Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Spellcast (talk | contribs) at 20:58, 12 May 2007 (rv- leave for discog. page). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6 1975) is an American rapper commonly known by his stage name 50 Cent. He rose to fame following the success of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin' and The Massacre. 50 Cent achieved multi-platinum success with both albums, selling over twenty-one million records worldwide.

Born in South Jamaica, Queens in New York, 50 Cent began drug dealing at an early age during the 1980s' crack epidemic. After leaving drug dealing in favor of pursuing a career as a rap artist, 50 Cent was shot several times in 2000. After the release of 50 Cent's mixtape compilation Guess Who's Back? in 2002, 50 Cent was discovered by rapper Eminem and signed to Interscope Records. With the help of Eminem and Dr. Dre—who produced his first major commercial successes—he became one of the most successful rap artists in the world. He is also the founder of the highly successful record label G-Unit Records. 50 Cent is planning to release two solo albums by February 2008.

Biography

Early life

50 Cent, born Curtis James Jackson III, grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens in New York City. He grew up without a father and was raised by his mother Sabrina Jackson, who gave birth to him at the age of fifteen. Sabrina, who was a cocaine dealer, raised Jackson until the age of eight, when she was murdered. At the age of twenty-three, she became unconscious after someone drugged her drink. She was then left for dead after the gas in her apartment was turned on and the windows shut closed. 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 grew up with his younger cousin, Michael Francis, who earned the nickname "25 Cent" in reference to his being Jackson's younger counterpart. Francis currently raps under the stage name Two Five.

Jackson began boxing around the age of eleven. In the early 1980s, he competed in the Junior Olympics as an amateur boxer. He aspired to fight in the Golden Gloves boxing tournament but was too young to compete. Jackson recounts, "I was competitive in the ring and hip-hop is competitive too. In so many ways they're similar. I think rappers condition themselves like boxers, so they all kind of feel like they're the champ."

When Jackson was twelve years old, he was dealing narcotics. He commented that selling drugs was "easy" since much of people he knew when he was young did so. Jackson regularly hid cocaine from his grandmother and took guns and drug money to school. In the tenth grade, he was eventually caught by metal detectors at Andrew Jackson High School. He later stated, "I was embarrassed that I got arrested like that. That's the worst way to get arrested. After I got arrested I stopped hiding it. I was telling my grandmother , 'I sell drugs.'"

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 seven months in a Shock Incarceration boot camp, where he earned his GED. Jackson said that he didn't use cocaine himself and only sold it.

Jackson adopted the nickname "50 Cent" as a metaphor for "change". The name was derived from Kelvin Martin, a Brooklyn criminal in the 1980s who was known as "50 Cent". Jackson said: "I took the name 50 Cent 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."

Early career

In 1996, a friend introduced 50 Cent to Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC who was organizing his label. It was the first time 50 Cent had entered a studio. Jay taught him how to count bars, write choruses, structure songs, and make a record.

50 Cent's first official appearance was on a song titled "React" with the group Onyx on their 1998 album Shut 'Em Down. He credited Jam Master Jay as an influence who helped him improve his ability to write hooks. Jay produced 50 Cent's first album, however it was never released.

In 1999, after leaving Jam Master Jay, the platinum selling producers Trackmasters took notice of 50 Cent and signed him to Columbia Records. They sent him to a studio in Upstate New York, where he produced thirty-six songs in two and a half weeks. Eighteen were included on his unofficially released album, Power of the Dollar in 2000.

50 Cent's popularity started to increase after the successful but controversial underground single "How to Rob", which he wrote in half an hour while in a car on the way to a studio. The track comically describes how he would rob many famous artists. He explains 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." Offended by the record, Jay-Z, Big Pun, DMX, and the Wu-Tang Clan later replied to the song. Following the release of the single, Nas invited 50 Cent to travel on a promotional tour for his Nastradamus album. The track was intended to be released with "Thug Love" featuring Destiny's Child but two days before he was scheduled to film the "Thug Love" video, 50 Cent was shot and had to be confined to a hospital due to his injuries.

The next single, "Ghetto Qu'ran" dealt with the history of the drug trade in Queens, mentioning the names of many who were in the business during the 1980s.

Shooting

On May 24 2000, 50 Cent was attacked by a gunman outside his grandmother's house. 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, a car pulled up nearby. An assailant then walked up to 50 Cent's left side with a 9 mm handgun and fired nine shots at close range. He was shot nine times—in the hand (a round hit his right thumb and came out of his pinky), arm, hip, legs, chest, and left cheek. The latter wound shaved a chunk off his gums, left a hole between the top and bottom rows of his teeth, and resulted in a small but a permanent slur in his voice. His friend also sustained a gunshot wound to the hand. They were driven to hospital where he spent thirteen days in recovery. The alleged shooter was killed three weeks later.

