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50 Cent
50 Cent, vocals
50
Cent's
most popular CDs and DVDs: Get
Rich or Die Tryin, The Massacre, The Documentary
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Get Rich or Die Tryin |
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No Mercy No Fear |
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The Massacre |
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The Documentary |
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50 Cent at Live 8
50 Cent has pulled out of Live 8. The US rapper had
been scheduled to perform at the Philadelphia leg of the spectacular charity
concert but has been forced to withdraw because of filming commitments
for his forthcoming movie 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'.
A spokesman for the hip-hop star has confirmed his withdrawal, insisting
50 wanted to appear but had no choice but to pull out.
50 Cent (a.k.a. "Fiddy"; born Curtis Jackson on July 6, 1975
in Queens, New York), is an American hip-hop artist.
Once almost unknown outside the New York borough of Jamaica, Queens, Jackson
is arguably the most popular gangsta rapper in the world and is currently
signed to Eminem's record label Shady Records and Dr. Dre's Aftermath
Entertainment. He burst into widespread prominence with the heavily played
song and video ("Wanksta"), featured on the soundtrack for the
Eminem film, 8 Mile. Beyond his mainstream success, Jackson has appeared
on almost every major mix tape sold in New York over the past few years.
Interscope Records, parent company to Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment,
has billed Jackson as the "real deal": his mother was killed
in a drug deal, he was a drug dealer himself and was shot nine times in
a notorious street incident. Success in the gangsta rap genre often depends
largely on an artist's ability to appear genuine. Jackson's violent criminal
past is therefore part of the marketing strategy for his brand.
Early life
Curtis Jackson never knew his crack cocaine-addicted father. His mother,
a bisexual Queens drug dealer, was murdered when Jackson was only eight
years old. Her early death and sexuality both had a major impact on Jackson.
Curtis referred to these feelings about his mother in the song, "Hate
It or Love It": "'Comin' up, I was confused, my momma kissin'
a girl / Confusion occurs, comin' up in a cold world." The same song
also contains a mild indictment of his father's absence, "Daddy ain't
around / Probably out committin' felonies."
As a teenager, Jackson became immersed in the drug trade in his Jamaica,
Queens neighborhood. He went by the street name, "Boo Boo".
It was during this time that Jackson met fellow Queens native Tony Yayo,
who would later become a member of Jackson's hip-hop group, G-Unit.
Jackson was arrested on felony drug charges in June of 1994, and was able
to plead out of significant prison time by accepting seven months in a
"shock incarceration" boot camp. He would later boast about
this as doing "seven to nine."
He became a father to a son, Marquise (nicknamed 25 Cent) in 1997. Not
long afterward, Jackson met Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC fame and signed
to the hip-hop legend's label, JMJ. Jay taught Jackson the basics, but
Jackson left the label to team up with hip-hop production duo Track Masters
who, in turn, managed to signed Jackson with Columbia Records in 1999.
Although Jackson looks back on his time with Columbia with displeasure
- his biography refers to it as being "locked up in the studio"
- an 18-day period in the studio produced the 36 tracks that would become
his breakthrough album, Power of the Dollar.
Power Of The Dollar was released in 2000 unnoticed, though "How to
Rob (an Industry Nigga)", a humorous ode to robbing a slew of industry
rappers (Jay-Z, Puff Daddy, Busta Rhymes (Flipmode Squad), various members
of the Wu-Tang Clan, even Track Masters, and many more) was an instant
hit on New York radio. Columbia dropped Jackson and his album after a
near-fatal shooting incident in 2000 that nearly claimed Jackson's life,
citing negative publicity.
Eminem & Shady Records
Jackson was the first artist signed to Shady Records. Shady Records' founder
Eminem first encountered 50 Cent during an interview with MTV News reporter
Sway Calloway; Eminem apparently had not heard any of 50 Cent's performances
before seeing him in person. Impressed by Jackson's recording, "50
Cent is the Future," Eminem brought the rapper to renowned hip-hop
producer Dr. Dre's attention. Jackson quickly signed a deal with Interscope/
Aftermath/Shady Records.
Before starting production of his new album with Eminem and Dre, Jackson
quickly released another bootleg album of his raps over stolen beats entitled
No Mercy, No Fear, with the only 'original' production being "Wanksta",
a thinly veiled attack on 'industry' rapper Ja Rule. Never meant as a
radio single, "Wanksta" still managed to become the most requested
songs on New York radio. The song was added to the soundtrack of Eminem's
hit movie, 8 Mile, and had its own video release, quickly entering heavy
rotation on MTV, BET, MuchMusic.
Success
50 Cent from the album Get Rich or Die Tryin'Jackson's first major label
album, Get Rich or Die Tryin' , sold 872,000 units in its first week,
breaking the record for a major label debut in the entire SoundScan era.
The album was immediately certified gold. It earned platinum status the
following week. As of December 2003, Get Rich or Die Tryin' has been certified
Six times platinum (6,000,000+ unit sales) by the RIAA.
Although a quick follow-up was considered, Jackson decided to delay his
second major-label release. "I was thinking of releasing the next
album in November, but I'm gonna wait," he said in April 2003. "Get
Rich or Die Tryin' -- I don't think it will be over by then. I still got
records I could shoot visuals for. I don't want to get ahead of myself."
Jackson also spent time with G-Unit-related promotions. After the release
of G-Unit's Beg For Mercy, Jackson teamed up with Reebok to release G-Unit
Sneakers.
