Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975),From the cradle to the grave (nearly). The Observer (August 21, 2005). Accessed May 22, 2007. better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003) and The Massacre (2005). Both albums achieved multi-platinum success, selling over twenty-one million copies combined.

Born in South Jamaica, Queens, 50 Cent began drug dealing at the age of twelve during the 1980s' crack epidemic.Campion, Chris (August 21, 2005). Right on the money. The Observer. Accessed May 22, 2007. After leaving drug dealing to pursue a rap career, he was shot nine times in 2000. After releasing his album Guess Who's Back? in 2002, 50 Cent was discovered by rapper Eminem and signed to Interscope Records. With the help of Eminem and Dr. Dre—who produced his first major commercial successes—he became one of the world's highest selling rappers. In 2003, he founded the record label G-Unit Records, which signed several successful rappers such as Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo.

50 Cent has engaged in feuds with other rappers including Ja Rule, The Game, and Fat Joe. He has also pursued an acting career, appearing in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin' in 2005, the Iraq War film Home of the Brave in 2006, and Righteous Kill in 2008.

Early life

50 Cent, born Curtis Jackson III, grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens in New York City. He grew up without a father and was raised by his mother, Sabrina, who gave birth to him at the age of fifteen. Sabrina, a cocaine dealer, raised Jackson until the age of eight, when she was murdered. Twenty-three at the time, she became unconscious after someone drugged her drink. She was then left for dead after the gas in her apartment was turned on and the windows shut closed.Touré (April 3, 2003). The Life of a Hunted Man. Rolling Stone. Accessed May 22, 2007.Samuels, Allison (February 21, 2007). The Flip Side of 50 Cent. MSNBC. Accessed May 22, 2007. After her death, Jackson moved into his grandparents' house with his eight aunts and uncles.Reid, Shaheem (November 7, 2005). 50 Cent: Return to Southside. MTV. Accessed May 22, 2007. He recalls, "My grandmother told me, 'Your mother's not coming home. She's not gonna come back to pick you up. You're gonna stay with us now.' That's when I started adjusting to the streets a little bit".Reid, Shaheem (February 12, 2003). 50 Cent: Money to Burn. MTV. Accessed May 22, 2007. Jackson grew up with his younger cousin, Michael Francis, who earned the nickname "25 Cent" for being his younger counterpart. Francis raps under the stage name "Two Five".Associated Press (December 23, 2005). Two Five says success has changed 50 Cent. MSNBC. Accessed May 22, 2007.