50 Cent recalled the incident saying, "It happens so fast that you don't even get a chance to shoot back... I was scared the whole time... I was looking in the rear-view mirror like, 'Oh shit, somebody shot me in the face! It burns, burns, burns.'" In his memoir, From Pieces to Weight: Once Upon a Time in Southside Queens, he wrote, "After I got shot nine times at close range and didn't die, I started to think that I must have a purpose in life... How much more damage could that shell have done? Give me an inch in this direction or that one, and I'm gone." The recovery process took five months, and he used a walker for the first six weeks. His physical workout regimen helped attain his muscular physique.

Following the shooting, 50 Cent was "blacklisted" in the recording industry and dropped from Columbia Records. Unable to find a studio to work with in the U.S, he traveled to Canada. Along with his business partner Sha Money XL, he recorded over thirty songs for mixtapes, with the purpose of building a reputation. 50 Cent's popularity rose and in early 2001, he released material independently on the mixtape, Guess Who's Back?. Beginning to attract interest, and now backed by G-Unit, 50 Cent continued to make songs. They released the mixtape 50 Cent Is the Future, revisiting material by Jay-Z and Raphael Saadiq.

Rise to fame

In 2002, Eminem listened to a copy of 50 Cent's Guess Who's Back? CD. He received the CD through 50 Cent's attorney, who was working with Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg. Impressed with the album, Eminem invited 50 Cent to fly to Los Angeles, where the two of them and Dr. Dre met. After being signed to a one million U.S. dollar record deal, 50 Cent released another bootleg of borrowed beats, No Mercy, No Fear. The CD featured one new track "Wanksta", which was put on Eminem's 8 Mile soundtrack.

On February 6 2003, 50 Cent's commercial debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin' was released. All Music Guide called it "the most hyped debut album by a rap artist in about a decade." Rolling Stone noted the album for its "dark synth grooves, buzzy keyboards and a persistently funky bounce" with 50 Cent complementing the production in "an unflappable, laid-back flow." 872,000 copies were sold in the first four days. It was certified gold in its first week, platinum the following week, and was eventually certified six times platinum by the RIAA. The debut single "In da Club", which The Source 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 then granted 50 Cent his own label, G-Unit Records. He appointed his manager Sha Money XL as the president. The label signed Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck as the established members of G-Unit. Dr. Dre and 50 Cent signed The Game under a joint venture. On March 3 2005, 50 Cent's second commercial album, The Massacre was released. He became the first solo artist to have three singles on the Billboard top five in the same week with "Candy Shop", "Disco Inferno", and "How We Do". 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 departure of The Game, 50 Cent signed singer Olivia and rap veterans Mobb Deep to G-Unit Records. Spider Loc, M.O.P., and Young Hot Rod joined G-Unit after the signing of Mobb Deep. 50 Cent has expressed interest in working with other rappers outside of G-Unit, such as Lil' Scrappy of BME, LL Cool J from Def Jam, Mase from Bad Boy, and Freeway of Roc-A-Fella Records, some of whom he has now recorded with.

Personal life

In 1997, 50 Cent's then-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins gave birth to a son, Marquise Jackson. He said: "Me being an artist on the music front came from my son actually. He was motivation to go in a different direction." He has a tattoo of his son's name, Marquise, inscribed with an axe on his right bicep. He said: "The axe is 'cause I'm a warrior. I don't want him to be one, though." 50 Cent has the numbers "50" with "Southside" across the top of his back. He also has "Cold World" inscribed because "I'm a product of that environment. It's on my back, though, so it's all behind me." In 2006, 50 Cent was recognized for his wealth by Rolling Stone, placing him second behind Diddy within the rap industry. He currently resides in Farmington, Connecticut, in the former mansion of boxer Mike Tyson.

Endorsements and projects

Merchandise

In November 2003, before releasing Beg for Mercy with G-Unit, 50 Cent signed a deal with Reebok to release his G-Unit Sneakers brand. 50 Cent also started The G-Unit Clothing Company. A video game in which he provides the voice-over as the protagonist in 50 Cent: Bulletproof was released for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and the PlayStation Portable. 50 Cent has recently worked with glacéau to create and market low-calorie, natural drinks called Formula 50. He also launched a condom line and plans to donate a part of the proceeds to HIV awareness.

Television and films

In 2005, 50 Cent made a cameo appearance on The Simpsons episode Pranksta Rap, in which he makes light of his legal troubles. In the same year, he starred in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin' directed by Jim Sheridan, and co-starring Joy Bryant and Terrence Howard. In 2006, he starred in the film Home of the Brave as a soldier returning home from the Iraq War, traumatized after killing an Iraqi woman. Currently, 50 Cent is working on a role as a fighter in an Angola State Prison in The Dance alongside Nicholas Cage, and is set to star opposite Robert De Niro in 2008's New Orleans, a movie regarding a police death. He has started a production company called G-Unit Films.

