Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson has undergone a complete makeover and is currently considered one of the most talented TV producers in the industry. The Queens, New York native's first foray into the rap scene started as a teenager, and he looked to be heading into the limelight when Columbia Records signed him in 2000.
His album for the label Power of the Dollar was all set to be released in 2000 until he was attacked outside his grandmother's house and shot nine times at a close range.
Miraculously, he survived and walked out of the hospital two weeks later, but the incident left him with injuries to his face, resulting in a swollen tongue and a slurred voice.
Columbia subsequently dropped him, but the rapper would not give up and started handing out his music until he was noticed by superstar Eminem and iconic producer Dr. Dre. He instantly signed him to their label Interscope.
Curtis Jackson would burst onto the rap scene in 2003 with his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin, becoming one of the early figures of 'gangsta' rap.
The album, a joint production effort between Dr. Dre and Eminem, was an instant commercial success selling 9 million units. 50 Cent followed it up with another album, The Massacre, in 2005, with popular iconic rap songs like "Candy Shop" and "Just a Lil Bit."
After making his impact in the music industry, 50 Cent aspired to be a better version of himself, so he went into business and acting. He promoted and invested in the company Vitamin Water. In 2007, when Coca-Cola bought the company, 50 Cent made a staggering $100 million.
However, 50 Cent ran into financial troubles in 2015 after Lastonia Leviston sued him for releasing a sex tape without her permission. The rapper was found liable and ordered to pay $7 million in damages.
He was also in another lawsuit regarding a headphone company called Sleek Audio, which accumulated in 50 Cent filing for bankruptcy protection.
In 2016 he was ordered by the Bankruptcy Court to pay his creditors $23 million over five years, but the rapper was able to do it within months. He has since bounced back to become one of the wealthiest celebrities in Hollywood.
8 Is 50 Cent The Producer Of 'Power'?
50 Cent had always been interested in what goes on behind the scenes in the movie industry. Over the years, the rapper kept his head down and learned how the system worked.
His dream of becoming a showrunner and producer gained significant traction in early 2010 when writer Courtney A. Kemp approached him about a story she had that was set on a drug dealer who wanted to become a legitimate businessman.
She needed 50 Cent's input about the streets and the drug game, and together they pitched the idea to multiple television networks until 2014, when the Starz Network picked it up.
Together 50 Cent and Kemp became the executive producers of the series Power, which starred actor Omari Hardwick as the main character.
7 What TV Shows Does 50 Cent Produce?
After Power aired in 2014, it quickly became a fan favorite among predominantly Black and Latino communities. By the end of its third season, the series became the second most-watched series and was only edged out by Game of Thrones.
The series aired for six seasons and spawned four spin-off series: Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Power Book IV: Force, and the forthcoming Power Book IV: Influence.
In addition to the Power franchise, which is all run by 50 Cent, he also holds the series BMF (Black Mafia Family), which is aired by Starz, and the ABC series For Life, which was canceled after two seasons.
Another one of his series, Queen Nzinga, which is about an African woman warrior, has been picked up by Starz.
6 50 Cent Never Had A Shortage Of Ambition
Apart from being a recognized and award-winning rapper, 50 Cent always nurtured the dream to be known as a business mogul and not just a rapper. He invested in Vitamin Water, the headphone line SMS Audio, and many multiple movie ventures.
5 50 Cent Had Always Been Interested In Films And TV
He had the desire to explore the movie industry without restraints and, with this in mind, started his own production company called G-Unit Films in 2003.
4 50 Cent Made His Acting Debut In 'Get Rich Or Die Trying'
In 2005 the rapper made his on-screen debut in the movie Get Rich or Die Tryin, a semi-biopic about a young man named Marcus who was shot nine times and subsequently used the rap game to escape his unhappy life.
The story, which drew inspiration from the rapper's personal life and Eminem's 2002 movie 8 Mile, did not do well commercially, and it also garnered negative comments from critics.
3 50 Cent Became Interested In The Inner Workings Of The Movie Industry
50 Cent followed up his on-screen debut with appearances in movies like All Things Fall Apart, SouthPaw, the Escape Plan trilogy, and a host of other films.
While working as an actor in these movies, 50 Cent developed an interest in working behind the scenes, like producing or directing his films, which led him to create the Power TV series franchise.
2 Working With Courtney Kemp Agbo
Kemp and 50 Cent's movie-making journey started in 2014 when Starz picked up their series Power, and it launched their career as prominent figures in the movie industry.
Speaking about their relationship, Kemp explained that she and 50 Cent have two distinct relationships. They communicate as a producer to an actor when the rapper portrays his Power character Kanan, which Kemp disclosed is like his real-life personality.
They also have a producer to producer relationship where they talk about the direction in which the series is going and come up with exciting dialogues and stories to incorporate into the series. She praised 50 Cent as an incredible storyteller who often comes up with ideas months before writing the episodes.
1 Breaking Into The Hollywood Scene As A Producer
When Kemp approached 50 Cent with the idea of making Power, he recognized the show would depict the Hip-Hop Culture with its sexual and violent scenes and the music.
Due to these features, it took two years before they finally found a network willing to pick the show and showcase the story in its raw form. The success of Power propelled 50 Cent as a talented movie producer, and he has also strengthened that reputation with the success of the spin-offs.