Early Life and Background
50 Cents, Curtis James Jackson III, known professionally as 50 Cent, was born on July 6, 1975, in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, New York City. His early life was marked by difficulty and adversity, shaped by the socio- profitable challenges of his terrain during the crack epidemic of the 1980s. Jackson’s mama, Sabrina Jackson, was a medicine dealer who gave birth to him when she was just 15 times old. She raised him alone, as Jackson’s father was absent from his life. Tragically, Sabrina was killed in a mysterious fire when Jackson was only eight times old, a loss that profoundly impacted his parenting. Following her death, he was raised by his grandparents in Queens, alongside their nine other children. Despite their care, Jackson spent important of his time on the thoroughfares, navigating a world replete with gang violence and crime.
Growing up in South Jamaica, a neighborhood known for producing notable rappers like LL Cool J and swab- N- Pepa, Jackson was exposed to a culture where survival frequently meant engaging in lawless conditioning. By age 12, he began dealing crack cocaine, drawn to the fast plutocrat it handed. He explained in interviews that he dealt medicines to go effects like lurkers and apparel, not wanting to burden his grandmother with his material solicitations. His nonage was turbulent; he dropped out of high academy and came a original medicine headman by his late teens, reportedly earning around$ 150,000 a month. Jackson also took up boxing at a youthful age, showing pledge as a inferior- position fighter, but the lure of quick cash from medicine dealing eventually overshadowed his athletic bournes .
In 1994, at age 19, Jackson’s life took a significant turn when he was arrested for dealing four vials of cocaine to an undercover police officer. Three weeks latterly, a police raid on his home uncovered heroin, ten ounces of crack cocaine, and a starter dynamo, leading to another arrest. Facing a implicit three- to- nine- time captivity judgment , Jackson decided for a six- month charge camp program, during which he earned his GED. Around this time, he espoused the stage name” 50 Cent,” inspired by Kelvin Martin, a 1980s Brooklyn purloiner known as” 50 Cent.” Jackson chose the name as a conceit for change, reflecting his desire to give for himself” by any means,” mirroring the hustler intelligence of his namesake.
Early Musical Career and Struggles
Jackson’s entry into music began in themid-1990s, driven by a desire to escape the troubles of road life, especially after the birth of his son, Marquise, in 1996 withex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins. He started rapping in a friend’s basement, using turntables to record over instrumentals. In 1996, a friend introduced him to Jam Master Jay of Run- DMC, who was establishing his marker, Jam Master Jay Records. Jay honored Jackson’s raw gift and guided him, tutoring him song structure and product ways. This mentorship led to a product deal in 1997, but the reader Jackson recorded under Jay’s guidance was noway released.
In 1999, Jackson inked with Columbia Records and recorded his debut reader, Power of the Bone. The reader showcased his combative style, with tracks like” How to Rob,” where he rapped about stealing from prominent artists, gaining attention in the underground scene. still, just before the reader’s planned release in May 2000, Jackson was shot nine times outside his grandmother’s home in Queens. The attack, which left him with injuries to his jaw, lingo, legs, and casket, nearly ended his life and career. The pellet to his jaw permanently altered his voice, giving it a distinctive slur that latterly came a hallmark of his rap style. Columbia dropped him from the marker, and the reader was remitted, as the assiduity blacklisted him due to his controversial song” Ghetto Qu’ran,” which detailed medicine conditioning in Queens.
Undeterred, Jackson recovered and moved to Canada with his business mate Sha Money XL to record over 30 songs for mixtapes. He used the mixtape circuit strategically, remixing popular beats with sharper hooks to make his character. His 2002 mixtape, Guess Who’s Back?, caught the attention of Detroit rapper Eminem, who played it for Dr. Dre. Impressed, Eminem and Dre inked Jackson to Shady Records, an imprint of Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records, in 2002. This cooperation marked a turning point, setting the stage for Jackson’s gradational rise.
Advance and Mainstream Success
In 2003, 50 Cent released his major- marker debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, produced by Eminem and Dr. Dre. The reader was a artistic and marketable drive, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 and dealing 872,000 clones in its first week. It ultimately vended over 9 million units worldwide and was certified nine times platinum by the RIAA. The supereminent single,” In da Club,” came a global hymn, beating the Billboard Hot 100 and introducing 50 Cent to a mainstream followership. Other successes like” 21 Questions”( featuring Nate Dogg) and” P.I.M.P.” showcased his capability to blend gritty road narratives with catchy hooks. Critics praised the reader’s authenticity, noting that Jackson’s real- life gests surviving a near-fatal firing and his hustler background — advanced his music a raw edge.