Books

In 2005, 50 Cent released a memoir about his life leading up to his success titled From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens. On January 4 2007, he launched his G-Unit Books imprint at Borders-Columbus Circle in 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, which is expected to be turned into a film before the end of 2007. 50 Cent also said he was reading The 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene and is currently working with the author on a book titled The 50th Law, an urban take on The 48 Laws of Power.

Controversy

Ja Rule and Murder Inc.

Before signing with Interscope, 50 Cent was engaged in a well-publicized dispute with rival rapper Ja Rule and his label Murder Inc. Records. The rappers engaged in numerous mix tape "disses". The conflict stemmed from 50 Cent's close friend allegedly robbing Ja Rule of his jewelry, which led to an altercation, with 50 Cent receiving a minor stab wound on his upper back outside the Hit Factory in New York.

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

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

Other New York rappers

50 Cent has had feuds with rappers Nas, Silverback Guerillaz, Young Dice Joe Budden, Fat Joe, Shyne and D-Block.

He has also spoken negatively about Bad Boy Entertainment mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, and recorded a song revealing the reasons behind his negative feelings: primarily, a contract dispute over Mase. In this song, he implied that Diddy knew about The Notorious B.I.G.'s murder and threatened to expose him through several former associates. The feud has since been resolved, with Diddy and 50 Cent appearing on MTV's TRL and Sucker Free, respectively, stating that there are no longer problems between the two.

The Game

50 Cent had an escalating feud with The Game. The Game, who was never signed to G-Unit, was close to 50 Cent before the release of his debut album The Documentary. When released, 50 Cent felt The Game was disloyal for wanting to work with artists G-Unit was feuding with. He further claimed that he was not getting proper credit for the debut of the album.

During the dispute, a member of The Game's entourage was shot after a confrontation outside Hot 97's radio station. When the situation escalated, 50 Cent and The Game held a press conference to end their feud. Fans claimed the feud, and particularly the incident at the radio station, were a publicity stunt designed to boost sales of the albums the pair released. Nevertheless, the situation escalated when The Game's street credibility was criticized by 50 Cent and G-Unit. The group denounced The Game and announced they will not be featured on the rapper's albums. During a performance at Summer Jam, The Game launched a boycott of G-Unit called "G-Unot".

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

The Game also released images depicting the rap group in many parodies on previous mixtapes. In response, G-Unit published a mixtape cover with the rapper's head on the body of an exotic dancer. Although they were once signed to the same label, The Game left Aftermath Entertainment, in order to completely resolve the matter.

Cam'ron

On February 1 2007, Cam'ron and 50 Cent were involved in a live argument on The Angie Martinez Show on Hot 97 radio. 50 Cent commented that Koch Entertainment was a "graveyard", meaning major record labels would not work their artists. Cam'ron then ridiculed the record sales of G-Unit members Lloyd Banks and Mobb Deep by stating that Jim Jones had outsold their albums despite being signed to an independent label, and that The Diplomats had a distribution deal from several labels. 50 Cent released a song entitled "Funeral Music", along with a video in which he insults Cam'ron. Cam'ron also released a diss track and video called "Curtis". He made a second derogatory video, "Curtis Pt. II", aimed at 50 Cent. Young Buck and 50 Cent responded with a song and video called "Hold On" that was released on Young Buck's album, Buck the World.

Discography

• 2003: Get Rich or Die Tryin'
• 2005: The Massacre
• 2007: Curtis

Filmography

• 2005: Get Rich or Die Tryin' — as Marcus
• 2006: Home of the Brave — as Jamal Aiken

