50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III was born on the 6th of July 1975 in Queens, New York City. He grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood after his mother died in a fire when he was eight years old. His father left shortly after her death, leaving him to be raised by his grandparents. At age eleven, Jackson began boxing at a local gym opened by a neighbor for youth in the area. By age twelve, he started selling crack cocaine while his family believed he attended after-school programs. He carried guns and drug money into Andrew Jackson High School until metal detectors caught him in tenth grade. On the 29th of June 1994, police arrested Jackson for selling four vials of cocaine to an undercover officer. Three weeks later, officers searched his home and found heroin, ten ounces of crack cocaine, and a starter pistol. Although sentenced to three to nine years in prison, Jackson served six months in a boot camp where he earned his GED.
Jackson recorded his debut album Power of the Dollar for Columbia Records between 1999 and 2000. On the 24th of May 2000, an assailant fired nine shots from a 9mm handgun at close range outside his grandmother's former home in South Jamaica. The bullets struck Jackson in the hand, arm, hip, both legs, chest, and left cheek. He spent thirteen days in the hospital with a swollen tongue and lost wisdom tooth. His friend riding in the car was also wounded in the hand. The alleged attacker, Darryl Baum, died three weeks later. Jackson used a walker for six weeks before fully recovering after five months. The shooting caused Columbia Records to drop him from the label and blacklisted him from the industry due to his song Ghetto Qu'ran. Unable to work in U.S. studios, he traveled to Canada to continue recording music.
After leaving the hospital, Jackson worked with business partner Sha Money XL to record over thirty songs for mixtapes. In 2002, he released Guess Who Back? which caught the attention of Detroit rapper Eminem. Eminem received the mixtape through Jackson's attorney who was working with Paul Rosenberg, Eminem's manager. Impressed by the project, Eminem invited Jackson to Los Angeles to meet Dr. Dre. They signed Jackson to Shady Records for one million dollars that same year. Jackson released No Mercy No Fear as a follow-up mixtape featuring the track Wanksta on the 8 Mile soundtrack. Marc Labelle of Shady Records noted how Jackson took hot beats from other artists and flipped them with better hooks. These mixtapes allowed him to enter all markets while DJs played his tracks constantly. This strategy built a massive reputation before any official album release.
Jackson released Get Rich or Die Tryin in February 2003 to critical acclaim and commercial success. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 selling 872,000 copies in its first four days. Its lead single In da Club set a record as the most listened-to song in radio history within a week. The album spawned two Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles including 21 Questions featuring Nate Dogg. It received nonuple platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. His second album The Massacre sold 1.14 million copies in its first four days in March 2005. The album stayed at number one on the Billboard 200 for six weeks. He became the first solo artist with three singles in the top five simultaneously including Candy Shop Disco Inferno and How We Do. Later albums Curtis and Before I Self Destruct saw declines in both sales and critical reception compared to earlier work.
Jackson established G-Unit Records in 2003 following his mainstream breakthrough. He signed a five-year deal with Reebok to distribute a sneaker line called G-Unit Sneakers. In November 2003, he launched G-Unit Books publishing imprint at the Time Warner Building in New York. His memoir From Pieces To Weight sold 73,000 hardcover copies and 14,000 paperback copies. Jackson partnered with Glacéau to create Formula 50 an enhanced water drink variant of VitaminWater. Coca-Cola purchased Glacéau for 4.1 billion dollars in 2007 earning him 100 million dollars after taxes from the minority share. He founded SMS Audio in 2011 selling headphones while pledging charity donations. In 2014 he invested in Effen Vodka becoming a minority shareholder. A 2015 event at Liquor Warehouse in Syracuse saw him sell 1,400 bottles of his signature liquor brand.
Jackson co-starred as Kanan Stark in Power which debuted on Starz on the 7th of June 2014. The series ended on the 9th of February 2020 after six seasons with ratings success including a second-season premiere drawing 1.43 million viewers. He served as executive producer for three spin-offs including Power Book II Ghost and Power Book III Raising Kanan. Offices for G-Unit Film and Television are headquartered in Shreveport Louisiana under a forty-five-year lease agreement. In August 2021 he starred in Expend4ables which grossed 51 million against a 100 million dollar budget. Starz began airing BMF in September 2021 depicting brothers Demetrius Big Meech and Terry Southwest T Flenory running a drug operation. Jackson performed the show's theme song Wish Me Luck alongside Charlie Wilson Moneybagg Yo and Snoop Dogg. He received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special Live in September 2022 for performing at the Super Bowl LVI halftime show.
On the 13th of July 2015 Jackson filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Connecticut with debt of 32,509,549 dollars. His assets were listed between 10 million and 50 million while he testified worth was only 4.4 million. Legal fees and judgments exceeding 20 million over the past year caused the filing. A jury ordered him to pay 5 million to Rick Ross ex-girlfriend Lastonia Leviston for invading privacy via a sex tape posting. He lost a dispute over Sleek headphones where an ex-partner won more than 17.2 million dollars. The court filing listed seven cars valued over 500,000 including a Rolls-Royce and 1966 Chevrolet Coupe. Monthly expenses reached 108,000 dollars including 5,000 for gardening against 185,000 monthly income from royalties. Jackson sued his own lawyers for 75 million claiming they failed to handle his ventures properly. He faced multiple lawsuits regarding domestic violence vandalism and harassment incidents throughout the years.
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Common questions
When and where was Curtis James Jackson III born?
Curtis James Jackson III was born on the 6th of July 1975 in Queens, New York City. He grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood after his mother died in a fire when he was eight years old.
What happened to 50 Cent during the shooting incident on the 24th of May 2000?
An assailant fired nine shots from a 9mm handgun at close range outside his grandmother's former home in South Jamaica. The bullets struck Jackson in the hand, arm, hip, both legs, chest, and left cheek while he spent thirteen days in the hospital recovering.
How did Eminem discover 50 Cent and what deal did they sign?
Eminem received the mixtape Guess Who Back? through Jackson's attorney who worked with Paul Rosenberg. They signed Jackson to Shady Records for one million dollars that same year.
Which album by 50 Cent debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in February 2003?
Jackson released Get Rich or Die Tryin in February 2003 to critical acclaim and commercial success. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 selling 872,000 copies in its first four days.
When did 50 Cent file Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and how much debt was involved?
On the 13th of July 2015 Jackson filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Connecticut with debt of 32,509,549 dollars. Legal fees and judgments exceeding 20 million over the past year caused the filing.