50 Cent

Artist Image: 50 Cent
Attribution
Image Credit: MTV UK (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4ExLSK07-Y), CC BY 3.0

Biography

Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, entrepreneur, investor, record, film, and television producer. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of the borough of Queens, Jackson began selling drugs at age twelve during the 1980s crack epidemic. Although he left drug-dealing to pursue a musical career, he was struck by nine bullets in a 2000 shooting. After Jackson released the compilation album Guess Who's Back? in 2002, he was discovered by Eminem and signed by Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. With the aid of Eminem and Dr. Dre (who produced his first major-label album, Get Rich or Die Tryin'), Jackson became one of the world's best selling rappers and rose to prominence with East Coast hip hop group G-Unit (which he leads de facto). In 2003 he founded G-Unit Records, signing his G-Unit associates Young Buck, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. Jackson had similar commercial and critical success with his second album, The Massacre, which was released in 2005. He released his fifth studio album, Animal Ambition, in 2014 and is working on his sixth studio album: Street King Immortal, scheduled for release in 2016. During his career Jackson has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and won several awards, including a Grammy Award, thirteen Billboard Music Awards, six World Music Awards, three American Music Awards and four BET Awards. He has pursued an acting career, appearing in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005), the Iraq War film Home of the Brave (2006) and Righteous Kill (2008). 50 Cent was ranked the sixth-best artist of the 2000s, the third-best rapper (behind Eminem and Nelly), and Get Rich or Die Tryin' and The Massacre were ranked the 12th and 37th best albums of the decade by Billboard.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1996
Number of Albums 54
Record Label Interscope Records
Website 50cent.com
Wikipedia 50 Cent on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

What was his mother's occupation?

drugdealer

...s old. Later he was raised by his grandmother. Since his mother was a drugdealer , he also started dealing drugs at the age of 12. Due to which he got ...
How old was he when he started dealing drugs?

12

... his mother was a drugdealer, he also started dealing drugs at the age of 12 . Due to which he got arrested and spent three to nine years in prison; ho...
How long did Jackson spend in boot camp?

six months

... arrested and spent three to nine years in prison; however, he served six months in boot camp and earned his GED (General Educational Development). In...
Who was Jackson's first contact with?

Jam Master Jay

...is musical career and made his first contact with American Musician Jam Master Jay . Jackson learned how to count bars, write choruses, structure songs...
What group did Jay join in 1998?

Onyx

...he learning, he made his first appearance in the song React (1998) with the hiphop group Onyx . In August 2000, he released his own single. How To Rob....
What was 50 Cent's first name?

Curtis James Jackson III

...It was hard in his early life, but Curtis James Jackson III aka 50 Cent finally made it to become a renowned popular African American hip hop artist t...
Who did 50 Cent lose at an early age?

those closest to him

...popular African American hip hop artist the world ever has. Lost those closest to him at an early age and encouraged by his desire for things would dr...
At what age did he begin drug dealing?

twelve

... his desire for things would drive him begun drug dealing at the age of twelve . Eventually encountered the law and began making visits to prison, 50 p...
Where did he meet Jam Master Jay?

through a friend

... break came soon thereafter upon meeting Jam Master Jay of Run DMC through a friend who instead of only taught him how to count bars, write choruses, ...
What label did 50 sign a deal with?

Columbia Records

...rompted 50 to leave the label and quickly signed another deal with Columbia Records , thanks to the platinum selling producers Trackmasters who took no...
How many songs did he produce in two and a half weeks?

thirtysix

...ed on his rapping skill. Began working on his debut album, he produced thirtysix songs in two and a half weeks, eighteen of which were included on his...
How many of his songs were included on his unofficial album?

eighteen

... his debut album, he produced thirtysix songs in two and a half weeks, eighteen of which were included on his unofficially released album, Power of th...
When was Power of the Dollar Unreleased released?

2000

...ed on his unofficially released album, Power of the Dollar Unreleased in 2000 . The latter track, which lyrics detail how he would rob particular bigna...
What country did 50 Cent go to?

Canada

...lot of attention thus making it a hit. Hard for him to find a studio to work with in the US during the two following years, 50 Cent headed for Canada ....
When did the rest of the world hear about him?

2002

...or several years, but the rest of the world did not hear about him until 2002 , when his first single, Wanksta, appeared on the soundtrack of the film ...
What was his first single?