Jackson’s persona — muscled, tattooed, and frequently seen wearing a bulletproof vest — reverberated with suckers and amplified his appeal. He innovated G- Unit Records in 2003, subscribing his associates Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck, and latterly The Game in a common adventure with Aftermath. The marker came a hustler, with releases like Lloyd Banks’s The Hunger for further( 2004) achieving platinum status. Jackson’s alternate reader, The butchery( 2005), continued his dominance, dealing 1.14 million clones in its first four days and beating the Billboard 200 for six weeks. Hits like” Candy Shop,”” Disco Inferno,” and” Just a Lil Bit” solidified his status as one of the world’s best- dealing rappers. The butchery was certified five times platinum and vended 11 million clones worldwide.
Business gambles and Diversification
Beyond music, 50 Cent proved himself a smart entrepreneur. In 2003, he launched G- Unit Records, which expanded into G- Unit Clothing, G- Unit Books, and G- Unit flicks. His deal with Reebok to distribute G- Unit lurkers and his cooperation with Glacéau to produce Formula 50 vitamin water were particularly economic. When Coca- Cola acquired Glacéau in 2007, Jackson reportedly earned$ 100 million from his stake. He also ventured into boxing creation, partnering with Floyd Mayweather Jr. to set up The plutocrat platoon in 2012, and established The G- Unity Foundation to support civic youth.
Jackson’s amusement career began with thesemi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin’( 2005), followed by places in Home of the Brave( 2006), Righteous Kill( 2008) alongside Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, Southpaw( 2015), and Den of stealers( 2018). He came a prominent TV patron, superintendent- producing the hit Starz series Power( 2014 – 2020), which equaled 7.3 million observers and spawned spin- offs like Power Book II Ghost, Power Book III Raising Kanan, and Power Book IV Force. In 2018, he inked a four- time deal with Starz worth up to$ 150 million, including a three- series commitment. He also curated Pop Bank’s postmortem reader Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon( 2020) and opened G- Unit Workrooms in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 2023, the alternate- largest Black- possessed product plant after Tyler Perry Studios.
Other gambles include his decoration wine and spirits company, Sire Spirits, with hookups with NBA brigades like the Sacramento lords and Houston Rockets, and a nonage stake in Effen Vodka, which he vended for$ 60 million. In 2024, he launched a FAST channel with Lionsgate, 50 Cent Action, featuring his Power series and flicks. He also published books, including a bio, From Pieces to Weight( 2005), and The 50th Law( 2009) with Robert Greene.
Challenges and difficulties
Jackson’s career was not without lapses. He engaged in high- profile feuds with rappers like Ja Rule, The Game, Fat Joe, and Rick Ross, which frequently played out intimately and, in his music, especially with the diss track “Piggy Bank” on The butchery. His 2007 reader, Curtis, faced stiff competition from Kanye West’s scale, which outsold it, egging Jackson to admit in a 2021 interview that he’d remitted his long-belated reader Street King Immortal. Legal and fiscal troubles also agonized him, including apprehensions in the 1990s and a 2015 ruin form, touched off by legal freights and judgments exceeding$ 20 million, including a $5 million payout to Lastonia Leviston for oohing her coitus tape recording and a $17.2 million losses in a satiny headphones dispute. His means were listed between$ 10 million and $50 million, with debts in the same range, and he witnessed to a net worth of $4.4 million. He rebounded through his business gambles, especially his Starz deal and Vitamin Water payout.
The 2000 firing left lasting physical and cerebral scars, with Jackson reflecting in his bio Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter( 2020) on how it shaped his adaptability. His relationship with his son Marquise has been strained, marked by public controversies and a dismissed$ 50 million action from Tompkins. Despite these challenges, Jackson’s capability to reflect on his miscalculations and maintain a “ pupil mindset ” has been a foundation of his life.
Net Worth
As of 2025, 50 Cent’s net worth is estimated to be between$ 40 million and$ 100 million, with some sources citing numbers as high as $300 million due to his diversified portfolio. Throughout his career, he has earned over$ 260 million from music, traveling , acting, and business gambles, including a$ 100 million payout from his Vitamin Water stake, a$ 60 million Effen Vodka buyout, and a implicit$ 150 million Starz deal. His Final Lap Tour in 2023 grossed over$ 100 million, a rap corner matched only by Drake. still, his lavish spending — on real estate, buses , and suits led to a 2015 ruin form, with debts of$ 32.5 million. He bought Mike Tyson’s former 50,000- forecourt- bottom Connecticut manse in 2003 for$ 4.1 million, spending$ 6 million on upgrades, but vended it in 2019 for$ 2.9 million, an 84 loss. Despite this, his income aqueducts, including$ 900,000 to$ 1 million per live performance, TV product, and investments in Sire Spirits and G- Unit brands, insure uninterrupted wealth accumulation. Jackson has expressed that he’s not in a rush to reach billionaire status, prioritizing success and heritage over raw wealth.
