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Biography, life story of 50 Cent
50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) was born on July 6th, 1976 in Jamaica, Queens - one of the poorest black neighborhoods in New York. His mother was involved in the drug business and sold drugs to support her family, she enjoyed great prestige in the local community. His mother was also a lesbian. In 1984 Sabrina (mother of 50 Cent "a) was found murdered, the killer was never found. Curtis" was eight years old at that time. 50 went to live with his grandparents, who were closely watching so that Curtis "did not get involved in criminal activity. But caring relatives did not follow - already in high school 50 started selling crack. Around the same time, Curtis Jackson, like all of his peers, was starting to try to rhyme and fantasize about being a badass rapper, never knowing he was going to be one. Young Curtis took his pseudonym "50 Cent" in honor of the tough gangster from Fort Green Projects, who died shortly before. “I took over this name from him,” explains Poltinnik. “I thought it would be cool - because people, every time they see me, will remember him ...”. At that time, 50 Cent was still just dabbled in rap and did not consider composing music something useful at all, but it was only when his demos began to be popular on the streets that he seriously thought about it. And 50 made the final decision to take up music seriously after the birth of his son Marquis in 1997 ... The first person who drew attention to the abilities of a novice rapper was Jam Master Jay, a member of the legendary Run-DMC group. The collaboration did not last long, but 50 Cent still remembers his mentor with respect in his voice: “Jam Master Jay was the first person who taught me to pay attention to rhythm, rhyme and so on. I will be grateful to him for the rest of my life.” In 1999, the musician met with the production team The Trackmasters and through them was introduced to the bosses of the Columbia label. Interested in the newcomer, the major gives The Trackmasters carte blanche and 50 Cent goes into the studio to record his first album. As The Trackmasters recall, in two and a half weeks of hard work in the studio, 36 songs were recorded - far more than needed for the album. Columbia liked the material and signed a contract with the rapper to release the album. And then the unexpected happened. On May 24, 2000, while leaving his family's home in Queens, 50 Cent was attacked and shot nine times, including in the face. It happened the day before 50 Cent was supposed to star with the girls from Destiny "" s Child in their debut video and a few weeks before the release of their own album. Upon learning of what had happened, Columbia felt that they pulled out the wrong card - those who were wounded in the face usually do not become stars. The contract was terminated, which 50 Cent recalls with ill-concealed glee: “By that time, I received a deposit - half the amount for which the contract was signed. The second was to be received after the release of the album. But they got scared, they said that I would not be able to perform anymore and terminated the contract. So I made money for nothing and got my records back.” “I spent 13 days in the hospital and spent a few more months at home. And I was much more scared after I was shot than when it happened - I didn’t know what to do now ... If I couldn’t perform anymore, make music ... I would return to that with which he began - the distribution of drugs. I never had a job, no insurance, nothing... I was really selling crack before I got into music... I got into music to escape the reality of the street... all I wanted to - is to make music. I couldn't do anything but music... and sell drugs." Thus, the musician received his freshly recorded and freshly mixed album “Power Of A Dollar” in his hands and was free to dispose of it as he pleased. It is not surprising that "Power Of A Dollar" immediately ended up with bootleggers, who only managed to churn out more and more new copies. Such success was explained simply: along with others, the maliciously-joking song “How To Rob” was included in the album, which listed the most famous people hip-hop (including Master P and Timbaland) and how they were robbed. The noble "Robin Hood" in this song was, of course, 50 Cent himself. The party was delighted, but the victims of the "robbery" did not like the collision. And each of them considered it his duty to walk through the young rapper. “I had nothing against them, nothing personal,” says 50. “It's just a humorous ditty, a fantasy, nothing more. I was hoping that when they heard this song, they would say, “Who is this 50 Cent?”. And so it happened, and 50 Cent became a "folk" hero. Without a record deal, 50 Cent continued to write songs and, as they accumulated, "wrote" albums and distributed them through bootleggers. The second album, "Guess Who" "s Back", was released in 2001 in collaboration with Sha Money XL. Around this time, a "support group" formed around 50 Cent and became known as G-Unit. Support groups only spring up around influencers, and G-Unit was a positive testament to 50 Cent's status. In the same 2001, another album of the musician was released - "50 Cent Is The Future". Rumors about a new talent gradually reached the ears of the owners of major recording companies and the rapper fell into a real siege - everyone wanted to get him. But Eminem turned out to be the quickest of all, who noticed 50 Cent a few years ago and even managed to call him his “favorite new artist” in one interview. Before calling 50 Cent, Em, as an