Wanksta

... of the world did not hear about him until 2002, when his first single, Wanksta , appeared on the soundtrack of the film 8 Mile. As a result, the young...
What was 50 Cent's real name?

Curtis Jackson

...nt would be the next hiphop heavyweight. Life of a drug dealer Born Curtis Jackson , 50 Cent grew up in South Jamaica, a neighborhood of Queens, which ...
How many times did 50 Cent survive being shot?

nine

...real deal. He grew up on the streets of New York, survived being shot at nine times, and used those experiences to fuel his songs. As a result, critic...
Where did 50 Cent grow up?

South Jamaica

...eight. Life of a drug dealer Born Curtis Jackson, 50 Cent grew up in South Jamaica , a neighborhood of Queens, which is a borough of New York City. Fif...
What borough does South Jamaica belong to?

Queens

...orn Curtis Jackson, 50 Cent grew up in South Jamaica, a neighborhood of Queens , which is a borough of New York City. Fifty Cent was surrounded by viol...
What was Sabrina Jackson's mother's age when he was born?

fifteen

...iolence from the day he was born. His mother, Sabrina Jackson, was only fifteen years old when he was born on July 6, 1976. She turned to dealing drug...
On what date was he born in Queens?

July 6, 1976

...her, Sabrina Jackson, was only fifteen years old when he was born on July 6, 1976 . She turned to dealing drugs in order to support her son, and eventu...
What did his mother do to support her son?

dealing drugs

...ly fifteen years old when he was born on July 6, 1976. She turned to dealing drugs in order to support her son, and eventually became one of the most ...
What was 50 Cent's birth date?

6.7.1975

...50 Cent (born Curtis James Jackson, 6.7.1975 ) 50 Cent is an American rapper whose albums Get Rich Or Die Tryin' and The Massacre have both achieved mu...
Who was the mother of Curtis Jackson?

Sabrina Jackson

...ldhood: Curtis Jackson was born in the Queens suburb of New York to Sabrina Jackson , a drug dealer. She died when Curtis was 8, when he was sent to li...
What sport did Curtus Jackson compete in in the mid-1980's?

boxer

...rt in life, Curtis Jackson competed in the Junior Olympics as an amateur boxer in the mid1980's. He was sentenced to three to nine years in prison but...
Who was also nicknamed 50 Cent?

Kelvin Martin

...eration boot camp. He took the name from a robber in the 1980s named Kelvin Martin , whose nickname was also 50 Cent. In 2000, when he had quit dealing...
Where did 50 Cent start rapping?

in a friend's basement

...as shot nine times. Musical Career: 50 Cent started out rapping in a friend's basement . When he was introduced to Jam Master Jay of RunDMC, Jay taught...
Who did 50 Cent call out?

wannabe gangstas

...general, circa 2003. He reveled in his ofttold past, he called out wannabe gangstas , and he made headlines. He even looked like the ideal East Coast h...
What type of vest did 50 Cent wear?

bulletproof

...d with oftshowcased biceps, abs, and tattoos as well as his trademark bulletproof vest, pistol, and iced crucifix. But allimportantly, 50 Cent may hav...
What was the name of 50 Cent's posse?

GUnit

...ub tracks. And too, 50 Cent didn't forget about his posse. He helped his GUnit crew grow into a successful franchise, spawning platinumselling solo al...
What city did 50 Cent grew up in?

New York City

...ackson III on July 6, 1975, and raised in Southside Jamaica, Queens, New York City , 50 Cent grew up in a broken home. His hustler mother passed away w...
How old was 50 Cent when his mother died?

eight

...rew up in a broken home. His hustler mother passed away when he was only eight , and his father departed soon after, leaving his grandmother to parent ...
What is the name of 50 Cent's 2003 album?

Get Rich or Die Tryin'

...violence, he turned to rap, rocketing to stardom with the album Get Rich or Die Tryin' in 2003. One of the leading figures in early 21stcentury gangst...
In what year did 50 Cent release his album Get Rich or Die Tryin'?

2003

...ed to rap, rocketing to stardom with the album Get Rich or Die Tryin' in 2003 . One of the leading figures in early 21stcentury gangsta rap, with side ...
On what date was Curtis James Jackson III born?

