Introducing 50 Cent: an American rapper, record producer, businessman, and actor. From a rough childhood in Queens to surviving a near-fatal shooting, 50 Cent’s journey to success has been filled with challenges and triumphs. With his breakout album ‘Get Rich or die Tryin’ becoming a blockbuster hit, he has sold nearly 30 million records and earned numerous music awards. Eminem’s belief in him played a pivotal role in his rise to fame. Alongside his music career, 50 Cent has made a name for himself in Hollywood and has achieved great success in his business ventures. With his immense talent and entrepreneurial spirit, it’s no wonder that 50 Cent is consistently ranked among the richest rappers of our time.
Quick Facts
- Nick Name: Interscope, Fiddy, Boo Boo
- Girlfriend: Daphne Joy, Shaniqua Tompkins
- Also Known As: Curtis James Jackson III
- Age: 48 Years, 48 Year Old Males
- Family: mother: Sabrina Jackson, children: Marquise Jackson, Sire Jackson
- Born Country: United States
- Rappers
- Record Producers
- Height: 6’0″ (183 cm), 6’0″ Males
- U.S. State: New Yorkers
- Founder/Co-Founder: G-Unit Records, G-Unit Clothing Company, G-Unity Foundation Inc., G-Unit Books
Childhood & Early Life
50 Cent was born Curtis James Jackson III on July 6, 1975, in Queens, New York City, USA, to Sabrina, a drug dealer. When Curtis was eight years old, his mother died in a strange fire accident, which compelled his father to leave as well. Hence, Curtis James was left under the care of his grandmother.
As a kid, 50 Cent had no musical aspirations. In order to make the ends meet, he followed in the footsteps of his mother and started trading drugs by the age 12. He would bring guns and drugs to his school and even got caught once.
His street peddling career came to a halt when he got arrested for possession of cocaine, heroin, and crack while he was a teenager. He was sentenced to three to nine years in prison. He then earned his GED after serving six months in a boot camp.
In one of his interviews, he said that he started boxing at the age of 11 as he wanted to defend himself against his enemies. Apparently, he made quite a lot of enemies as a kid.
Career
50 Cent’s hip hop career started when he came in contact with a New York based hip hop group named ‘Run-DMC.’ Jam Master Jay was a member of the group and the first person to understand 50 Cent’s potential. He promised to help him release his debut album, a promise which he couldn’t keep. 50 Cent then approached ‘Columbia,’ which also gave false hope to the young aspirant.
He then took the matter into his own hands and formed a crew called ‘G-Unit’ along with Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks. He then released a mixtape titled ‘Guess Who’s Back’ which caught Eminem and Dr. Dre’s attention, and they signed 50 Cent for their respective record labels, ‘Shady Records’ and ‘Aftermath Entertainment.’ Though the mixtape had 50 Cent and his crew mocking other rappers, his rapping skills were appreciated by many and several nightclubs in New York started playing his music.
Eminem collaborated with 50 Cent on the ‘8 Mile’ soundtrack and the song ‘Wanksta’ became a hit. Subsequently, 50 Cent’s debut album ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ released to massive success in 2003. The album had a few tracks produced by Eminem and Dr. Dre. Coveted magazine ‘The Rolling Stone’ praised the album in one of its articles. The album debuted at the top spot on the ‘Billboard 200’ chart and 50 Cent became an overnight sensation.
His next venture ‘Beg for Mercy,’ which was produced under his group ‘G-Unit,’ released in late 2003 to widespread acclaim. In 2005, 50 Cent released his second official album titled ‘The Massacre.’ For the following six weeks, the album held the top spot on ‘Billboard 200.’ In 2007, 50 Cent released his third album ‘Curtis,’ which peaked at number two on ‘Billboard 200.’ The album was based on real-life events.
In 2009, 50 Cent unveiled his fourth studio album titled ‘Before I Self Destruct’ which was a moderate commercial success. In 2012, over a beef with ‘Interscope Records,’ 50 Cent refrained from releasing his next album. The album, titled ‘Animal Ambition: The Untamed Desire To Win,’ got released in 2014 after 50 Cent reworked on it.
Apart from being a hip hop star, 50 Cent is also known for his impeccable entrepreneurship skills. He invested in a lot of profitable ventures which enabled him to own a fortune. He is involved in industries such as gaming, liquor, book publishing, footwear, apparel, video games, and many more.
Personal Life
In 1996, 50 Cent’s girlfriend gave birth to his son. She later sued him for USD 50 million, claiming that he had promised to take care of her for life. Her appeal was rejected and the judge called it ‘a love affair gone sour.’ Their son was named Marquise Jackson and 50 Cent said that his son changed his outlook on life and compelled him to change his ways to lead a better life.
Model Daphne Joy and 50 Cent dated for some time and had a child together, who was named Sire Jackson. At the age of two, Sire modeled for a headphone brand and earned more than half a million dollars from the deal.
In 2005, 50 Cent expressed his political views and condemned the statement made by fellow rapper Kanye West. Kanye said that ‘George Bush doesn’t care about Black People.’
In 2000, while visiting his grandmother, 50 Cent was shot nine times. He was hospitalized for two weeks and made a miraculous recovery. Interestingly, 50 Cent’s attacker was killed a few days later.
50 Cent is known for his disagreements with fellow rappers, such as The Game, Rick Ross, and Ja Rule.
50 Cent’s estimated net worth is USD 30 million.