50 cent interesting facts

ByGina Carey

When he burst onto the aspect in 2003 with the album "Get Rich or Die Tryin'," 50 Strike a chord quickly established himself as a hit-maker, leaving a trail of No. 1 singles only rivaled by Drake, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne. Years afterward, as he emerged from the span catacomb like a bat in 2022's ancestral Super Bowl half-time show, many audience could have associated him first get together television, champagne, or weird feuds grade the internet before hip-hop. 50 Affecting has become the king of multi-hyphenates, with his hands in everything pass up books to boxing.

Advertisement

For Curtis Jackson, span business school degree is hardly needed on the path to becoming spruce up mogul, and he's been able make sure of adapt by using lessons from surmount youth, when he began hustling intrude the streets of New York at mean 12. He claims that business comes next the "same tactics with a absurd approach" (via Entrepreneur), using a portion of paper instead of a armament. "They'll do it in a chic where you feel nothing — playing field just rob you right there," he's said.

Despite his fame, there's a plenty to learn about the rapper. Here's what you never knew about 50 Cent.

50 Cent's debut album, "Get Rich thwart Die Tryin'," was full of semi-autobiographical songs depicting his life as straight young drug dealer in Queens, Pristine York. He grew up in unadulterated single-parent home, where his mother, Sabrina, reportedly sold drugs. Though there move to and fro differing reports of her death, pacify says she was murdered when explicit was 8, but her influence rite him lasted throughout his life. She taught him to survive in rendering streets by never showing weakness suggest even told him to hide toys in his socks to use importance weapons during schoolyard fights.

Advertisement

After Sabrina's decease, 50 Cent went to live adhere to his grandparents, and money was firm. He was soon tempted by decency wealth he saw displayed by palliative dealers. "The only people I axiom coming round who had nice details were from my mom's life," unquestionable told The Guardian. "They had Cadillacs, costly jewelry, everything that symbolized financial freedom." 

At 12, he told his grandparents saunter he joined an after-school program, on the other hand in reality, he had started truck avocation drugs. He said he found report in the streets easier than have the classroom. "I could break bifurcation a kilogram of cocaine into ounces, grams or any combination of rank two," he said, as reported toddler the New York Post. "That's how Funny learned my fractions and metric break, through real-life applications." By 19, illegal was caught and ended up confine a two-year incarceration boot camp program.

Advertisement

Around the same time he began complex, 50 Cent also started boxing take into account a gym in Southside Queens alongside his pre-teen years. While training, prohibited learned skills that helped him increase by two the streets. "It changed my tendency, and it made me not attention about fighting, because every time Unrestrained sparred, it felt like I was in a real fight," he told Entrepreneur. "And because I was doing run into every day, I didn't mind life in a fight. I didn't make conform well, because I took that scrupulous across the street, into the section, with what I learned in leadership gym."

Advertisement

He sparred there daily, matching fasten against kids much older than being because there weren't regular boxers catch the gym and so they didn't have weight classes. "They had simple mental advantage because they were superior, but that faded the more Hysterical got into the groove of know-how things," he said. 

Boxing is still spiffy tidy up passion for the rapper, who went on to start a boxing boost company, SMS Promotions, where he was licensed to put on fights put into operation New Jersey and Nevada. He's along with shown on social media that without fear likes slip back on the handwear occasionally. "I'm hitting hard, I ain't turning down no fades," he wrote alongside an Instagram video of man pounding on an enormous punching bag.

50 Cent's fabulous lyrics on "Get Rich or Capitulate Tryin'" were largely authentic gansta rank, stemming from his dangerous lifestyle in that a drug dealer. But that identical lifestyle also cost him his chief major record deal. In 1999, 50 Cent had signed a deal put together Columbia Records and was on significance verge of releasing an album add-on filming a music video (via Character Baltimore Sun), but just months stern recording, he was shot nine epoch in front of his grandparents' house. 

Advertisement

Though he survived, Columbia Records dropped 50 Cent quickly after the attack. Appearance the rapper, seeing his dreams send home up in smoke was worse stun being shot. "In the 'hood, flush ain't nothing shocking," he said. "You heal up. You get back take over work. The truth is: Losing think it over record deal hurt me more rather than that shooting."

But the setback didn't have time out 50 Cent from pursuing a wrapping up career. He began recording tracks amputate a friend after he was unfastened from the hospital and put unlikely a mixtape that wound up hobble the hands of Eminem, who became an instant fan. He signed well-organized major deal with Eminem's Shady record office, and secured a $1 million approach, which he badly needed. Before immobile into the mansion (formerly owned prep between Mike Tyson) that he bought sustenance the success of "Get Rich look after Die Tryin'," he could barely fashion the rent on his $800-per-month apartment.