exemplary boy, came to consult with his mentor Dr Dre and got the go-ahead. Curtis Jackson did not consider Eminem and Dr Dre "fake", so he immediately agreed to work with them and signed a contract with Shady / Afterman Records. And he previously gave his new song "Wanksta" to the soundtrack in the film "8 Mile", which became Eminem's acting debut. The film became a big sensation and brought in a big box office, as well as the soundtrack. All those who still knew nothing about him finally learned about 50 Cent, and the mass media, on behalf of the workers, began to nervously inquire about the timing of the release of the rapper's debut album. Work on "Get Rich Or Die Tryin""" began in the fall of 2002, as soon as Eminem figured out "8 Mile" (during this time, 50 Cent released another bootleg "No Mercy No Fear" to the people, which included the same "Wanksta "- about the "fake" rappers so unloved by Kurtis.). The work was carried out in Eminem's studio in Los Angeles, and 50 Cent recalls this time with great enthusiasm: “I can’t say that his songs turn me inside out or something like that, but I respect him - he is real. You know his mother's name, who Kim and Hailey are... He sings about his real life, and so do I. When we started working together, I realized how much strength and energy he puts into what he does. He can work on the same song for two days without being distracted by breaks! It works until it starts to consider the song a success. He is a perfectionist... I think he got it from Dre, that one is exactly the same...” many and many." "Get Rich Or Die Tryin""" was released on February 6, 2003. In total, 48 songs were recorded for the album, but only 16 were included. To avoid losses from pirated sales, the release of the album was moved forward by a few days, but according to the results of three days of sales (872 thousand copies!) It managed to get ahead of all the other releases released that week , immediately finding himself at the top of the Billboard. And then the real Glory fell on the former drug dealer. For getting to the top of the "Billboard" at least once is automatically considered a star, and "Get Rich Or Die Tryin" "" spent a whole month in the top in a row. In a week and a half from the start of sales, one and a half million albums were sold, which allowed 50 Cent to put a tick in the column "debut album sales record". With his success, in addition to his own incredible talent (50 Cent will obviously not die of modesty), the rapper is grateful ... to bootleggers, who, in his opinion, allowed everyone to get acquainted with his songs long before the release of his debut album. Well, at least someone pirates helped to achieve worldwide fame! "I'm not worried about that," says 50 Cent. - I get enough money, I have enough. After all, the people who buy my pirated CDs support me at concerts... I think that bootlegging is a great way to get your music out to people... Bootleggers need to feed their families too, and they won't do what does not generate income. And if people buy, if there is demand, then there will be supply. And one more thing. Thanks to pirated recordings, I can reach out to my listeners without intermediaries." "Get Rich Or Die Tryin""" was liked not only by ordinary listeners, but also by critics. Thanks to Eminem and Dr Dre, who ate a dog on production, the album turned out to be diverse and fresh, bringing a new stream to the stagnant genre, which gave the right to music reviewers to call "Get Rich Or Die Tryin" "" one of the best works in hip-hop for last years. The texts of 50 Cent also played their role - ironic and frightening, praising the author and trampling his rivals into the mud. It looks like the last one to wallow there for a long time - now the whole world prays for 50 Cent, as they prayed for Eminem a few years ago. Straight "unkempt" texts 50, telling about the illusions of street "brotherhood", the death of friends and the realities of the ghetto, have nothing to do with the readings of "glossy" rappers. 50 Cent talks about himself and his life, and he has no shortage of experience. The musical component of "Get Rich Or Die Tryin""" is distinguished by great fiction and a differentiated approach to each of the tracks. The main strength of 50 Cent is in his reality. Who, if not a former pusher, knows what is happening on the streets? Awareness of his “realness” gives the rapper the right to mock most of his colleagues: “There are too many “studio gangsters” divorced now, I think they are now 90% of the whole party ... How can they be trusted? Until I see them in a real life situation, I won't believe they know what they're singing about." And 50 Cent is now in the public eye thanks to his fame. He lives in the same Queens and communicates with the same streets - so as not to lose a sense of reality. Sometimes he gets into unpleasant situations - like other hip-hop characters: in new year's eve In 2003, he was arrested for illegal possession of firearms, however, no charges were filed. A week later, the office of Violator, a firm representing 50, was riddled with bullets, but the shooter was never found. A little earlier, the organizers of the artist's concert in one of the clubs in San Francisco canceled the concert, because some craftsman distributed fake tickets and the crowd that had gathered blocked the streets in front of the club building. 50 Cent is unlikely to be happy with what is happening around him, but he is not going to give up his convictions: “I hope that I will never break ties with the street, because without knowing what is happening here, I will not be able to do what I am doing now.”
