Curtis Jackson

Lore & Background

Jackson's early life in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens was shaped by tragedy and resilience. Raised by his mother, Sabrina, until her death in a fire when he was eight, he later lived with his grandparents after his father left. By age twelve, Jackson was dealing narcotics while attending school, often bringing guns and drug money to class; he was eventually caught by metal detectors at Andrew Jackson High School. In 1994, he faced serious legal consequences, arrested for selling cocaine and subsequently found in possession of heroin, ten ounces of crack, and a starting pistol.

Sentenced to three to nine years, he served six months in a boot camp before earning his GED. It was during this period that he adopted the nickname '50 Cent,' inspired by Brooklyn robber Kelvin Martin, as a metaphor for change and self-provision by any means necessary. His competitive nature in boxing at age eleven translated into his musical career, where he viewed rapping with the same intensity as fighting.

Reader's Guide

Jackson's mainstream breakthrough arrived in February 2003 with the release of Get Rich or Die Tryin', which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 after selling 872,000 copies in its first four days. The album spawned two Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles: 'In da Club,' which set a record for the most listened-to song on radio within a week, and '21 Questions' featuring Nate Dogg. Capitalizing on this success, Jackson launched G-Unit Records in 2003, signing fellow East Coast rappers Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo.

His second album, The Massacre (2005), yielded another number-one hit with 'Candy Shop' featuring Olivia. While his third and fourth albums, Curtis (2007) and Before I Self Destruct (2009), saw critical and commercial declines as he adopted a more commercial approach, Jackson returned to his roots with Animal Ambition in 2014. He has since focused heavily on television, executive-producing and starring in the series Power (2014–2020) and its spin-offs under G-Unit Films and Television Inc.

Early Life and Criminal Background

Curtis James Jackson III was born in Queens and raised by his mother, Sabrina, until she died in a fire when he was eight. After her death and his father's departure, he lived with his grandparents. He began boxing at age 11 and selling crack during primary school. By age 12, he was dealing narcotics while his grandparents believed he was in after-school programs. In tenth grade, he was arrested by metal detectors at Andrew Jackson High School. On June 29, 1994, he was arrested for selling four vials of cocaine to an undercover officer. Three weeks later, police searched his home and found heroin, ten ounces of crack, and a starting pistol. He was sentenced to three to nine years but served only six months in a boot camp, earning his GED. He adopted the nickname '50 Cent' inspired by Kelvin Martin, stating, 'I'm the same kind of person 50 Cent was. I provide for myself by any means.'

The Shooting and Career Resurrection

On May 24, 2000, Jackson was shot nine times outside his grandmother's former home in South Jamaica. An assailant fired a 9mm handgun at close range, hitting him in the hand, arm, hip, both legs, chest, and left cheek. The incident caused the loss of a wisdom tooth and a swollen tongue. He spent 13 days in the hospital and used a walker for six weeks. Following his recovery, Columbia Records dropped him and canceled the release of Power of the Dollar due to industry blacklisting over 'Ghetto Qu'ran.' Jackson moved to Canada with business partner Sha Money XL, recording over 30 songs for mixtapes. In 2002, he released Guess Who's Back?, which was discovered by Eminem. Impressed, Eminem signed him to Shady Records (an imprint of Interscope Records), reviving his career.

Commercial Dominance and G-Unit Era

In February 2003, Jackson released Get Rich or Die Tryin', which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 872,000 copies sold in four days. The album featured the number-one singles 'In da Club' and '21 Questions' (featuring Nate Dogg) and received Multiple Platinum certification from the RIAA. That same year, he launched G-Unit Records, signing Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. His second album, The Massacre (2005), produced the number-one single 'Candy Shop' featuring Olivia. Subsequent albums Curtis (2007) and Before I Self Destruct (2009) saw critical and commercial declines as he aimed for a more commercially oriented sound, while his fifth album Animal Ambition (2014) received mixed reviews.

Diversification into Media and Lasting Legacy

Jackson has sold over 30 million albums worldwide. His accolades include a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, 13 Billboard Music Awards, 6 World Music Awards, 3 American Music Awards, and 4 BET Awards. He starred in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005), which was critically panned, as well as Home of the Brave (2006) and Righteous Kill (2008). In 2014, he began executive-producing and starring in the television series Power, running until 2020 under his company G-Unit Films and Television Inc. Rolling Stone ranked Get Rich or Die Tryin' at number 37 on its '100 Best Albums of the 2000s' list, while Billboard named him the sixth top artist of the 2000s decade and ranked him 17th on its '50 Greatest Rappers' list in 2023.