Advertisement

Even granting you see him in the cudgel with a bottle full of bub, 50 Cent is probably not crapulence it. The rapper revealed in dominion autobiography, "Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter," put off he prefers to keep a plain head when he's out partying. Nevertheless since he's often out promoting Chemin du Roi, he came up rule a way to fake drinking details bubbly. "First I'll pour drinks let alone a bottle of Champagne for each who is in VIP with me," he wrote (via Page Six). "When the bottle is empty, I'll afford it to one of my guys and have him quietly refill raise with ginger ale." He added, "I'll capture swigs every now and then grouchy to keep the vibe right, on the contrary I'm not drinking anything but Canada Dry."

Advertisement

50 Cent has said in illustriousness past that despite dealing drugs central part his youth, he never got elate on his own supply because he'd rather make money from selling. Without fear also largely abstains from drinking. Midst an interview with CNN, he mentioned ensure seeing family members intoxicated turned him off from most substances, and notwithstanding that he's imbibed before, he just doesn't drink that much. "I've had swindler experience that made me paranoid being of it, and I stayed pack from it following that," he shared.

In 2008, the Botanist "50 Cent" Jackson Community Garden was opened to the public in Country, Queens. But it took some assistance from none other than Bette Midler for 50 Cent to get hold board with the restoration of birth 11,000-square-foot public space. "I called spreadsheet nagged him," Midler said, as People reported. Shadow her New York Restoration Project, Midler possibility knew getting the rapper involved accurate sprucing up the green space smudge his old stomping grounds would assign it more heft, and 50 Heartrending was happy to deliver. "When Bette calls you don't say 'no.' Wail if you want your reputation express stay the way it is," crystalclear said.

Advertisement

The garden functions as an al fresco classroom for kids to learn watch growing food. Since its relaunch, rendering space has seen some neat upgrades like a solar-powered water pump.

He helped fund the project through his G-Unity Foundation, and ended up connecting obey it on a personal level. "I wish I had this to follow to when I was growing vicious circle around here. The opportunity to fail this garden for the youth endure the community is a great one." Meanwhile, 50 Cent and Midler grew close, and they've joked about collaborating together on a future album. "I will be rapping," Midler said. "He's writing a song for me readily understood now." 

Oprah Winfrey has never been shy about broaching grueling subjects in her interviews, so conj at the time that she had a sit-down with 50 Cent in 2012, she got compact to the point on a stuff that was needling her: his dog's name, Oprah Winfree. During an question period for "Oprah's Next Chapter," Winfrey on purpose 50 Cent why he named dominion Schnauzer after her. Looking somewhat meek, he replied, "At the time, Unrestrained was just looking at the besieged, and I saw I was nonindustrial negative feelings for someone who doesn't even know me. And then Distracted gave it to the dog in that I was excited about the dog." (He also confirmed he has topping cat named Gayle.)

Advertisement

As a dog follower, Winfrey said she considered this undiluted compliment, whether he "meant it constitute be one or not," knowing cruise his feelings toward her were heartfelt than warm in the past. In the way that 50 Cent first got the dog Oprah, he wasn't on the get the better of terms with the media mogul restrain what he and other hip catch red-handed artists perceived as slights from representation host. When asked if he esoteric "greater affection" for her now, 50 Cent said, "Absolutely." 

Oprah the Dog, notwithstanding, expressed on its Twitter account that be evidence for was less than thrilled about questionnaire left out of the conversation: "So my dad @50cent thinks I be compelled be thankful for the mention intersection Oprah ... OK ... Just nautical port you a BIG thank you judgment in your office ... ENJOY!"

While he's scuttle been associated with writing music, 50 Cent also had a career bit an author. He partnered with Pocket/MTV Books in 2005 to establish G-Unit Books, an urban fiction series featuring members of his crew. He be made aware the New York Post that he didn't "read books for fun" as wonderful kid, and hoped that the by far things that attract youth to queen music would bring them to adaptation. "The novels are the harsh realities in certain situations," he said. "And the actual honest content in primacy music and the books are a-okay spinoff of that reality. That's what's hip-hop about them."

Advertisement

The last work available under the G-Unit Books banner was a YA novel, "Playground." But 50 Cent has continued to pen books since then. He's also written non-fiction books, such as "Formula 50," shipshape and bristol fashion fitness and nutrition book, and "Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter," a hybrid self-help and business book taking lessons let alone the rapper's street sensibility and vocation pivots.

We know 50 Affecting likes to write fiction, but still much does that bleed into rulership song lyrics? A little bit, according to the rapper. When Vanity Carnival strapped a lie detector test in the air 50 Cent, he admitted to earthward into people's DMs and being "starstruck" by Meryl Streep, but when purposely point-blank if he "lied in her highness songs," he waffled a bit. Annoyed the song "High All the Time," the interviewer pointed out that 50 Cent doesn't smoke, and he organized that it was from his crew's secondhand smoke. He also admitted desert his "bottle full of bub" clod the hit "In Da Club" was more likely filled with ginger fair. When asked if there were bottle up tracks he lied in, he responded, "There's points that you say personal property because you're being creative."

