50 Cent, born Curtis James Jackson III, is an American rap music artist, album producer, and actor. He is regarded as one of the best-selling Black artists of the 2000s and one of the most influential figures in modern hip-hop culture.

50 Cent was born on July 6, 1975, in the impoverished Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, New York City. He never knew his father and lived with his mother, a drug dealer, until she was murdered when he was eight years old. Following her death, he went to live with his grandmother. Through his mother’s connections, Jackson became involved in drug dealing himself at the age of twelve. During his high school years, he was arrested multiple times and spent periods in jail.

Growing up in Jamaica, Queens, 50 Cent experienced firsthand the violence and criminal life that many rappers only describe in lyrics. Drugs, crime, imprisonment, stabbings, and, most notably, gun violence became central elements of his lived experience. In his early teens, he also aspired to become a heavyweight boxer, training seriously alongside his involvement in street life.

In the mid-1990s, Jackson turned his focus toward rap music and began distancing himself from crime. A turning point came in 1996 when he met Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC, who provided him with instrumental tracks to rap over. This mentorship introduced him to professional music production and reshaped the direction of his life.

Before releasing his debut album, tragedy struck. On May 24, 2000, shortly before Columbia Records was set to release his album Power of the Dollar, 50 Cent was shot nine times at close range with a 9mm handgun while sitting in a car in Jamaica, Queens. Earlier that same year, he had also been stabbed at the Hit Factory Studios on West 54th Street in Manhattan. His survival was considered miraculous.

Following the shooting, Columbia Records shelved Power of the Dollar and terminated their relationship with him. For the next two years, 50 Cent returned to the underground rap scene. Alongside Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, he formed the group G-Unit, quickly gaining attention within New York’s hip-hop community.

His breakthrough came when Eminem publicly declared 50 Cent his favorite rapper on a radio show. Eminem subsequently signed him to a deal reportedly worth one million dollars. This partnership led to the release of his debut studio album Get Rich or Die Tryin’, which became a global phenomenon and established him as a dominant force in hip-hop.

In 2007, Forbes magazine ranked 50 Cent third on its list of the richest hip-hop artists, behind Jay-Z and Eminem. His commercial success extended beyond music into film, television, and business ventures.

50 Cent became a father at the age of twenty-one when his son Marquise Jackson was born in 1996. In June 2008, he was romantically linked to singer Ciara.

Albums:
2003 – Get Rich or Die Tryin’
2005 – Get Rich or Die Tryin’ Soundtrack
2005 – The Massacre
2007 – Curtis
2009 – Before I Self Destruct
2012 – 5 (Murder by Numbers)
2014 – Animal Ambition

Film and Television:
Screenwriter:
2011 – All Things Fall Apart (Film)
Producer:
2014 – Power (TV Series)
2013 – Tapia (Film)
2013 – Fire with Fire (Film)
2012 – Freelancers (Film)
2012 – Fire with Fire (Film)
Actor:
2018 – Den of Thieves (Film)
2018 – Escape Plan 2: Hades (Hush) (Film)
2015 – Southpaw (Film)
2015 – Champs (Himself) (Film)
2015 – Spy (Himself) (Film)
2014 – The Prince (Film)
2014 – Power (Kanan Stark) (TV Series)
2013 – Escape Plan (Hush) (Film)
2013 – Freelancers (Pimp Clate Johnson) (Film)
2012 – Freelancers (Malo) (Film)
2012 – How to Make Money Selling Drugs (Himself) (Film)
2012 – Fire with Fire (Lamar) (Film)
2011 – Setup (Sonny) (Film)
2011 – Limelight (Himself) (Film)
2011 – Blood Out (Hardwick) (Film)
2011 – All Things Fall Apart (Deon) (Film)
2010 – Twelve (Lionel) (Film)
2010 – Morning Glory (Himself) (Film)
2010 – 13 (Jimmy) (Film)
2009 – Streets of Blood (Detective Stan Johnson) (Video)
2009 – Dead Man Running (Thigo) (Film)
2008 – Righteous Kill (Spider) (Film)
2006 – Home of the Brave (Jamal Aiken) (Film)
2005 – Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (Marcus) (Film)

Music Contributions:
2003 – Bad Boys II (Film)
2002 – 8 Mile (Film)

Source: Biyografiler.com