Biography 50 cent: parents and childhood
James Curtis Jackson was born on July 6, 1975 in the poorest area of New York City. Now he is one of the brightest rap artists, but the musician's childhood did not portend big money and worldwide popularity. The mother of the future "Fifty dollars" was a drug dealer in Queens and therefore did little to raise her son. Instead, she gave money to Curtis' grandmother. Feeling guilty before her son, she tried to abandon such a risky and illegal business, but could not and died under unclear circumstances. The upbringing of Curtis completely passed on to the shoulders of his grandmother.As a child, "Fifty dollars" was fond of music and boxing. However, once associated with drugs, the sport faded into the background. Rumor has it that Jackson has been distributing crack since the age of 12, however, there is no official confirmation. Be that as it may, in 1994, Curtis received a term for possession of narcotic drugs and went to federal prison for 3 years. There, for exemplary behavior, he achieved parole. After serving his sentence, the musician decided to change his life once and for all.
Music was Curtis' main goal.
He chose the pseudonym "50 cent" for himself and begins to record the first compositions. key point was an acquaintance with the musician Jam Master Jay. He helped the novice performer at the beginning of his work, teaching him how to work in the studio and how to feel tact. The debut album "fifty dollars" was released in 2000. At the same time, the musician began performing "as an opening act" for famous rappers.
The album "Power of the Dollar" began to gain popularity throughout the United States, but the ascent of the future king of the rap industry was thwarted by an attempt on his life. The musician survived after 9 bullets were fired at him. After recovering, 50 cent, with redoubled enthusiasm, began to collaborate with another well-known.
With the support of Eminem, a few fans at that time saw in stores a disc with the album “Get Rich or Die Tryin”, which brought real recognition to the fifty dollars. The musician's tours took place throughout the United States and earned him the love of listeners. Following 50 cent recorded 4 more albums, which were sold in the amount of 5 million copies. By the mid-2000s, the rapper was known throughout the country.
50 cent as actor
Simultaneously with his musical career, 50 cent took part in the filming of 23 films. So, in the film "Get rich or die" Curtis "50 cent" Jackson, one might say, plays himself. Also, movie lovers are well aware of the films "House of the Brave", "Frozen Land", "The Right to Kill", "Twelve". In the film "Before I Self-Destruct" 50 cent was a producer at all. Now the musician often appears in commercials and organizes boxing matches. In November 2003, Curtis Jackson signed a 5-year contract with Reebok. The company was given permission to release shoes under the name "G-Unit Clothing".
The musician also voiced the main characters in the video games 50 Cent: Bulletproof and 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. Glacéau's contribution brought the musician $100 million after Coca-Cola bought Glacéau in 2007. Curtis is also known as the author of 12 books, which makes him respect even more. The most famous records were "From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens". In addition, fans of the king of the rap industry fell in love with the famous book "The Ski Mask Way".
Personal life of Curtis Jackson
The love affairs of Curtis James Jackson are shrouded in mystery. It is only known that the musician and actor has a son, who was born in 1997 from Shanigawa Tompkins, but the wedding did not take place. Curtis' son is named Marquis.Despite the extremely outrageous screen image (few people have not seen the video or articles in which the singer quarrels with colleagues), in real life, where there are no huge screens and bright spotlights, Curtis Jackson (this is what the real name of the rap singer sounds like) is extremely modest and secretive. Yes, he had a huge number of short-lived novels with long-haired and long-legged models, however, they did not last more than a few months.
