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More so than any other music since the blues, hip-hop is all about stories. And its stories are both criminal minded and grand, making them enthralling and unbelievable, but also making them only as interesting and convincing as the teller. That's why, despite being blackballed by the industry, without a major-label recording contract, heads still gravitated to Jamaica, Queens' realest son, 50 Cent, like the planets to the sun. 50 Cent, born Curtis Jackson 26 years ago, is the real deal, the genuine article. He's a man of the streets, intimately familiar with its codes and its violence, but still, 50, an incredibly intelligent and deliberate man, holds himself with a regal air as if above the pettiness which surrounds him. Couple his true-life hardship with his knack for addictive, syrupy hooks, it's clear that 50 has exactly what it takes to ride down the road to riches and diamond rings. 50 is real, so he does real things.
Born into a notorious Queens drug dynasty during the late '70s, 50 Cent lost those closest to him at an early age. Raised without a father, 50's mother, whose name carried weight in the street (hint, hint, dummies), was found dead under mysterious circumstances before he could hit his teens. The orphaned youth was taken in by his grandparents, who provided for 50. But his desire for things would drive him to the block. Which in his case was the infamous New York Avenue, now known as Guy R. Brewer Blvd. There, 50 stepped up to get his rep up, amassing a small fortune and a lengthy rap sheet. But the birth of his son put things in perspective for the post adolescent, and 50 began to pursue rap seriously. He signed with JMJ, the label of Run DMC DJ Jam Master Jay and began learning his trade. JMJ would teach the young buck to count bars and structure songs. Unfortunately, caught up in industry limbo, there wasn't much JMJ could do for 50.

The platinum hitmakers Trackmasters took notice of 50 and signed him to Columbia Records in 1999. They shipped 50 to Upstate NY where they locked him up in the studio for 2 1/2 weeks. He turned out 36 songs in this short period, which resulted in "Power Of A Dollar," an unreleased masterpiece that Blaze Magazine judged a classic. 50's stick up kid anthem "How to Rob" blew through the roof and playfully painted him as a deliriously hungry up-and-comer daydreaming of robbing famous rappers. But 50 and the fans were the only ones laughing. Unable to take a joke, Jay-Z, Big Pun, Sticky Fingaz, and Ghostface Killah all replied to the song. "It wasn't personal. It was comedy based on truth, which made it so funny," says 50 Cent.

In April of '00, 50 was shot 9 times, including a .9mm bullet to the face, in front of his grandmothers house in Queens. He spent the next few months in recovery while Columbia Records dropped him from the label. 50 didn't fold, he flew. Right into the zone. He banged out track after track, despite no income or backing, with his new business partner and friend Sha Money XL. The two recorded over 30 songs, strictly for mix-tapes, with the soul purpose of building a buzz. 50's street value rose and by the end of the spring of '01 he'd released the new material independently on the makeshift LP, "Guess Who's Back?". Beginning to attract interest, and now backed by his crew, G-Unit, 50 stayed on his grind and made more songs. But it was different this time. Rather than create new songs as they had before, 50 decided to showcase his hit-making ability by retouching first-class beats which had already been used. They released the red, white and blue bootleg, "50 Cent Is the Future," revisiting material by Jay-Z and even Rapheal Saadiq.

That's when the unbelievable happened, and hip-hop history was written. The energetic CD caught the ear of supa MC Eminem, and within a week Em was on the radio saying, '50 Cent is my favorite rapper right now.' Em looked to mentor Dr. Dre to confirm his belief in the young hitmaker, and the good doctor co-signed. Floored by the appreciation of the greats, 50 didn't hesitate in signing with the dream team. In the wake of his acquisition, 50 Cent has become the most sought after newcomer in almost a decade. Not since the summer of '94, when radio would play absolutely anything Notorious B.I.G. related, has hip-hop seen buzz like this.

Ever the clever businessman, 50 didn't let the opportunity escape him and quickly released another bootleg of borrowed beats, "No Mercy, No Fear." The CD featured only one new track, "Wanksta," which was certainly not intended for radio, but the streets couldn't wait for the official single and within weeks "Wanksta" became New York's most requested record. Thankfully, the stellar cut has found a home on the multi-platinum soundtrack to Eminem's smash movie, "8 Mile." With several huge hits already under his belt, 50 Cent is poised to be the artist to beat next year. He's coming with over ten incredible tracks stashed from last spring and newly recorded winners courtesy of Eminem, who's really cut his production teeth of late, and hip-hop's greatest, highest-selling producer Dr. Dre. "Creatively, what more could I ask for?" he asks jokingly. "You know if me and Em is in the same room then it's gonna be a friendly competition, neither of us wanna let the other one down. And Dre??? C'mon." Promising an LP of the caliber of rap classics like "Illmatic," "Ready to Die," and "Reasonable Doubt," 50 Cent's debut promises to set the pace for hip-hop in coming years. The product of his unrelenting drive, talent and, frankly, his real-ness, 50's official first album promises to do for him just what it says. With his infectious flow and viciously funny I-don't-give-a-fuck personality, there is no doubt that 50 Cent will Get Rich or Die Trying.

