Few rappers have attracted as much controversy and media attention as 50 Cent over the last two decades. From his breakout album “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” to his recent business ventures, “Fiddy” has made a considerable mark on American pop culture and remains one of the most influential figures in hip hop.
This 50 Cent bio explores his early life, rise to fame, most iconic performances, feuds and more. You’ll also learn about his legal issues and some of the awards he’s won over the years.
Who is 50 Cent?
It’s hard to summarize 50 Cent’s career in a few sentences, but here are the numbers: This talented rapper has two No.1 albums and four No.1 singles on the Billboard charts, as well as 14 Grammy nominations (including one win).
“Fiddy,” as he’s affectionately known, has released four studio albums during his career, and some of the most famous 50 Cent songs include “In da Club,” “21 Questions” and “Candy Shop.” He’s also branched out into other fields, including executive producing and appearing in the hit TV show “Power.”
Early life and beginnings in music
Curtis James Jackson III, now known as 50 Cent, was born on July 6, 1975, in Queens, New York City. He enjoyed boxing as a child and hoped to be a professional one day. 50 Cent’s mother died in a fire when he was 8 years old, leaving his grandmother to look after him.
He says:
“I came to live in my grandmother’s house when some of my mother’s eight siblings were still there. My aunt Sylvie, she hated me being there. She had been the baby, then suddenly it was me.”
50 Cent started selling drugs when he was 12 years old, which he has talked about in various interviews. Before dropping out of school, teachers caught him with several vials of crack hidden in one of his sneakers.
At 19, undercover cops arrested 50 Cent for selling four vials of cocaine. When they raided his home, they found crack and heroin. Instead of going to jail, 50 Cent went to a boot camp and earned his General Educational Development (GED) diploma.
Around this time, 50 Cent started rapping and became part of the New York hip-hop scene. Jam Master Jay from Run-DMC produced an album for him that didn’t come out, so he started working on music for Columbia Records.
A huge setback happened in May 2000 when 50 Cent was shot nine times by a gunman outside of his grandmother’s former home. He later identified the perpetrator as Darryl Baum, Mike Tyson’s bodyguard.
BBC News says:
“He was shot in his legs, hands and face. Both of his legs were broken in multiple places. And while his injuries were horrific, the story helped build his brand in the early years. To people listening to his music, it made it all the more authentic.”
After the event, 50 Cent recorded music with his friends Lloyd Banks and Tony Yao, and the three created a crew called G-Unit. They would later create G-Unit Records.
In 2022, Eminem and Dr. Dre heard one of 50 Cent’s mixtapes and signed him to their labels, Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment.
Rise to fame with ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’
50 Cent released his debut album, “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” on February 6, 2003. It combines elements of gangsta rap, R&B and other musical influences popular in the New York hip-hop scene at the time.
Carlise Young, an engineer on the album, says the hype around the release was “humongous”:
“I think [Sha Money XL, who executive produced the album) and 50 figured out, I guess I would call it a company culture. They created this culture where people would just be sending beats, artists coming by, recording people coming by, and it just created a huge hype.”
“Get Rich or Die Tryin’” hit the No.1 spot on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and stayed there for six weeks. “In da Club,” the first single from the collection, also reached the top spot, remaining at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 9 weeks. Other singles from the album include “21 Questions,” “P.I.M.P.” and “If I Can’t.”
The album also garnered critical acclaim, with Billboard magazine calling it a “classic” that “rewrote the hip-hop rule book.”
It’s no wonder, then, that “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” received a nomination for Best Rap Album at the 46th Grammy Awards. “In da Club” received nominations for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Male Solo Performance.
50 Cent has recorded three subsequent studio albums since “Get Rich and Die Tryin’,” but none have matched the chart success of his debut. The rapper released “The Massacre” in 2005, “Curtis” in 2007 and “Before I Self-Destruct” in 2009. Another studio album, “Street King Immortal,” never saw the light of day.
A couple of years after the release of “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” 50 Cent appeared in a feature film of the same name based on his life. He plays the drug dealer Marcus Greer, who desperately wants to pursue a career in rap. The movie grossed nearly $47 million at the worldwide box office.
More acting followed, with 50 Cent having minor roles in films such as “Home of the Brave,” “Righteous Kill” and “Streets of Blood.” Later 50 Cent movies include “The Prince,” “Spy” and “Southpaw.” He’s also appeared in all three movies in the “Escape Plan” franchise.
50 Cent garnered critical acclaim for executive producing and later starring in “Power,” a crime thriller TV drama that aired on the Starz network from 2014 to 2019. Common Sense Media says the series is the “kind of potent, addictive, yet decidedly adult pleasure fans of shows such as The Sopranos and Breaking Bad will appreciate.”
“Power” and another series Fiddy produced called “BMF” have created a 50 Cent cinematic universe.
Notable performances, including Super Bowl LVI
50 Cent has had several concert tours and performed on various television shows throughout his career. Some of his most memorable performances include appearing on the Super Bowl LVI Half Time Show alongside, among others, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige. The event was a celebration of rap music, and 50 performed his biggest hit, “In da Club”.