The secret personal life of the rapper
That is why for journalists the miraculously unearthed news that the rapper has a son and ex-wife(previously, the son was called illegitimate, and the wife was considered just a mistress). Her name is Shanique Tompkins. Despite the fact that she and 50 Cent broke up a long time ago and earlier there were quarrels between them (which journalists were very fond of writing about, since it was one of the rare interventions in the rapper's personal life) and omissions, Shanicua gradually thawed and allowed the man to see the child.
But were there other women around the musician who wore his ring on their finger? Yes, all three. However, their stories differ dramatically:
1. Famous singer Ciara. Despite the fact that their relationship with Curtis has long been forgotten, she still speaks of the rapper with warmth and tenderness. Unfortunately, the couple was only engaged, it never came to an official marriage (the reason for the separation remained unknown even to the most experienced paparazzi, which once again confirms the secrecy of 50 Cent);
2. Chelsea Handler - this outrageous blonde (unfortunately, the ring she wore was an ordinary one, not an engagement ring) for a long time poured out quotes from her ex-relationship with 50 Cent. However, even through the prism of her impeccable, but not always censored humor (which was worth the joke about the python brought to the film studio!) Sometimes the sadness of loss slipped through: “50 Cent is not at all what you imagine him to be. He's funny and touching!”;
3. Daphne Joy - this girl still excites the public, tempting many journalists to write about marriage and engagement, which, in fact, could not have happened. It all started with the girl’s April Fool’s tweet (“I really want to be called 50 Cent!”). The rapper, in turn, jokingly called the beauty wife. However, attentive paparazzi did not find a single ring at the “newlywed”, at least more or less similar to an engagement ring. Then, as if in jest, after a while Daphne appeared in public with an interesting ring.
One of the most popular rappers in the world is "50 Cent", whose biography causes deep respect and sympathy. The real name of the musician is Curtis Jackson. In addition to the main occupation, he is engaged in producing, directing and entrepreneurial activities, as well as acting. Curtis was born on July 6, 1975 in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world - New York. He spent his childhood and early years in one of the most disadvantaged areas of the city - South Jamaica.
- the rapper's height is about 183 cm;
- weight - 85 kg;
- zodiac sign - Cancer.
Childhood and youth
FROM childhood the boy was surrounded by poverty, social inequality and dirt. Curtis Jackson never knew or saw his father. One of his mother Sabrina's boyfriends disappeared from view as soon as he found out about the pregnancy of a 15-year-old girl. So she had to be left alone with the baby. However, she was not yet ready for such a responsibility as motherhood, so she was not particularly involved in raising her son.
It can be said that real parents for Jackson became his grandparents. They took care of the child while the mother was dealing drugs. A similar passion for Sabrina, as well as poverty in the family, caused Curtis to become involved in the drug trade at the age of 12. The son rarely saw his mother, and she tried to compensate for the lack of attention, care and affection for her offspring with expensive gifts from time to time.
At 8 years old life of a future rapper"50 Cent" (translated into Russian - "Fifty cents") flipped upside down. Sabrina Jackson dies under mysterious circumstances at this time. Another gentleman of the woman poured a sleeping pill into her alcoholic cocktail, and he himself opened the gas burners in the house, while the young woman was in a helpless state. Curtis was told about the tragedy by his grandparents. They told the boy that his mother would never visit him again, so he should stay with them.
One of the outlets in the difficult life of a teenager Curtis was boxing. After finishing school, he attended the sports section, where he could practice with a punching bag, pouring out his resentment and severe stress in this way. This hobby "50 Cent" loves to this day, one of the branches of his activity is boxing promotion.
Imprisonment
1994 will forever remain in the memory of young Curtis. His first time caught on "bait" when state police officers dressed in civilian clothes bought cocaine from a young drug dealer.
