50 Cent had one of the most anticipated debut LPs in 2003 with the instant hit track "In Da Club" and a few years underground with mixtapes - all from a rapper who had been shot 9 times, stabbed, sold crack, and jailed. 50 Cent grew up as Curtis Jackson in New York, raised by his grandparents after his mother was murdered, now find all the info on his since life and career, only here.
1999: 50 Cent signed a deal with Columbia Records with the help of The Trackmasters.
May, 1999: 50 Cent was shot 9 times in New York. He was soon dropped from Columbia Records and his LP, Power Of The Dollar was never released by Columbia Records. 50 Cent continued to try and make it as a rapper and hit the underground music scene with mix-tapes and independent recordings with G-Unit.
June, 2002: After finding some success with mix-tapes, 50 Cent was signed by Shady/Aftermath Records with the help of Eminem.
October, 2002: 50 Cent could be heard on the 8 Mile soundtrack with the tracks "Wanksta," "Love Me," and "Places To Go."
December, 2002: 50 Cent was arrested for gun possession in New York.
January, 2003: A performance in San Francisco by 50 Cent had to be cancelled after thousands of fans without tickets showed up outside the concert hall.
February, 2003: 50 Cent topped the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart, the R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart for 9 weeks, and the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for 9 weeks with "In Da Club." 50 Cent released Get Rich Or Die Tryin'. The LP includes help from Eminem, Nate Dogg, and Dr. Dre. 50 Cent hit the Top 40 with "In Da Club." Get Rich Or Die Tryin' topped the Billboard 200 Album chart for 6 weeks and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for 8 weeks selling over 872,000 copies in its first week of release in the US - a shorter release week than usual after the release date was pushed up to thwart bootlegging and downloading. Get Rich Or Die Tryin' topped the LP charts in Canada. 50 Cent can be heard on the soundtrack for Cradle 2 The Grave with "Follow Me Gangster."
March, 2003: 50 Cent topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for 9 weeks and the Hot 100 Airplay chart for 9 weeks with "In Da Club." 50 Cent hit the Top 10 with "In Da Club" and then #1 for 4 weeks. "In Da Club" broke a Billboard magazine record as the 'most listened-to' song in radio history within a week. Get Rich Or Die Tryin' was certified 4x platinum. 50 Cent helped out Lil' Kim on the track "Magic Stick" for her LP, La Bella Mafia.
April, 2003: 50 Cent The New Breed (CD & DVD) was released. 50 Cent appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone. 50 Cent hit the Top 40 with Nate Dogg with "21 Questions." 50 Cent topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for 8 weeks with "21 Questions." 50 Cent topped the Canadian singles charts with "In Da Club."
May, 2003: 50 Cent performed on Saturday Night Live. 50 Cent The New Breed topped the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop chart for a week. 50 Cent The New Breed topped the Billboard Top Music Videos chart. 50 Cent topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for 4 weeks, the Hot 100 Airplay chart for 5 weeks, the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart for 7 weeks, the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart for a week, and Hot Rap Tracks chart for 7 weeks with "21 Questions."
June, 2003: 50 Cent hit the Top 10 with Nate Dogg with "21 Questions." 50 Cent and Jay-Z will start touring together as part of the 'Rock The Mic Tour' kicking off in June in Connecticut. 50 Cent hit the Top 40 helping out Lil' Kim with "Magic Stick" from her LP La Bella Mafia. 50 Cent topped the Billboard Rap Singles chart for 5 weeks and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for a week by helping out Lil' Kim with "Magic Stick." 50 Cent won 2 BET Awards for Best New Artist and Best Male Hip-Hop Artist. Get Rich Or Die Tryin' was certified 5x platinum.
July, 2003: 50 Cent topped the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart for a week helping out Lil' Kim with "Magic Stick." 50 Cent could be heard on the Bad Boys 2 soundtrack with the track "Realest Niggaz." 50 Cent hit the Top 40 with "P.I.M.P." 50 Cent hit the Top 10 helping out Lil' Kim with "Magic Stick."
August, 2003: 50 Cent's video for "In Da Club" won 2 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Rap Video and Best New Artist, and was nominated for Video of the Year, Best Male Video, and Viewer's Choice. 50 Cent also performed at the ceremony. 50 Cent topped the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart for 2 weeks with "P.I.M.P." 50 Cent could be heard on Mary J. Blige's LP, Love & Life, on the track "Let Me Be The 1."
October, 2003: 50 Cent hit the Top 10 with "P.I.M.P." 50 Cent won 5 World Music Awards including Best Artist 2003, Best Pop Male Artist, Best R&B Artist, Best Rap/Hip-Hop Artist, and Best New Artist. 50 Cent took home 2 Source Awards for Album of the Year (Get Rich Or Die Tryin') and Single of the Year, Male ("In Da Club"). 50 Cent won a Radio Music Awards for Artist of the Year - Hip-Hop Radio.
November, 2003: 50 Cent was featured on the Tupac: Resurrection soundtrack on the track "The Realist Killaz" with 2Pac. 50 Cent's G-Unit released Beg For Mercy. 50 Cent won 2 American Music Awards for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album and Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist and was nominated for the Fan's Choice Award. 50 Cent won 3 Vibe Awards including Artist of the Year, Dopest Album, and Hottest Hook ("In Da Club").