Awards and Achievements
Billboard Music Awards Won 13 awards, including Album of the Time for Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003) and six for The butchery(2005), from 16 nominations in the R&B/ hipsterism- Hop order.
50 Cent has entered 86 awards from 135 nominations across his career, reflecting his impact in music, TV, and entrepreneurship. His notable awards include
Grammy Awards Won Best Rap Performance by a Brace or Group for “ Crack a Bottle ” with Eminem and Dr. Dre( 2010) out of 14 nominations, including Stylish New Artist for Get Rich or Die Tryin’( 2004) and five for The butchery( 2006).
Primetime Emmy Awards Won Outstanding Variety Special( Live) for his surprise performance at the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show in 2022, the first Emmy awarded to a Super Bowl halftime musicale.
His achievements extend beyond awards. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ remains the loftiest- dealing debut rap reader, with over 10 million clones vended worldwide, and “ In da Club ” achieved diamond status( 10 million mates vended) in 2023, the 43rd hipsterism- hop song to do so. He vended over 30 million compendiums encyclopedically, ranking 17th on Billboard’s 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time list. His Power series won three NAACP Image Awards in 2018 and came Starz’s most- watched show. Jackson’s influence on hipsterism- hop includes mentoring G- Unit artists and shaping the kidney’s marketable sound in the 2000s.
- BET Awards Won four awards from eight nominations, including Stylish New Artist( 2003).
- BET hipsterism Hop Awards Won Hustler of the Time( 2007).
- American Music Awards Won three awards from six nominations, including Favorite Rap/ hipsterism- Hop Album for Get Rich or Die Tryin’( 2003).
- MTV Video Music Awards Won two awards from eight nominations, including Stylish New Artist( 2003).
- World Music Awards Won six awards from eight nominations, including Best- Dealing hipsterism- Hop Artist for Curtis( 2007).
- BRIT Awards Won one award from three nominations( transnational Advance Artist, 2004).
- ASCAP Awards Won two Songwriter of the Year awards for Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and The butchery.
- Source hipsterism- Hop Music Awards Won three awards.
- Vibe Awards Won six awards from eight nominations.
- Entrepreneurial Leadership Award entered from the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) in 2024 for his business wit.
Personal Life and Philosophy
Jackson’s particular life reflects his complex persona. A father of two, he has been open about his simulated relationship with Marquise and his sweats to educate Sire about fiscal responsibility. His health-conscious life, including regular spa visits, contrasts with his earlier road life. In Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter, he emphasizes the “power of perception,” championing for tone- belief and nonstop literacy. His move to Houston and community involvement signals a desire to give back, aligning with his nonprofit, The G- Unity Foundation.
Latterly Career and Legacy
In 2014, Jackson released Animal Ambition, which entered mixed reviews, and continued working on Street King Immortal, though it remains unreleased. His 2017 topmost successes reader, Stylish Of, marked the end of his Interscope contract. In 2021, he moved to Houston, Texas, where he engaged in community enterprise like the NAACP Toy Drive and won wine competitions at the Houston Livestock and Rodeo in 2022 and 2023. Jackson has noway married but is presently dating model Cuban Link, with whom he went public in 2019. He has two sons, Marquise and Sire, withex-girlfriend Daphne Joy Narvaez.
50 Cent’s impact on hipsterism- hop is inarguable. He converted the kidney’s geography in the 2000s, blending gangsta rap with pop sensibilities and paving the way for artists like Pop Bank. Billboard ranked him the sixth-stylish artist of the 2000s and the third-stylish rapper, with Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and The butchery among the decade’s top compendiums . His business gambles, from G- Unit to TV product, have set a design for artists transitioning to entrepreneurship.
Jackson’s story is one of adaptability, from surviving a near-fatal firing to erecting a multimedia conglomerate. His biographies, From Pieces to Weight (2005) and Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter, offer perceptivity into his competitive drive, precariousness, and assignments learned. He remains a polarizing figure, unapologetic yet reflective, with a heritage as a hustler- turned- Napoleon who readdressed success in hipsterism- hop.
Conclusion
Curtis “ 50 Cent ” Jackson’s trip from the thoroughfares of Queens to global stardom is a testament to his tenacity and rigidity. prostrating a traumatic nonage, legal troubles, and a life- hanging firing, he surfaced as a defining figure in 21st- century hipsterism- hop. His music, marked by authenticity and crossover appeal, reshaped the kidney, while his business wit gauging music, film, TV, and signatures established him as a Napoleon. Despite difficulties and particular challenges, 50 Cent’s heritage endures through his influence on artists, his entrepreneurial gambles, and his candid reflections on hustle and adaptability.