About 20 days later, a new misfortune happened to Curtis - during a search of his apartment, several grams of heroin, other drugs and firearms were found. This time, he was not able to easily get rid of the keepers of order and law - for drug trafficking, Jackson was sentenced to prison for a period of 3 years. However, the future rapper achieved parole and served only a small part of his sentence in prison.
Curtis Jackson had big family - in addition to his grandparents, 8 more of his uncles and aunts, as well as their children, lived in the house. Thanks to this, the young man got acquainted with such musical art as rap. He first heard about this genre from his cousin. Curtis' cousin was also a master of rap, writing and reciting his own lyrics under the pseudonym "25 Cent".
The beginning of creativity
A short prison term and life's hardships made it clear to Jackson that he was taking his life downhill, and the young man decided to start all over again. With the help of his cousin, he also begins to practice rapping. The first rap battles of a young artist take place in the basement of a childhood friend. To mark the start of his new activity, Curtis invents a pseudonym for himself "50 Cent"- in honor of the famous gangster who lived in the Brooklyn area.
After 2 years, through one of his friends, Jackson makes an acquaintance with the popular DJ D. Mizell. The guy was a member of the famous rap group Run-D.M.C. Mizell conducted master classes for the novice performer, taught him to feel the rhythm and beat while reading the text. Under the wing of Run-D.M.C. “The presentation of the debut album of Curtis was to take place. but the record never saw the world due to various life circumstances.
In 1999, luck again smiled at Curtis Jackson. The producers of the major music label Columbia Records offered the guy cooperation. This spurred the young rapper on, and in 2 weeks he managed to compose about 30 tracks, some of which were used to create his first unofficial collection "Power of the Dollar", which saw the world in 2000.
Armed attack on 50 Cent
Shortly after the release of the album, an event almost became tragic. After one of Curtis's visits to his grandparents, an unknown person shot the guy in the face about 10 times from the barrel. Doctors were miraculously able to save the rapper, while preserving his face and voice. Rehabilitation after a bullet wound was long- about half a year.
But the weakened and thinner Curtis was able to endure this incident and soon took up creativity again. True, this incident forever instilled in him fear for his life and health, so to this day the rapper "50cent" always wears a bulletproof vest under his clothes when he goes to a public place.
World fame and discography
Especially successful can be called Jackson's acquaintance with the legendary rap icon. It was thanks to him that Curtis managed to gain worldwide fame. Marshal Bruce Mathers appreciated the talent and outstanding abilities of the young man, undertook to help him in the future and even recorded several joint tracks with him. In addition, Eminem introduced him to the popular beatmaker with the pseudonym “Dr. Dre, with whom they are collaborating on the hit mixtape No Mercy, No Fear.
In 2003, Jackson released one of his most famous albums, Get Rich or Die Tryin. It is noteworthy that several tracks of the artist entered the world top chart of popular songs at once, such as "P.I.M.P." (the clip of the same name became especially popular), “If I Can’t”, “Inda Club”. The world popularity that covered the artist can be evidenced by the fact that Curtis's commercial album was sold in almost a million copies in the first few days.
The next 50 Cent album, The Massacre (2005), also gained wild popularity. This time he broke the record sales of the previous record, which became a worldwide hit. Literally in 4 days the release of the album amounted to more than 1.5 million copies sold.
In 2007, Jackson released an autobiographical record called "Curtis". World-class performers such as Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, Eminem and others also managed to create the album.
List of studio albums of the rapper "Fiftycent":
- Power of the Dollar (2000).
- Get Rich or Die Tryin (2003).
- The Massacre (2005).
- Curtis (2007).
- Before I Self Destruct (2009).
- Animal Ambition (2014).
In 2007, with the assistance of the musician, computer game titled "Fifty Cent: Bulletproof game". All soundtracks were composed by Curtis Jackson. "50 cents" continues to actively engage in creative activities to this day.
Thanks to the extreme success of the Get Rich or Die Tryin album, the mixtape group G-Unit was even formed.
Filmography of Jackson Curtis
In addition to writing and performing rap, Curtis also successfully realized himself in the acting field. The directors believe that he has a natural talent for this kind of activity. For 14 years of his acting career, he managed to play in more than 30 films.