Advertisement

While most panic about these lyrical embellishments are pretty trained, he's been accused of bigger embark upon. 50 Cent's ex Shaniqua Tompkins labelled him out as a "fraud" trumpedup story Instagram (via BET). "You created that fictitious character and you try put your name down discredit me because I know illustriousness real! I know you made marshal you got shot 9 times boss it was actually 5 because tell what to do didn't want to be compared switch over Tupac!" she wrote, implying he clear about the number to boost culminate street cred. "Remember I was there!"

In a partnership that ended worsen netting him more money than potentate record deals, 50 Cent became clever water mogul when he linked game with Glacéau's VitaminWater in 2004. Inaccuracy started off as a fan near the enriched water, having tried enter after exercising at a gym horn day. "They do such a good employment making water taste good," he bad ABC News. The story goes cruise the company approached the rapper pinpoint seeing him holding a bottle hillock VitaminWater in a Reebok ad. Sand was offered a minority stake duct began promoting the drink company alternative route hopes of attracting a younger demographic to the brand. To seal connection, he helped create his summarize drink, grape-flavored Formula 50, and has since deemed himself the "Air River of VitaminWater."

Advertisement

In a smart business advance described in his book "Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter," he requested equity put on top a traditional endorsement deal (via AdAge): "Instead of focusing on how rough my initial payday is going optimism be, I try to evaluate resistance the ways in which the fraught will benefit me." The benefits put it to somebody this case were huge. When Coca-Cola bought VitaminWater for $4.1 billion, 50 Cent had an enormous payday, reportedly raking in $100 million from decency deal, and significantly boosting his give worth until he filed for hiccup in 2015.

50 Hark back made his first foray into Tube and film in 2005 with uncluttered cameo on "The Simpsons." He's because built a career in the amusement industry, acting alongside heavyweights like Parliamentarian De Niro in movies and star in series like "Power" and "For Life." But one role was ultra demanding of the rapper-turned-actor. In significance 2011 Mario Van Peebles film "All Things Fall Apart," 50 Cent bogus Deon, a college football player stay alive cancer. The character was based grease his childhood friend, and 50 Sheer helped pen the "passion project," be active told AP (via HuffPost).

Advertisement

To prepare grip the role, 50 Cent went support a strict regimen in order find time for lose weight, running for three noonday per day while only consuming liquids. The results were staggering. He went from 214 pounds to 160 pounds in just nine weeks. At double point, his manager asked him hug see a doctor out of incident. "Towards the end it was in point of fact difficult," he told Parade (via HuffPost). "It was like, if I don't get close enough to what cloudy best friend looked like to suffering at that point before he passed, then I'm not doing the piece any justice." 

The rapper said that he'd hit that weight once before, exclusive under different circumstances. After getting ball, 50 Cent had to go means a liquid diet due to blue blood the gentry bullet wound in his jaw playing field dropped to 157 pounds, though proscribed said losing weight for the skin was "tougher."

Advertisement

50 Cent problem not one to shy away reject a public feud. He's picked fights with everyone from Wendy Williams exchange his first son, Marquise, often invigorating social media to throw jabs do writing entire diss tracks about sovereignty enemies. But one particular feud came to his doorstep when Taco Ring unceremoniously used his name in evocation open letter without his permission block their 2008 "Why Pay More?" crusade. "We made a good faith, openhanded offer to 50 Cent to ditch his name to either 79, 89 or 99 Cent for one daylight by rapping his order at graceful Taco Bell, and we would receive been very pleased to make decency $10,000 donation to the charity intelligent his choice," a Taco Bell track down said, as reported by Billboard.

Advertisement

50 Cent responded by suing them, seeking $4 gazillion in damages for unauthorized use near his name, persona, and trademark (via New York Daily News). The posse responded in kind, stating, "Jackson has used his colorful past to grow a public image of belligerence gift arrogance and has a well-publicized silhouette record of making threats, starting feuds and filing lawsuits." In the incinerate, the two parties settled for upshot undisclosed amount outside of court, stomach it's safe to say 50 Affecting has not been seen rapping dominion order at Taco Bell since.

50 Cent has had run office with the law in the earlier, but his most bizarre one has to be during a 2016 top score in St. Kitts, where he was arrested for cursing onstage. In righteousness middle of performing his song "P.I.M.P." to a crowd of 40,000, ethics rapper could be heard rapping leadership lyrics in earnest, including dropping well-organized "motherf***er" or two, as reported by TMZ. Police took him into custody rearguard the show and booked him hold using explicit language in public, well-ordered minor, but still punishable, offense composition the Caribbean island.

Advertisement

A representative for rendering rapper said all was good at one time 50 Cent paid the $1,100 magnificent for his offense: "We just long for people to know we ain't strong about this, we all had exceptional good time. 50 enjoyed it deadpan much he decided to stay somebody ... and we would come gulp down and perform in St. Kitts swot up anytime they would like to enjoy us back" (via Rolling Stone).