50 Cent
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50 Cent a.k.a. "Fifty" (frequently pronounced "Fiddy" using African American Vernacular English) (born Curtis Jackson on July 6, 1976 in Queens, New York), is a popular African American hip hop artist. Once almost unknown outside his hometown of southside Jamaica, Queens, he is currently signed to Eminems record label Shady Records and Dr. Dres Aftermath Entertainment. The rapper, who is the first to sign to Shady Records, was scouted before knowing Eminem. Eminem first encountered 50 Cent with MTV host Sway; Eminem apparently had not heard any of 50 Cents performances before seeing him in person. He appeared on the 8 Mile soundtrack with an accompanying song and video that immediately went into heavy rotation on BET, MTV, and radio stations across the country. In the opinion of many observers his continued success seems guaranteed by his large underground fanbase and the street credibility he has gained by appearing on almost every major mix tape sold in New York in the past few years.
Interscope Records is very determined to sell 50 Cent as the "real deal", as the success of an artist in gangsta rap depends on his street credibility and reputation. In this respect 50 Cent has a clear advantage over almost every other mainstream rapper. His mother was killed in a drug deal, he was a drug dealer himself, he has been shot nine times (nine bullets in one single shootout, not nine separate incidents as some believe), he overcame enormous disadvantage, and he built a large rap empire in New York City before ever signing a major record deal.
First record deals
He met up with Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC fame and was signed to his label JMJ. 50 Cent was intent on learning the rigors of producing palatable rap music: how to count bars, the basics of song structure and importance of good production. Despite learning all this, 50 saw that he wasnt going to get to where he wanted to go with JMJ, and left the label in search of someone who could help him achieve his dream of rap stardom. He teamed up with the all-star hip-hop production duo Track Masters who recognized 50 Cents talent for incisive lyrics and signed him to Columbia Records in 1999. Although he looks back on this time with displeasure (his biography refers to it as being "locked up in the studio"), the 18 days spent in a studio in Upstate NY produced 36 tracks which later became his breakthrough album Power of the Dollar. Although never officially released, the album was heavily bootlegged, judged a classic by Blaze Magazine, and "How to Rob", the humorous ode to robbing a slew of industry rappers (Jay-Z, Puff Daddy, DMX, various members of the Wu-Tang Clan, even Track Masters, and many more) was an instant hit for New York radio.
Eminem & Shady Records
Guess Whos Back? and 50 Cent is the Future were heard by a very impressed Eminem who brought the rapper to Dr. Dres attention. Dre liked what he heard and endorsed the ideas of signing a deal, and working with 50 Cent on an album. Eminem was quick to get onto New Yorks hip-hop radio circuit with the message that 50 Cent was his favorite rapper at the moment. After a meeting with Interscope and Eminem in Los Angeles, 50 Cent quickly signed a deal with Interscope/ Aftermath (Dr. Dres label)/Shady (Eminems label) to release a record. Before starting production of his new album with Eminem and Dre, 50 quickly released another bootleg album of his raps over stolen beats entitled No Mercy, No Fear with the only original production being "Wanksta", a veiled dis aimed at industry rapper Ja Rule. Although "Wanksta" was never meant as a radio single, under the barrage of 50 Cent albums and the buzz over Eminems words of praise and subsequent deal with 50 Cent, "Wanksta" quickly became the most requested song on New York radio. Capitalizing on the appropriated songs success, it was added to Eminems hit movie soundtrack 8 Mile and had its own video release, quickly entering heavy rotation on MTV, BET, MuchMusic, and radio stations around the country.
Wealth & Success
With the buzz built, a hit single that just wouldnt go away, and legions of rap fans eager to hear new material , 50 Cent was destined for great things, or at least plenty of dough. In its first week of release, 50s first major label debut Get Rich or Die Tryin sold 872,000 units as stores struggled to keep up to the demand. In fact, not only was the album certified gold in its first week and platinum the next, but it broke the record for first week sales of any major label debut in the entire SoundScan era. On April 12, 2004 Get Rich or Die Tryin was certified six times platinum (i.e. has sold 6,000,000 albums) by the RIAA.
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