The first 50 Cent movie was Get Rich or Die. Main character ribbons - a boy who has to make deals with his conscience and step over the law in order to get money. But then he realizes that such a lifestyle will bring him nothing but pain, so he decides to study music and develop his talents in this field. The plot of the picture became for Curtis a purely personal and autobiographical reminder of his past.
In 2009, 50 Cents invited director D. Evnet, who was filming an action movie called The Right to Kill, to the set. This experience became extremely interesting for the rapper, as he was able to meet and communicate with such recognized screen stars as Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and others. . In the film, he plays the role of a law enforcement officer who is sworn to find and neutralize his father's killers.
In some films, Curtis worked not only as a guest actor, but also as a director and screenwriter. All tapes with his participation received high marks from film critics.
Since 2012, the rapper has starred in several other films:
- Tragicomedy Starpeppers (starring M. Douglas, K. Kline, M. Freeman);
- Crime thriller "Prince";
- Comedy "Spy" (starring D. Lowe and J. Statham);
- Sports drama "Lefty".
- The series "Power in the night city" (2014).
In 2018, the world saw 2 pictures at once with the participation of the rapper. One of them was a tape called "The Den of Thieves" and the crime thriller "Escape Plan 2". The film with the participation of "50 Cent" "Lefty" was nominated for the prestigious "Grande Award".
Personal life and family
The personal life of "50 cents" to this day remains shrouded in a veil of secrecy. The fact is that the rapper prefers to keep intimate details a secret from outsiders. But a few years ago, the paparazzi managed to find out that Curtis has a son Marquis from a girl named Shaniqua Thompson. But the life circumstances of the couple developed in such a way that Shanikva was not destined to become the wife of a famous rapper.
Jackson behaves like a good father, he loves to spend time with the boy and often posts pictures of them together on his profile. social network Instagram. His other son's name is Saira Jackson., he was born from Curtis's relationship with famous model Dayna Joy. There were rumors that the rapper was going to legalize relations with the mother of his child, but this never happened, and soon the couple decided to leave forever.
As Jackson himself recently found out, he also has third son. The boy's name is Davian He just turned 11 years old. The rapper chose to keep the name of his mother a secret from the public. It became known that Davian is considered one of the best students in his school and often receives the highest marks in subjects, which his star father is proud of. He even arranged for the boy to study at a special summer school, where he could develop his talents for learning.
Other activities
In addition, Jackson is a successful entrepreneur. For some time he was engaged in voice acting for computer games. Also on his account there is a cooperation contract concluded with the corporation of sports shoes and clothing "Reebok" for 3 years. In addition, for some time, Curtis collaborated with an energy drink brand called "Vitamin Water".
And also "Fifty Sent" is engaged in writing books. During his writing career, he wrote more than 10 works of various genres and styles. Some of them have been translated into Russian and appreciated by readers.
Currently, Curtis does not stop there, he is trying to unleash his creative potential from different angles. Various sources It was reported that the rapper is now preparing to release a new album called "Street King Immortal".
The collection will be released for the fifteenth anniversary of the release of another record "Get Rich or Die Tryin", which at one time became a cult and broke all world records in popularity. Those who are interested in the work of the American rapper can now follow his life on the Instagram app.
Biography of 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson)
50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) was born in 1976 in New York's Queens, one of the city's poorest black neighborhoods. His mother resold drugs to support the family and enjoyed great prestige in the local community. Once she was found murdered, the killer was never found. Curtis was eight years old that year. The boy was taken in by his mother's parents, who were careful to ensure that Curtis did not turn onto a slippery path. They did not follow - already in high school the guy began to earn his living by distributing drugs. Around the same time, Curtis Jackson, like his peers, began to try to rhyme and fancied himself a badass rapper. The guy took his pseudonym "50 Cent" in honor of the tough gangster from Fort Green Projects, who had left this mortal world shortly before. “I took that name from him,” the rapper explains. “I thought it would be cool - because people, every time they see me, will remember him ...”.
At that time, Curtis did not yet consider composing music to be something useful, and only seriously thought about it when his handicraft recordings began to be popular on the streets. And the musician made the final decision to take up music seriously after the birth of his son.
