (born August 21, 1971 is an American musical artist. She is a BRIT Award, Q Award and NME Award winner and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. She has had nine top 10 singles on the UK Singles Chart...
,
NasNasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
's wife, responded to the song on her single "Bossy". 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 CombsSean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
and recorded a song, "Hip-Hop", revealing the reasons behind his negative feelings: primarily, a contract dispute over
MaseMason Durell Betha , better known by stage name Mase who was previously known as Murda Ma$e, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor and inspirational speaker...
. In the song, he implied that Diddy knew about
The Notorious B.I.G.Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
's murder and threatened to expose him through former associates. The feud was resolved, with both rappers appearing on MTV's
TRLTotal Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
and Sucker FreeSucker Free, known as Sucker Free Daily on weekdays and then Sucker Free Countdown on Sundays, is MTV2's sole hip-hop video block. Previously, Sucker Free aired weekdays for one hour, then eventually sporadically until the week leading to February 28, 2010. Sucker Free Countdown, its 2 hour top 15...
, respectively, stating that there were no longer problems. The feud reignited in 2010 with 50 Cent dissing Diddy, saying his music "sucks".
Cam'ron
On February 1, 2007, Cam'ronCameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
and Jackson had a live argument on The
Angie MartinezAngela "Angie" Martinez is an American radio personality and occasional rapper.-Radio career:Angie Martinez got her first break in radio at the age of 16 answering hot lines at the urban radio station WQHT . There she met popular DJ Funkmaster Flex, and began working as his protégé...
Show on Hot 97 radio. Jackson commented that
Koch EntertainmentKoch Entertainment was a music, film and television distribution company. It was purchased by E1 Entertainment in 2005 and now operates under the name E1 Entertainment.-History:The company began in 1975 as Koch International...
was a "graveyard", meaning major record labels would not work with their artists. Cam'ron then ridiculed the record sales of
G-UnitG-Unit is an American hip hop group originating from New York City formed by 50 Cents. G-Unit emerged on the New York scene by independently releasing several mix tapes...
members
Lloyd BanksChristopher Charles Lloyd , better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper and member of the rap group G-Unit. Raised in South Jamaica, Queens, he dropped out of high school in 1998. G-Unit released two albums, Beg for Mercy in 2003 and T.O.S. in 2008...
and
Mobb DeepMobb Deep is an American hip hop duo from Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S., that consists of Havoc and Prodigy. The duo is "one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast hip-hop groups." The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery, as exemplified by the single "Shook Ones...
by stating that
Jim Jones Joseph Guillermo Jones II , better known by his stage name Jim Jones, is an American rapper and original member of The Diplomats, also known as Dipset. He is Co-CEO of Diplomat Records...
outsold their albums despite being signed to an independent label and that his group,
The DiplomatsThe Diplomats, also popularly known as Dipset, are a Harlem-based hip hop group founded by Cam'ron and Jim Jones in 1997. The original members of the group were Cam'ron, Freekey Zekey, and Jim Jones ; who all grew up together in Harlem...
, had a distribution deal from several labels. 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". Jackson responded by releasing "Hold On" with
Young BuckDavid Darnell Brown , also known as Young Buck, is an American Southern rapper. Buck is a former member of the New York City Hip-Hop group G-Unit, also a former artist of G-Unit Records as of Nov 26, 2011...
.
Game
Although he was close with
The GameJayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
, 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.
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. When the situation escalated, both rappers held a press conference to announce their reconciliation. Fans had mixed feelings as to whether the rappers created a publicity stunt to boost the sales of the albums they had just released. Nevertheless, even after the situation deflated, 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 JamSummer Jam is the annual hip-hop fest held in East Rutherford, New Jersey and sponsored by New York based radio station Hot 97FM. Normally held in June, the concert features the most popular acts that hip-hop and R&B have to offer in a particular year....
performance, The Game launched a
boycottA boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
of G-Unit called "G-Unot".
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"Piggy Bank" is the fifth track from 50 Cent's second album, The Massacre. It was not released as a single, but charted at eighty-eight on the Billboard Hot 100 due to controversy over its attack on long-time rival Ja Rule, as well as Jadakiss and Fat Joe, who had worked with Ja Rule on his song...
