50 Cent

quote

"First I drop my album, and people pay attention. Now that I got their attention, I'm gonna drop the next sh*t on them -- the G-Unit sh*t, both the label and the group... I'm not leveling the competition, I'm destroying it." -50 Cent

biography

The first 26 years of Curtis Jackson's life have made way for a remarkable success story. Born and raised in the rugged streets of Southside Jamaica, Queens, Jackson (better known these days as 50 Cent) endured a rough childhood. While growing up fatherless, 50 learned the tricks of the drug trade as a youngster by observing his mother's hustling ways. When 50 was only eight years old, his mother passed away and he was taken in by his grandparents.

In his early teens, 50 followed in his mother's footsteps and began hustling on the streets of Queens, New York. After making a name for himself as a lucrative drug dealer, he found himself getting into more and more trouble with the law. Once his son was Born, however, 50 decided to refocus his energy and turned toward rap music. His talent was discovered quickly by one of hip-hop's pioneer DJs, the late Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC fame, and the great DJ decided to take young 50 under his wing. While helping 50 hone his skills as a lyricist, Jam Master went a step further and signed him to his JMJ Records music label. Under Jay's guidance, 50 learned to structure songs and count bars.

from zero to hero

Although 50 Cent didn't strike it big on JMJ Records, the exposure helped open up bigger doors for the young rapper. Soon afterwards, 50's rhyme styles caught the attention of New York-based platinum music producers, the Trackmasters, and, in 1999, they quickly signed him to their Columbia records sub-label. In collaboration with this gifted production team, 50 Cent crafted his debut album, Power Of A Dollar.

Although his debut masterpiece was never released due to various reasons, one track in particular earned the young rapper the recognition he deserved. "How To Rob" caught just about everyone's attention in the hip-hop community at this point in time, as 50's lyrics targeted all the major players in the game. The track exposed 50's comedic-yet-realistic vision of robbing hip-hop's finest of their cash and jewelry. The clever MC earned all of the attention that an up-and-coming rap artist could ever desire in doing so.

The end result found many of rap's bigwigs, including Jay-Z, Big Pun and Ghostface Killah, seeking redemption by responding to 50's insult-ridden track with comeback tracks of their own. While previously nameless in the rap game, 50 Cent now had a name -- and a game.

a heavy price to pay

Shortly thereafter, 50's exposure to the rap world was abruptly interrupted when he was gunned down in front of his home in the spring of 2000. During his recovery, things went from bad to worse for 50, as Columbia Records dropped the controversial rapper. After a lengthy recovery process, the banged-up artist, determined to succeed, got back in the studio and recorded some new material alongside producer and business partner, Sha Money XL. These tracks found themselves circulating throughout the streets of New York via mix tapes and two self-released albums, Guess Who's Back? and 50 Cent Is The Future, thereby creating quite the stir for 50 and his G-Unit crew. His clever skills as a lyricist were once again earning the rapper the recognition he strived to achieve.

from small change to big bucks

one of the mix tapes featuring 50 Cent fell into the hands of hip-hop superstar Eminem, who immediately heard a fellow star in the music. Once Slim Shady publicly announced his appreciation for 50's talent, a bidding war ensued among record labels to pick up the blazing hot artist and 50 Cent found himself inking a record contract for $1 million on Eminem's Shady Records and Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records. Some call it an overnight success story; others see it as one man's determination and drive finally paying off -- and paying off in a very big way.

The seven-figure record deal is only the beginning for the 26-year-old rap sensation. In his first three months alone in the spotlight, 50 has appeared on the soundtrack for 8 Mile while his debut album, Get Rich Or Die Tryin', has already broken sales Records by selling 1.5 million copies in its first week and a half of release. The album's first single, "In Da Club," has topped music video and radio station charts across the land, and has helped earn him a title as one of today's most popular rappers.