The first person who drew attention to the abilities of an aspiring rapper was Jam Master Jay, a member of the legendary Run-DMC group. The collaboration did not last long, but 50 Cent still remembers his mentor with respect in his voice: “Jam Master Jay was the first person who taught me to pay attention to rhythm, rhyme and so on. I will be grateful to him for the rest of my life.” In 1999, the musician met with the production team The Trackmasters and through them was introduced to the bosses of the Columbia label. Interested in the newcomer, the major gives The Trackmasters carte blanche and 50 Cent goes into the studio to record his first album. As The Trackmasters recall, in two and a half weeks of hard work in the studio, 36 songs were recorded - far more than needed for the album. Columbia liked the material and signed a contract with the rapper to release the album. And then the unexpected happened. On May 24, 2000, while leaving his family's home in Queens, 50 Cent was attacked and shot nine times, including in the face. It happened the day before 50 Cent was supposed to star with the girls from Destiny "" s Child in their debut video and a few weeks before the release of their own album. Upon learning of what had happened, Columbia felt that they pulled out the wrong card - those who were wounded in the face usually do not become stars. The contract was terminated, which 50 Cent recalls with ill-concealed glee: “By that time, I received a deposit - half the amount for which the contract was signed. The second was to be received after the release of the album. But they got scared, they said that I would not be able to perform anymore and terminated the contract. So I made money for nothing and got my records back.”
“I spent 13 days in the hospital and spent a few more months at home. And I was much more scared after I was shot than when it happened - I didn’t know what to do now ... If I couldn’t perform anymore, make music ... I would return to that with which he began - the distribution of drugs. I never had a job, no insurance, nothing... I was really selling crack before I got into music... I got into music to escape the reality of the street... all I wanted to - is to make music. I couldn't do anything but music... and sell drugs."
Thus, the musician received his freshly recorded and freshly mixed album “Power Of A Dollar” in his hands and was free to dispose of it as he pleased. It is not surprising that "Power Of A Dollar" immediately ended up with bootleggers, who only managed to churn out more and more new copies. There was a simple explanation for this success: along with others, the album included the maliciously joking song "How To Rob", which listed the most famous hip-hop personalities (Master P and Timbaland among them) and how they were robbed. The noble "Robin Hood" in this song was, of course, 50 Cent himself. The party was delighted, but the victims of the "robbery" did not like the collision. And each of them considered it his duty to walk through the young rapper. “I had nothing against them, nothing personal,” says 50. “It's just a humorous ditty, a fantasy, nothing more. I was hoping that when they heard this song, they would say, “Who is this 50 Cent?”. And so it happened, and 50 Cent became a "folk" hero.
Without a record deal, 50 Cent continued to write songs and, as they accumulated, "wrote" albums and distributed them through bootleggers. The second album, "Guess Who" "s Back", was released in 2001 in collaboration with Sha Money XL. Around this time, a "support group" formed around 50 Cent and became known as G-Unit. Support groups only spring up around influencers, and G-Unit was a positive testament to 50 Cent's status.
In the same 2001, another album of the musician was released - "50 Cent Is The Future". Rumors about a new talent gradually reached the ears of the owners of major recording companies and the rapper fell into a real siege - everyone wanted to get him. But Eminem turned out to be the quickest of all, who noticed 50 Cent a few years ago and even managed to call him his “favorite new artist” in one interview. Before calling 50 Cent, Em, as an exemplary boy, came to consult with his mentor Dr Dre and got the go-ahead. Curtis Jackson did not consider Eminem and Dr Dre "fake", so he immediately agreed to work with them and signed a contract with Shady / Afterman Records. And he previously gave his new song "Wanksta" to the soundtrack in the film "8 Mile", which became Eminem's acting debut. The film became a big sensation and brought in a big box office, as well as the soundtrack. All those who still knew nothing about him finally learned about 50 Cent, and the mass media, on behalf of the workers, began to nervously inquire about the timing of the release of the rapper's debut album.