Jackson guest-starred on an episode of The Simpsons, entitled "Pranksta
Rap", on February 13th, 2005.
Jackson's second solo effort, The_Massacre, debuted on March 3, 2005.
Originally called The Valentine's Day Massacre, the title was changed
when the album release date was set back from February. Jackson scored
an immediate hit with the album's first single, "Candy Shop."
The album's second single, "Just A Lil' Bit" peaked at #3 on
the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2003, Interscope granted Jackson his own label, G-Unit Records. Jackson's
manager, Sha Money XL, serves as the president. Almost immediately the
label signed Lloyd Banks (Christopher Lloyd), Tony Yayo (Marvin Bernard)
and Young Buck (David Danell Brown). In 2004, The Game (Jayceon Taylor)
signed to the label. As of 2005, R&B singer Olivia (Olivia Longe),
DJ Whoo Kid, west coast rapper Spider Loc, Brooklyn duo M.O.P., Queens
duo Mobb Deep, and gangsta crooner Kokane have also joined G-Unit Records.
The label is in talks with Lil' Scrappy and Mase.
A video game starring Jackson and published by VU Games, is due in the
Fall of 2005. Called 50 Cent: Bulletproof, the game has been announced
for PlayStation 2 and Xbox platforms. A PSP version is reportedly in the
works.
On November 11, Jackson will make his feature acting debut in the film
Get Rich or Die Tryin'.
Disputes and controversy
Even before his break onto the major-label scene, Jackson was engaged
in a well-publicized dispute with rapper Ja Rule and his label, Murder
Inc., apparently stemming from an incident in which Jackson was stabbed
by a member of Ja Rule's entourage. The rappers engaged in numerous mixtape
"disses," but have since unofficially ended the feud.
Jackson also has rivalries with former allies Shyne, Jadakiss, Nas, and
Fat Joe. Among Jackson's grievances:
Nas (allegedly) made disparaging comments about Jackson and G-Unit while
performing at a New York concert.
Jadakiss and Fat Joe appeared in a video in which Ja Rule insulted Jackson.
Additionally, Fat Joe is supposed to have eaten an entire cake made for
Jackson on his birthday, citing that "Yeah I ate it...[50 Cent] don't
deserve it."
Irv Gotti (of Murder, Inc.) and Ja Rule produced an album for jailed rapper
Shyne. Jackson continues his long-standing dispute with former protéges
Bang 'Em Smurf and Domination. On the song "Love Me," Jackson
criticized artist Lil' Kim for having breast implants. He further accused
her of stealing the song "Magic Stick" from Miami rapper Trina.
Jackson's feuds sometimes involve members of his own label. Jackson officially
removed rapper The Game from G-Unit over The Game's refusal to participate
in the rap war with Jadakiss, Nas and Fat Joe. In addition, Jackson claimed
that he was not properly credited for the strong debut of The Game's album,
Documentary. After the situation between them escalated -- and a member
of The Game's entourage was allegedly shot and wounded by a member of
Jackson's entourage -- Jackson and The Game held press conference to announce
their reconciliation.
50 and The Game "showing love".Despite the truce, Jackson and
The Game continue to appear distant from each another. (Game has since
released a brutal G-Unit Diss Track titled "300 Bars", tearing
into every known member of G-Unit who took light in his "removal"
from the group---50, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, Tony Yayo, and Olivia)
Jackson's fall-out with Eminem's former deejay, DJ Green Lantern (whom
Jackson labeled a "snitch" and "traitor") forced Green
Lantern to leave Shady Records and other ventures associated with Eminem.
In an interview with Jackson rival Jadakiss, the deejay allegedly encouraged
Jadakiss to "deliver a major blow" to Jackson's career. Curtis
has been dubbed a snitch on numerous tracks by various rappers such as
Jadakiss, Shyne and Scarface. He is also known as "the world most
famous snitch".
In 1999, Jackson had a little-known feud with Jay-Z over mention of Jay-Z
in the song "How To Rob". Jay-Z attacked Jackson in the song,
"It's Hot." (which included the line: "I'm about a dollar/What
The Fuck is 50 Cent!?") Jackson responded with the unreleased track,
"Be A Gentleman." The dispute was resolved and the artists toured
together in 2003, also appearing jointly in a Reebok commercial promoting
their sneaker lines.
Appearing at the Summer Jam XI concert in New York, Jackson and G-Unit
were booed and attacked with thrown chairs for mentioning singer R. Kelly's
pending child pornography trial. Jackson was also booed off stage at the
Reading Festival in England. A rain of bottles (and a camp stool) hit
him and G-Unit crew as they came onstage.
Conservative commentator Bill O'Reilly criticized shoe maker Reebok for
partnering with Jackson to endorse G-Unit Sneakers. O'Reilly rallied a
boycott against the shoe maker, but sales remain excellent.
A television advertisement for Reebok featuring Jackson, in which the
rapper counts to nine over police radio chatter in reference to his near-fatal
shooting, was taken off air in the United Kingdom due to "violent
imagery."
Ultimately, the 50 Cent phenomenon has divided the hip hop community.
Some regard him as overly commercial, citing his frequent feuds with other
rappers (which they regard are just means to increase sales), and the
stealing of beats by 50 Cent's producers. Others believe the mass success
of 50 Cent can only be beneficial for hip hop soldifying it's place as
the number one music genre of today
This article about 50 Cent is posted under the GNU Free Documentation
License. It uses material from this Wikipedia article.
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