Other standout live moments include his performance at the 2003 BET Awards, which featured several of his biggest hits at the time. Nate Dogg also appeared on stage to perform “Gangsta” from “Get Rich or Die Tryin’.”
Business ventures
One of 50 Cent’s most lucrative business investments is Vitaminwater, which Yahoo! Finance describes as changing “the course of Hip-Hop partnerships forever” and the “blueprint for artists today.” The rapper partnered with the company in 2004 and reportedly grew their sales from $100 million to $700 million in just three years. When Coca-Cola bought the brand in 2007, 50 Cent apparently made $100 million.
Despite this success, 50 Cent wanted to make more cash. He said:
“People were talking about how much money I made, but I was focused on the fact that $4.1 billion was made. I think I can do a bigger deal in the future.”
His other business ventures include:
- Starting a partnership and becoming a shareholder in Dutch vodka brand Effen Vodka
- Creating the production company Cheetah Vision
- Founding SMS Audio in 2011, a company that primarily manufactures and sells headphones
- Establishing a new production company in Louisiana called G-Unit Studios
Personal life
50 Cent is a father of two. In 1996, his then-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins gave birth to their son Marquise. In 2012, he had a son, Sire Jackson, with Daphne Joy.
The rapper has dated various women over the years, including Vivica A. Fox, Joy Bryant, Chelsea Handler, Ciara and Jamira Haines.
Like other entertainers, 50 Cent is active on social media and often gives his thoughts about the issues of the day. Fans can also read lessons from the rapper, including why he practiced abstinence in 2024.
When it comes to politics, the star also makes his feelings clear. In a 2006 interview with The Guardian, he said he supported George Bush, calling the former president “incredible” and a “gangsta.” In 2024, 50 Cent turned down a $3 million offer to perform at a Donald Trump rally.
Legal issues
In 2008, 50 Cent sued Taco Bell over an ad campaign that asked him to change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent for one day to match the price of some of its menu items. The rapper didn’t know he was featured in the ad until he saw a news report about it and sought $4 million in damages. The case was eventually settled out of court.
In 2016, 50 Cent posted an online viral video where he mocked an airport worker, claiming he seemed “high.” After finding out the man had autism, he deleted the video and issued the following apology:
“I am truly sorry for offending the young man. It was certainly not my intent to insult him or the disability community, which is a source of great strength in America.”
Feuds and collaborations
During his career, 50 Cent has collaborated with artists in different genres, including Justin Timberlake, Far East Movement, Lil’ Kim and The Game.
He has also had feuds with various musicians, such as Rick Ross and other members of G-Unit. Perhaps his most famous feud is with Ja Rule. The two haven’t seen eye to eye since the start of 50 Cent’s career, with Ja Rule telling MTV in 2003 that the rivalry started after a conflict during a video shoot. 50 Cent revealed in his biography that the feud goes much deeper than that, starting when one of his friends robbed Ja Rule in the late 90s.
Awards and accolades
50 Cent has won multiple awards and accolades during his career. Here are just some of them:
American Music Awards:
- Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album for “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” (2003)
- Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist (2003)
- Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album for “The Massacre” (2005)
BET Awards:
- Best New Artist (2003)
- Best Male Hip-Hop Artist (2003)
- Best Group (G-Unit) (2004)
BET Hip Hop Awards:
- Hustler of the Year (2007)
BRIT Awards:
- Best International Breakthrough Artist (2004)
Grammy Awards:
- Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for “Crack A Bottle” (with Eminem & Dr. Dre) (2010)
MTV Video Music Awards:
- Best Rap Video for the music video for “In da Club” (2003)
NAACP Image Awards:
- Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for “Power” (2020)
Influence on video games
Aside from music and movies, 50 Cent has made his mark in the video game genre by releasing two games with his voice and likeness. “50 Cent: Bulletproof,” which came out in 2005, is an action third-person shooter game for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox and features the rapper gaining revenge against hitmen who tried to kill him. The game has a Metascore of 52 based on 25 critic reviews.
“50 Cent: Blood on the Sand” is the follow-up to “Bulletproof,” released in 2008 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. 50 Cent also lends his voice to “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,” released in 2009 on multiple platforms.
50 Cent: From rap sensation to entertainment mogul
With a career spanning over two decades, 50 Cent has mastered multiple disciplines and remains one of the most famous entertainers in the world. Starting as a rapper, he hit the big time with the hugely popular album “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” before entering the world of media production and video games.
Curtis Jackson is more than just a musician. With several successful business deals under his belt, he’s created an empire that incorporates multiple ventures, including consumer electronics and beverages. According to Celebrity Net Worth, 50 Cent’s net worth is $60 million.
Need more info on 50 Cent? Get the latest news about the rapper, including his recent and upcoming projects.
FAQs
How many baby moms does 50 Cent have?
He has two sons with two different mothers, Shaniqua Tompkins and Daphne Joy.
How old is 50 Cent?
50 Cent was born on July 6, 1975, making him 49 years old.
What is 50 Cent’s most successful song?
“In da Club,” 50 Cent’s first single, is his most successful. The track stayed at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 9 weeks.
Does 50 have a wife?
50 Cent isn’t married currently.