Work on "Get Rich Or Die Tryin""" began in the fall of 2002, as soon as Eminem dealt with "8 Mile" (during this time, 50 Cent released another bootleg "No Mercy No Fear" to the people, which included the same "Wanksta "- about the "fake" rappers so unloved by Kurtis.). The work was carried out in Eminem's studio in Los Angeles, and 50 Cent recalls this time with great enthusiasm: “I can’t say that his songs turn me inside out or something like that, but I respect him - he is real. You know his mother's name, who Kim and Hailey are... He sings about his real life, and so do I. When we started working together, I realized how much strength and energy he puts into what he does. He can work on the same song for two days without being distracted by breaks! It works until it starts to consider the song a success. He's a perfectionist... I think he got that from Dre, that one is exactly the same...”
The rapper explains the title of his album simply and even somehow casually: “Become rich or die” is a long-standing life setting that many, many follow.”
"Get Rich Or Die Tryin""" was released on February 6, 2003. In total, 48 songs were recorded for the album, but only 16 were included. To avoid losses from pirated sales, the release of the album was moved forward by a few days, but according to the results of three days of sales (872 thousand copies!) It managed to get ahead of all the other releases released that week , immediately finding himself at the top of the Billboard. And then the real Glory fell on the former drug dealer. For getting to the top of the Billboard at least once is automatically considered a star, and "Get Rich Or Die Tryin" "" spent a whole month in the top in a row. In a week and a half from the start of sales, one and a half million albums were sold, which allowed 50 Cent to put a tick in the column "record debut album sales." With his success, in addition to his own incredible talent (50 Cent will obviously not die of modesty), the rapper is grateful ... to bootleggers, who, in his opinion, allowed everyone to get acquainted with his songs long before the release of his debut album. Well, at least someone pirates helped to achieve worldwide fame!
"I'm not worried about that," says 50 Cent. - I get enough money, I have enough. After all, the people who buy my pirated CDs support me at concerts... I think that bootlegging is a great way to get your music out to people... Bootleggers need to feed their families too, and they won't do what does not generate income. And if people buy, if there is demand, then there will be supply. And one more thing. Thanks to pirated recordings, I can reach out to my listeners without intermediaries."
"Get Rich Or Die Tryin""" was liked not only by ordinary listeners, but also by critics. Thanks to Eminem and Dr Dre, who ate a dog on the production, the album turned out to be diverse and fresh, bringing a new stream to the stagnant genre, which gave the right to music reviewers to call "Get Rich Or Die Tryin" "" one of the best works in hip-hop in recent years. years. The texts of 50 Cent also played their role - ironic and frightening, praising the author and trampling his rivals into the mud. It looks like the last one to wallow there for a long time - now the whole world prays for 50 Cent, as they prayed for Eminem a few years ago. Straight "unkempt" texts 50, telling about the illusions of street "brotherhood", the death of friends and the realities of the ghetto, have nothing to do with the readings of "glossy" rappers. 50 Cent talks about himself and his life, and he has no shortage of experience. The musical component of "Get Rich Or Die Tryin""" is distinguished by great fiction and a differentiated approach to each of the tracks.
The main strength of 50 Cent is in his reality. Who, if not a former pusher, knows what is happening on the streets? Awareness of his “realness” gives the rapper the right to mock most of his colleagues: “There are too many “studio gangsters” divorced now, I think they are now 90% of the whole party ... How can they be trusted? Until I see them in a real life situation, I won't believe they know what they're singing about." And 50 Cent is now in the public eye thanks to his fame. He lives in the same Queens and communicates with the same streets - so as not to lose a sense of reality. Sometimes he gets into unpleasant situations - like other hip-hop characters: on New Year's Eve 2003, he was arrested for illegal possession of firearms, however, no charges were filed. A week later, the office of Violator, a firm representing 50, was riddled with bullets, but the shooter was never found. A little earlier, the organizers of the artist's concert in one of the clubs in San Francisco canceled the concert, because some craftsman distributed fake tickets and the crowd that had gathered blocked the streets in front of the club building.
50 Cent is unlikely to be happy with what is happening around him, but he is not going to give up his convictions: “I hope that I will never break ties with the street, because without knowing what is happening here, I will not be able to do what I am doing now.”