" music video, which features The Game as a Mr. Potato HeadMr. Potato Head! is an American toy consisting of a plastic model of a potato which can be decorated with a variety of plastic parts that can attach to the main body. These parts usually include ears, eyes, shoes, a hat, a nose, and a mouth. The toy was invented and developed by George Lerner in...
doll and also parodies other rivals. 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 LyinStop Snitchin–Stop Lyin is a mixtape album/DVD by rapper The Game. It features artists like Lil' Kim, Ice Cube, Lil Rob, Chingy, WC, Paul Wall and others. The DVD is directed by Éngel Thedford of AREA51 Media Group. This mixtape is the third of three diss mixtapes aimed at the G-Unit members. It is...
.
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 PeopleVillage People is a concept disco group that formed in the United States in 1977, well known for their on-stage costumes depicting American cultural stereotypes, as well as their catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics....
. Although he was signed to Aftermath Entertainment, The Game left the label and signed with
Geffen RecordsGeffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit (although others claim Jackson pressured Dr. Dre to kick him off). G-Unit member
Spider LocCurtis Norvell Williams, more commonly known as Spider Loc is an American rapper signed to G-Unit Records.Loc is also the CEO of G-Unit West.-Biography:...
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. Lloyd Banks replied to the Game on a
Rap CityRap City is a music video television program block aired on the Black Entertainment Television network. The program was an exclusive showcase for hip hop music videos, and features interviews with and freestyles from popular rappers, and often has guest DJs serve as co-hosts.-Conception:The show...
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
200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
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. However, a couple days later, on Power 106, he stated that the treaty was only offered for one day. 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 JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
and
DiddySean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
, and he apologized for his actions during the beef. Tony Yayo said that neither Jackson (50 Cent) or G-Unit would accept his apology. Since then, The Game continued his old "G-Unot" ways at live concerts. Jackson released "So Disrespectful" a diss song on
Before I Self DestructBefore I Self Destruct is the fourth studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released November 9, 2009 on Interscope Records in the United States. It is his final solo release for his current contract with Interscope Records, excluding a "greatest hits" album. A feature film, also titled Before I...
targeting Jay-Z, The Game and
Young BuckDavid Darnell Brown , also known as Young Buck, is an American Southern rapper. Buck is a former member of the New York City Hip-Hop group G-Unit, also a former artist of G-Unit Records as of Nov 26, 2011...
. 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 shit so I had to (Shake)
Aint no telling what he putting in that protein (Shake)
Seen the candy shop video look at this nigga (Shake)
And thats the same shit that made the nigga Young Buck (Shake)". He also takes shots at
Lloyd BanksChristopher Charles Lloyd , better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper and member of the rap group G-Unit. Raised in South Jamaica, Queens, he dropped out of high school in 1998. G-Unit released two albums, Beg for Mercy in 2003 and T.O.S. in 2008...
and
Tony YayoMarvin Bernard , better known by his stage name Tony Yayo, is a Haitian American rapper and member of the hip hop group G-Unit...
, 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:
Rick Ross
In January 2009,
Rick RossRick, Ricky or Richard Ross may also refer to:* Rick Ross , American rapper* Richard J. Ross, a Massachusetts State Senator* Richard Ross , an American photographer...
started a feud with 50 Cent because he supposedly looked at him the wrong way at the
BETBlack Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
Awards. However, Jackson told news sources that he did not even remember seeing Rick Ross there. In late January, a track entitled "
Mafia Music"Mafia Music" is a street single from Rick Ross' third studio album, Deeper Than Rap. It was the first single from the album and was officially released January 25, 2009...
" 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 45Shade 45 is Eminem's uncensored Hip-Hop/Rap-heavy urban contemporary channel. Eminem Brings On-Air show hosts. It debuted with a hip hop format in 2004, changing to its current incarnation when it was added to XM channel 66...
, and told Jackson to come up with something better in 24 hours.
Before going to
VenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, Jackson uploaded a video entitled "Warning Shot", where he warns Rick Ross: "I'ma fuck 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. On Thursday, February 5, 2009,
The GameJayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
, 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."
On his album Deeper Than RapDeeper Than Rap is the third studio album by American rapper Rick Ross, released April 21, 2009 on his label Maybach Music Group and Slip-n-Slide Records, with distribution from Def Jam Recordings. The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 158,000 copies its first week...
, 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.
