Curtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent in the entertainment industry, is a New York-based African-American rapper, actor, producer, and entrepreneur. Sabrina, the rapper’s mother, reared him alone since his birth on July 6, 1975.
After the death of his mother, a drug dealer, he moved in with his grandparents and began selling drugs when he was just 12 years old. He was arrested several times for narcotics charges.
He did, however, take to rap, as did many other black teenagers his age, and published a few of tracks. “How To Rob,” his rap track, drew the attention of the late DMX, Jay-Z, and others. Previously, the legendary Jam Master Jay taught him how to write songs and produce choruses.
In 2003, 50 Cent released his debut album “Get Rich or Die Trying,” which catapulted him to the top of the Billboard charts. In the first four days after its release, he sold a million copies of the record. He has since published other albums and collaborated on others.
While constructing an empire behind the microphone, the rapper has turned his attention to businesses and has been quite active in the business sector.
Looking beyond the microphone and the stage, here are six businesses owned by 50 Cent that you probably didn’t know about.
G-Unit record label
The rapper’s first commercial venture was a record company called G-Unit, which was founded in 2003. It has become a hip-hop industry powerhouse since its inception, boosting the careers of various major acts like as Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, Young Buck, and Mobb Deep.
The company began as a collaboration between 50 Cent and Interscope Records, but was eventually acquired by Universal Music Group.
“G-Unit Records has been credited with popularizing the mixtape format, which has become an integral part of hip-hop culture, as well as introducing the world to a new generation of stars, such as Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, and Tony Yayo,” Musicgateway writes.
“The label has also released a number of successful albums, including 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’, which went on to become one of the best-selling albums of all time.”
G-Unit Clothing Company
50 Cent launched the G-Unit Clothing Company in addition to G-Unit music. According to BET, he began the apparel business in 2003 as a collaborative venture with Marc Eck, founder of Eck Unltd.
The agreement was compared to the one struck between Nike and Michael Jordan, which resulted in the birth of Air Jordan. After acquiring full ownership of the company, 50 Cent relaunched it in 2008, marking the end of G-Unit’s collaboration with March Ecko. G-Unit re-established a cooperation later that year, with intentions for a Spring 2009 collection.
SMS by 50
50 Cent created SMS by 50, a headphone brand inspired by Dr. Dre’s Beats. According to BET, the offering includes outstanding audio gear for DJs and music enthusiasts around.
The product came with three distinct models– Sync by 50, Street by 50 (On-ear), and Street by 50 (In-ear).
ThisIs50.com
The rapper is also the creator of the website ThisIs50.com. ThisIs50.com, according to BET, keeps hip-hop heads up to date on the latest tunes and hip-hop happenings.
G-Unit Films and Cheetah Vision
In 2003 and 2008, he delved into the film industry, establishing G-Unit Films and Cheetah Vision, respectively. Although G-Unit Films is no longer in business, Cheetah Vision is still in existence and received $200 million in funding in 2010.