50 Cent

About 50 Cent

In da Club was still climbing the charts when 50 Cent walked into the studio to record Candy Shop.

Curtis James Jackson III was born on July 6, 1975, in Queens, a borough of New York City. He began pursuing a musical career in 1996. In 1999–2000, he recorded his debut album, Power of the Dollar, for Columbia Records.

A shooting in May 2000 changed everything. Jackson was struck by nine bullets. The incident caused his album's release to be canceled and the label dropped him.

In 2002, his mixtape Guess Who's Back? caught the attention of Detroit rapper Eminem. Eminem signed Jackson to Shady Records, an imprint of Interscope Records. This move proved to be the turning point of his career.

Get Rich or Die Tryin' arrived in 2003 to critical acclaim and commercial success. The album peaked atop the Billboard 200. "In da Club" and "21 Questions" featuring Nate Dogg became Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles. The album received multiple platinum certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America.

That same year, Jackson launched G-Unit Records. He had formed the G-Unit hip-hop group two years earlier. Fellow East Coast rappers Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo became the label's initial signees.

His second album, The Massacre in 2005, sustained his momentum. "Candy Shop" featuring Olivia became his third number-one single. Jackson then shifted direction with his third and fourth albums, Curtis in 2007 and Before I Self Destruct in 2009. These projects embraced a lighter, more commercially oriented approach.

Beyond music, Jackson expanded into acting, television production, and business ventures. His influence on hip-hop during the 2000s was undeniable. From the streets of Queens to global stardom, 50 Cent built an empire that extended far beyond rap.