In an interview, Jackson said: "Rick Ross is Albert From
CB4CB4 is a 1993 comedy film directed by Tamra Davis, and starring Chris Rock. The film follows a fictional rap group named 'CB4', named after the prison block in which the group was allegedly formed...
. 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 RossRicky Donnell Ross , also known as "Freeway" Rick Ross, is a convicted drug trafficker best known for the "drug empire" that he presided over in Los Angeles, California, in the early-1980s...
."
Lil Wayne
After hearing word that
Lil WayneDwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
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". Wayne never really responded to the song, although a 50 Cent diss track called "Louisianimal" did leak much later on November 17, 2008. Jackson responded to Lil Wayne in January 2009 in a song entitled "Play This On The Radio". 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.
Young Buck
After numerous rumors of a "beef" within
G-UnitG-Unit is an American hip hop group originating from New York City formed by 50 Cents. G-Unit emerged on the New York scene by independently releasing several mix tapes...
, Jackson officially dismissed
Young BuckDavid Darnell Brown , also known as Young Buck, is an American Southern rapper. Buck is a former member of the New York City Hip-Hop group G-Unit, also a former artist of G-Unit Records as of Nov 26, 2011...
from the group, in 2008. He later assured that he was still signed with the label. Numerous slander songs then arose on the internet from both camps, with Young Buck appearing in a music video of former rival
The GameJayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
. 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. 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.
Discography
- Get Rich or Die Tryin'
Get Rich or Die Tryin is the debut studio album of American rapper 50 Cent, released February 4, 2003, on Aftermath Entertainment under a joint venture with Shady Records and distribution by Interscope Records. Its initially planned release was pushed seven days ahead due to heavy bootlegging and...
(2003)
- The Massacre
The Massacre is the second studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released March 3, 2005 on Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records in the United States. Its initially planned release was pushed five days ahead to avoid Internet leakage. The album debuted at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard...
(2005)
- Curtis
Curtis is the third studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released September 11, 2007, on Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album features production from Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Timbaland, among others...
(2007)
- Before I Self Destruct
Before I Self Destruct is the fourth studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released November 9, 2009 on Interscope Records in the United States. It is his final solo release for his current contract with Interscope Records, excluding a "greatest hits" album. A feature film, also titled Before I...
(2009)
- Fifth studio album
The upcoming fifth studio album by American rapper 50 Cent is set to be released in December 2011, through Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album will reportedly be 50 Cent's final album released through Interscope, as part of the contract he signed after...
(2011)
- Before I Self Destruct II (TBA)
Filmography
| Year |
Film |
Role |
Notes |
| 2003 |
50 Cent: The New Breed 50 Cent: The New Breed is a 2003 documentary by rapper 50 Cent.-Background:It stars 50 Cent, Eminem, Dr. Dre, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and others, distributed by Interscope Records...
|
Himself |
Documentary DVD |
| 2005 |
Get Rich or Die Tryin' |
Marcus |
Film debut |
| 2006 |
Home of the BraveHome of the Brave is a 2006 drama film following the lives of four Army National Guard soldiers in Iraq and their return to the United States. The film was shot in Morocco and in Spokane, Washington.-Plot:...
|
Jamal Aiken |
Supporting Role |
| 2008 |
Righteous Kill Righteous Kill is a 2008 crime thriller film with elements of a buddy cop film directed by Jon Avnet, and starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Righteous Kill also features John Leguizamo, Carla Gugino, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy, and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson...
|
Spider |
Supporting Role |
| Before I Self Destruct Before I Self Destruct is a 2009 crime drama film starring Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson that is included with the album of the same name. It was released on November 23, 2009.-Plot:...
|
Clarence |
Supporting Role |
| 50 Cent: The Money and the Power 50 Cent: The Money and the Power is a scrapped reality show that initially premiered November 6, 2008 on MTV and is now regularly aired on MTV2. The show was hosted by 50 Cent and follows the same mold as The Apprentice...
|
Himself |
TV series (one episode: "Choose Your Crew Wisely") |
| 2009 |
Streets of Blood Streets of Blood is a 2009 action-drama film starring Val Kilmer, 50 Cent, Michael Biehn and Sharon Stone. It is directed by Charles Winkler with a screenplay written by Eugene Hess based on a story by Hess and Dennis Fanning...