See also

• List of 50 Cent awards and nominations

References

1. Birth date according to the New York Department of Correctional Services (DIN: 94-R-6378).
2. ^ Observer Music Monthly, August 21 2005. Right on the money. The Observer
3. Blender, March 2007. 50 Cent Set To Return With Two New Albums. Blender.
4. ^ Observer Music Monthly, August 21 2005. From the cradle to the grave (nearly). The Observer.
5. ^ Touré, April 3 2003. The Life of a Hunted Man. Rolling Stone.
6. ^ Allison Samuels, February 21 2007. The Flip Side of 50 Cent. MSNBC.
7. Jeff Otto, September 6 2005. Interview: 50 Cent." IGN.
8. ^ Shaheem Reid, February 12 2003. 50 Cent: Money To Burn. MTV.
9. Associated Press, December 23 2005. Two Five says success has changed 50 Cent. MSNBC.
10. ^ Shaheem Reid, February 25 2005. All Eyes on 50 Cent: The Sequel.
11. The Smoking Gun, February 27 2003. The Smoking Gun: 50 Cent.
12. ^ Dave, November 2 2003. 50 Cent Interview on Howard Stern Show Rap News Network.
13. ^ AOL Music, August 1 2003. Interview w/ 50 Cent.
14. Tone Boots, August 3 2005. Get Rich or Die Trying Stuff magazine.
15. ^ Ian Youngs, December 23 2002. 50 Cent: The $1m rapper. BBC News.
16. Shams Tarek, May 16 2003. Jamaica’s ‘Own Bad Guy' 50 Cent Making Good in the Music Biz. Queens Press.
17. ^ Biography. 50cent.com.
18. ^ 50 Cent: From Pieces to Weight Part 5
19. Shaheem Reid, November 7 2005. 50 Cent: Return To Southside MTV.
20. ^ Ninja, December 2002. 50 Cent Interview. Dubcnn.
21. Josh Tyrangirl, February 17 2003. Rap's Newest Target. Time magazine.
22. ^ Carl Chery, October 24 2005. 50 Cent Shot By "Hommo" Reveals Tell-All Book. SOHH.
23. The Smoking Gun, September 6 2005. The Smoking Gun.
24. Jason Birchmeier. Get Rich or Die Tryin' Review. All Music Guide.
25. Christian Hoard, March 6 2003. 50 Cent: Get Rich or Die Tryin' Review. Rolling Stone.
26. Edna Gundersen, September 3 2005. 'Massacre' sales top one million. USA Today.
27. Robert "Boo" Rosario, March 2003. "Record Report". The Source magazine, p. 192.
28. Timeline. Rock on the Net.
29. Dallas Winston, September 4 2003.G-Unit Records Signs With Interscope. AllHipHop.
30. James Montgomery, March 9 2005. 50 Cent's The Massacre Makes Huge Chart Debut. MTV.
31. Nathan Brackett, March 10 2005. The Massacre Review. Rolling Stone.
32. Shaheem Reid, September 2 2005. 50 And Mase: The Pastor Isn't Officially G-Unit Yet, But a Song Is Already Out. MTV.
33. Carl Chery, May 27 2005. Pulse Report: M.O.P. Signs To G-Unit. SOHH.
34. Bea Black, June 2 2006. Roc-A-Fella Rapper Freeway Collaborating with G-Unit for New Album. AllHipHop.
35. I Like Music, 2005. 50 Cent chats to ilikemusic.com. I Like Music.
36. ^ Jonah Weiner, April 2005. Dear Superstar: 50 Cent. Blender.
37. Brian Hiatt, March 10 2006.The Richest Rock Stars of 2006. Rolling Stone.
38. Sarah Bernard, August 22 2005. How Would 50 Cent Spend $3.5 Million?. New York magazine.
39. Reebok.com, November 13 2003. Reebok and 50 Cent Announce the Successful Launch of New "G-Unit Collection by RBK" Footwear. Reebok.
40. ^ Raakhee Mirchandani, January 5 2007. The Merchant of Menace. New York Post.
41. MTV News staff, March 23 2007. For The Record: Quick News on Eminem, Ciara, Ludacris, Ne-Yo, Slayer, Marilyn Manson, Nas, Public Enemy & More. MTV.
42. Nolan Strong, February 1 2007. 50 Cent to Launch G-Unit Books, Meet Fans. AllHipHop.
43. Chris Richburg, 6 February 2007. '48 Laws' Author Robert Greene Working with 50 Cent on New Book, QD3 On New Film. AllHipHop.
44. The Smoking Gun, September 6 2005. Surveilling 50 Cent.
45. Nolan Strong and Alexis Jeffries, July 9 2006. Exclusive: 50 Cent, Sean 'Diddy' Combs Declare 'Cease Fire'. AllHipHop.
46. Contact Music, July 24 2006. 50 Cent Fuels Fire With The Game.
47. Kelefa Sanneh, February 27 2007. Rappers Find That a Small Label Can Have Its Uses. New York Times.

External links

• Official Website
• G-Unit Records
• Shady Records
• Aftermath Records
• Interscope Records
• Template:MySpace
• 50 Cent at IMDb
• Template:Amg
• 50 Cent at YouTube

• Aftermath Entertainment
• G-Unit Records artists
• G-Unit
• 50 Cent
• 1975 births
• African American rappers
• Aftermath Entertainment artists
• American rappers
• G-Unit members
• Hip hop record producers
• Living people
• People from Queens
• Queens (NY) rappers
• Rhythmic contemporary musicians
• Shady Records artists
• Shooting victims