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Biography
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. [Source: artistdirect.com]
Albums:
The Messege
Curtis
Original Soundtrack Get Rich or Die Tryin'
The Massacre
G-Unit Beg For Mercy
50 Cent 50 Cent The New Breed [DVD w/Bonus Maxi CD]
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