|
Stan Johnson |
|
EntourageEntourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
|
Himself |
TV series (Season 6, Episode 3: "One Car, Two Car, Red Car, Blue Car") |
| Dead Man Running |
Thigo |
|
| Caught in the Crossfire Caught in the Crossfire is 2010 American crime drama film directed by Brian A Miller. It stars Chris Klein, Adam Rodriguez, and 50 Cent. The film was released direct-to-DVD on July 20, 2010....
|
Tino |
Executive producer |
| 2010 |
13 13 is an English-language remake of the 2005 French film 13 Tzameti. The film is directed and written by Géla Babluani, who directed and wrote the original film. A trailer was released in August 2010.-Plot:...
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Jimy |
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| Gun Gun is a 2010 Direct-to-Video action film directed by Jessy Terrero, written by Curtis Jackson starring himself, Val Kilmer and James Remar...
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Rich |
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| Twelve Twelve is a 2010 crime film directed by Joel Schumacher. The film was written by Jordan Melamed, adapted from the novel of the same name by Nick McDonell. The film tells a story of drug addiction, violence, and sex among wealthy teenagers from Manhattan's Upper East Side...
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Lionel |
Supporting Role |
| Morning Glory Morning Glory is a 2010 American comedy-drama film directed by Roger Michell, produced by J.J. Abrams and written by Aline Brosh McKenna. It stars Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton, Patrick Wilson and Jeff Goldblum. After some delays, the film was released in the United States on November...
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Himself |
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| 2011 |
Vengeance -Development:The first trailer was released on May 22, 2010. The film's director Gil Medina is hoping for the film to receive a theatrical release. Trejo started a campaign for people who give away free copies of the DVD of the film to be given roles in the sequel...
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Black |
Post-production |
| Blood Out |
Hardwick |
|
| Setup Set Up is a heist film directed by Mike Cunther and written by Gunther and Mike Behrman. It stars Bruce Willis, Ryan Phillippe, and 50 Cent.It was released straight to DVD and Blu Ray on 20 September 2011 in the USA.-Plot:...
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Sonny |
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| 2012 |
All Things Fall Apart All Things Fall Apart is a 2011 American drama film starring Ray Liotta, 50 Cent, Mario Van Peebles, and Lynn Whitfield. It was filmed in Michigan and premiered at the Miami International Film Festival.-Plot:...
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Deon |
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| Freelancers Freelancers is an upcoming crime-drama film directed by Jessy Terrero, and stars Robert DeNiro, 50 Cent, Dana Delany and Forest Whitaker. Filming will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana.-Plot:...
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Malo |
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| Fire with Fire |
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| Odd Thomas Odd Thomas is an upcoming film based on the novel of the same name by Dean Koontz. Director Stephen Sommers is also a producer of the movie, along with Howard Kaplan and John Baldecchi of Fusion Films.-Plot:...
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Shamus Cocobolo |
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| Lives of the Saints Lives of the Saints is an upcoming drama film, written and directed by Chris Rossi, and starring Meg Ryan, Kat Dennings, John Lithgow, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, and Joe Anderson. Also among the cast are Kevin Zegers, Anthony Anderson and Esai Morales. The project began filming in Los Angeles on...
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Pre-production |
Voice work
| Year |
Film |
Role |
Notes |
| 2005 |
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
|
Himself |
TV series (one episode: "Pranksta Rap"Pranksta Rap" is the ninth episode of the The Simpsons sixteenth season, which originally aired February 13, 2005. It guest stars 50 Cent as himself, and Dana Gould as Barney Fife.-Plot:...
") |
50 Cent: Bulletproof50 Cent: Bulletproof is a video game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox platforms. It was developed in response to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas after 50 Cent was asked to voice the game's protagonist Carl "CJ" Johnson with 50 Cent stating that he will only voice himself in video games...
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Himself |
Video game, voice only |
| 2009 |
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand is a third-person shooting video game developed by Swordfish Studios and published by THQ for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game was released on February 20, 2009, in Europe and February 24, 2009, in North America and serves as the sequel to 50 Cent:...
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Himself |
Video game, voice only |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game consoles and the Microsoft Windows operating system. Officially announced on February 11, 2009, the game was released worldwide on...
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Navy SEAL, announcer |
Video game, voice only |
External links