July 6, 1975

...en sporadic. Early Life 50 Cent was born Curtis James Jackson III on July 6, 1975 , in the borough of Queens in New York City. He was raised by a singl...
What was Jackson's mother's occupation?

drug dealer

...y a single mother in the neighborhood of Jamaica. His mom worked as a drug dealer and died in an unexplained fire when Jackson was only eight years ol...
How old was Jackson when he was arrested?

19

...t the junior level, but began selling drugs when he was 12. At the age of 19 , an undercover police officer arrested Jackson for selling four vials of ...
How many vials of cocaine was Jackson arrested for selling?

four

...the age of 19, an undercover police officer arrested Jackson for selling four vials of cocaine and when his home was raided three weeks later, police ...
What drug was found in Jackson's home after his home was raided?

heroin

... and when his home was raided three weeks later, police found crack and heroin . Sentenced to threetonine years, he instead went to a boot camp and got...
Who discovered Jackson and signed him to Shady Records?

Eminem

... released the compilation album Guess Who's Back?, he was discovered by Eminem and signed to Shady Records, under the aegis of Dr. Dre's Aftermath Ent...
What was the name of the label that Jackson founded in 2003?

GUnit Records

... Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. In 2003, he founded GUnit Records , signing his GUnit associates Young Buck, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo...
What was Jackson's second album called?

The Massacre

...n had similar commercial and critical success with his second album, The Massacre , which was released in 2005. He released his fifth studio album, Ani...
When was The Massacre released?

2005

...tical success with his second album, The Massacre, which was released in 2005 . He released his fifth studio album, Animal Ambition, in 2014 and as of ...
In what year did Jackson release Animal Ambition?

2014

...eleased in 2005. He released his fifth studio album, Animal Ambition, in 2014 and as of 2019 is working on his sixth studio album, Street King Immorta...
What is the name of Jackson's sixth album?

Street King Immortal

...on, in 2014 and as of 2019 is working on his sixth studio album, Street King Immortal . During his career Jackson has sold over 30 million albums world...
How many albums has Jackson sold worldwide?

30 million

... album, Street King Immortal. During his career Jackson has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and won several awards, including a Grammy Award, th...
How many copies of Get Rich or Die Tryin' were sold in the first week?

900,000

... His debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin' was the highest debut ever with 900,000 copies sold in the first week. His mother was killed at age 23, when h...
What was the name of Jackson's 2000 album for Columbia Records?

Power of the Dollar

...He later began pursuing a musical career, and in 2000 he produced Power of the Dollar for Columbia Records; however, days before the planned release, ...
What was his fifth album called?

Animal Ambition

...ich was released in 2005. He underwent musical changes by his fifth album, Animal Ambition (2014), and is currently working on his sixth studio album....
What year was 50 Cent born?

1975

...the most prominent singers in rap and hiphop. Curtis was born on July 6, 1975 , in Queens, New York and is the son of Sabrina Jackson (drug dealer), an...
When did 50 Cent first start using crack?

1980

...ina Jackson (drug dealer), and his father is not known. In the decade of 1980 , during the crack epidemic, 50 Cent began with the traffic of the substa...
What was the name of the drug that 50 Cent began using in 1980?

BooBoo

...idemic, 50 Cent began with the traffic of the substance, calling itself BooBoo . At the age of 8 he was already immersed in the world of drugs and weap...
How many years after his arrest was he arrested for illegal possession of narcotics?

seven

... age of 8 he was already immersed in the world of drugs and weapons, and seven years later he was arrested for illegal possession of narcotics. For a ...
When was the album Shut Em Down released?

1998

... titled React with the group Onyx, on the album Shut Em Down released in 1998 . A year later, after leaving Jam Master Jay, several producers of Trackm...
Who left the family?

his father

...mother Sabrina Jackson died when he was merely eight years old, while his father left the family, leaving his grandmother to parent him. Losing those ...
What was 50's dream of becoming?

heavyweight boxer

...aw and making visits to prison, 50 pursued his dream of becoming a heavyweight boxer , but finally fell back on rapping. Taking rapping seriously, it w...
Who noticed 50's rapping skill?

Trackmasters

... deal with Columbia Records, thanks to the platinumselling producers Trackmasters who noticed his rapping skill. Beginning working on his debut album,...