FACTS ABOUT HIM

50 Cent's real name is Curtis Jackson.
The name 50 Cent is a metaphor for change and was also the name of a notorious Brooklyn drug dealer.
His mom, Sabrina, gave birth to him when she was only 15. She sold drugs, which later made it easier for 50 to get involved with dealing.
She was killed at the age of 22, 50 was only 8 years old.
At the age of 12 he started selling drugs.
He used to be a boxer.
He was discovered by Jam Master Jay.
50 Cent signed a deal with Columbia Records in 1999 with the help of The Trackmasters.
On May 24 2000, he was shot in front of his grandma's home on 161st Street in the Jamaica section of Queens NY. He got into a friend's car, then was asked to go back in to get some jewelry. When he returned and slid into the car, another car pulled up. Someone crawled out of the back and came up on 50's left side with a gun cocked. A few weeks later, the shooter was murdered. 50 denies responsibility. He was shot 9 times, in the jaw, hand, chest, and legs at close range, and spent 13 days in the hospital.
When 50 was shot in the face his jaw had to be wired shut for six weeks, and he lost over 60 pounds.
Power Of The Dollar, was never released by Columbia. He signed a new deal with Warner/Chappell while he was in the hospital for $250,000.
The deal fell through and he got to keep half of his advance from the record company.
Ja Rule was stabbed at a Queens club and suspected 50 Cent was behind the attack. His crew retaliated by stabbing 50 outside the Hit Factory recording studio in 2000.
His underground album "Guess Who's Back?" sold 70,000 copies on the independent label Full Clip Records.
After underground success in June of 2002, 50 Cent was signed by Shady/Aftermath Records with the help of Eminem.
The tracks 'Wanksta', 'Love Me', and 'Places To Go' were all on the 8 Mile soundtrack released in October 2002.
50 Cent was arrested for gun possession in New York in December 2002.
In January 2003 a performance in San Francisco by 50 Cent had to be cancelled after thousands of fans without tickets showed up outside the concert hall.
He drives a bulletproof and bombproof Jeep Cherokee. He also has a Mercedes G-500, BP Suburban, and a motorcycle.
There are always at least four to six body guards with 50.
He has a jacket with '50 Cent' on the back that has a line through the 'C'.
In February 2003 50 topped the Billboard Hot Rap Singles, Top 40, and R&B/Hip-Hop charts with his single 'In Da Club'.
'Get Rich Or Die Tryin' includes guest appearances from Eminem, Nate Dogg, Young Buck, and Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks of G-Unit. Get Rich Or Die Tryin was produced by Dr. Dre and Eminem.
Get Rich sold over 872,000 copies in its first week and topped the Billboard 200 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts an the LP charts in Canada.
Billboard 200 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts an the LP charts in Canada. It's also the best-selling debut album since 1991 and sold more than all the other top 10 albums for that week combined.
50's favorite song from Get Rich or Die Tryin is 'Many Men'. His favorite musicians are 2 Pac, Notorious B.I.G., and Eminem. One of his favorite shows is Chappelle's Show.
50 Cent topped the Billboard Year-End Charts in 2003 as the Top Pop Artist (singles & albums), Top Pop Artist - Male (singles & albums),Top Billboard 200 Album, Top Billboard 200 Album Artist - Male, Top Hot 100 Singles Artist, Top Hot 100 Singles Artist - Male, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist (singles & albums), Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist - Male (singles & albums), Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist - Male, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Artist, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Artist - Male, Top Hot Rhythmic Top 40 Artist, Top Hot Rap Artist - and with the Top Billboard 200 Album Artist and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album (Get Rich Or Die Tryin'), and the Top Hot 100 Singles & Tracks, Top Hot 100 Airplay Track, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, and Top Hot Rap Single ("In Da Club").
He had the biggest selling LP of 2003 - Get Rich Or Die Tryin' - which sold over 6.5 million copies during the year in the US.
50 Cent had the Top Music Video Sales title of the year (2003) with The New Breed.
Readers of Rolling Stone named 50 Cent as the Best New Artist

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