December, 2003: Get Rich Or Die Tryin' was certified 6x platinum. 50 Cent had the Top Music Video Sales title of the year with The New Breed. Readers of Rolling Stone named 50 Cent as the Best New Artist. 50 Cent topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the Top Pop Artist (singles & albums), Top Pop Artist - Male (singles & albums),Top Billboard 200 Album, Top Billboard 200 Album Artist - Male, Top Hot 100 Singles Artist, Top Hot 100 Singles Artist - Male, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist (singles & albums), Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist - Male (singles & albums), Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist - Male, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Artist, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Artist - Male, Top Hot Rhythmic Top 40 Artist, Top Hot Rap Artist - and with the Top Billboard 200 Album Artist and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album (Get Rich Or Die Tryin''), and the Top Hot 100 Singles & Tracks, Top Hot 100 Airplay Track, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, and Top Hot Rap Single ("In Da Club"). 50 Cent had the biggest selling LP of the year - Get Rich Or Die Tryin' - which sold over 6.5 million copies during the year in the US.
February, 2004: 50 Cent was nominated for 5 Grammy Awards including Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group ("Magic Stick" with Lil' Kim), Best Rap Solo Performance - Male ("In Da Club"), Best Rap Album Get Rich Or Die Tryin''), Best New Artist, and Best Rap Song (songwriter) ("In Da Club" with M. Elizondo and A. Young). 50 Cent won a Brit Award for Best International Breakthrough Artists.
August, 2004: The video for "P.I.M.P." was nominated for a MTV Video Music Award including Best Rap Video.
October, 2004: The single "In Da Club" was certified gold.
November, 2004: 50 Cent hit the Top 40 helping out Eminem with "Encore" from Eminem's LP, Encore. #276 on the Top Pop Artists of the Past 25 Years chart.
January, 2005: 50 Cent hit the Top 40 with "Disco Inferno." 50 Cent hit the Top 40 helping out The Game with "How We Do" from the LP The Documentary. The single "P.I.M.P." was certified gold.
February, 2005: 50 Cent hit the Top 40 with "Candy Shop." 50 Cent topped the Billboard Rhythmic Airplay chart with "Disco Inferno." 50 Cent topped the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart with "Candy Shop." 50 Cent performed on Saturday Night Live. The single "Disco Inferno" was certified gold.
March, 2005: 50 Cent released his next LP The Massacre. 50 Cent topped the Billboard Rhythmic Airplay chart helping out The Game with "How We Do." 50 Cent topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Billboard Rap chart, Hot 100 Airplay chart, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, and Rhythmic Airplay chart with "Candy Shop." 50 Cent hit the Top 10 with "Disco Inferno." The Massacre topped the Billboard LP 200 chart and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart selling over 1.14 million copies its first week of release (shortened to 4 days due to an early release) in the US. The LP also topped the LP charts in the UK and Canada. 50 Cent hit the Top 40 with The Game with "Hate It Or Love It." 50 Cent hit the Top 10 with "Candy Shop" and "How We Do." The single "Candy Shop" was certified gold and "Disco Inferno" was certified platinum.
April, 2005: 50 Cent topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart,Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, and Hot Rap Tracks chart helping out The Game with "Hate It Or Love It." The Massacre was certified 4x platinum. 50 Cent hit the Top 10 with The Game with "Hate It Or Love It."
May, 2005: 50 Cent hit the Top 40 with "Just A Lil' Bit." 50 Cent topped the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart with "Just A Lil' Bit." 50 Cent plead no contest to assault charges from a concert last year and must take anger management classes and can no longer carry a gun in Massachusetts.
June, 2005: The single "Hate It Or Love It" was certified gold. 50 Cent hit the Top 10 with "Just A Lil' Bit." The singles "Disco Inferno" and "Candy Shop" were certified 2x platinum.
July, 2005: 50 Cent hit the Top 40 with help from Mobb Deep with "Outta Control."
August, 2005: The video for "Candy Shop" was nominated for a MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video. The video for "Hate It Or Love It" was nominated for Best Rap Video. 50 Cent performed at the ceremony. The single "In Da Club" was certified platinum.
September, 2005: 50 Cent released his next LP The Massacre (Special Edition). The set included a remix of "Outta Control" with Mobb Deep and a DVD.
October, 2005: 50 Cent hit the Top 40 with "Window Shopper."
November, 2005: The Get Rich Or Die Tryin' soundtrack and movie were released. 50 Cent topped the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and Top Rap Albums chart with Get Rich Or Die Tryin' soundtrack. 50 Cent won an American Music Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album (The Massacre) and was nominated for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, and Artist of the Year.
December, 2005: The Massacre was certified 5x platinum and the Get Rich Or Die Tryin' soundtrack was certified platinum. 50 Cent had the #2 selling LP of 2005 with The Massacre selling over 4.8 million copies during the year. 50 Cent topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the Top Pop Artist (singles & albums), Top Pop Artist - Male (singles & albums), Top Billboard 200 Album Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album Artist - Male, Top Hot 100 Singles Artist, Top Hot 100 Singles Artist - Male, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist (singles & albums), Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist - Male (singles & albums), Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist - Male, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Artist, Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Artist - Male, Top Rhythmic Artist, and with the Top Billboard 200 Album (The Massacre which actually came in at #2 by the end of the year) and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album.
February, 2006: 50 Cent was nominated for 6 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Solo Performance ("Disco Inferno"), Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group ("Encore" with Eminem and Dr. Dre and "Hate It Or Love It" with The Game), Best Rap Song (awarded to the songwriter) ("Candy Shop" with Scott Storch and "Hate It Or Love It" with A. Lyon, The Game and M. Valenzano), and Best Rap Album (The Massacre).
