50 Cent Greatest Hits
This is a review of 50 cent greatest hits as a rapper from New York City, New York. He became known with the release of his albums “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” in 2003 and “The Massacre” in 2005. His album “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” has been certified platinum eight times by the recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). He is also known as an investor, entrepreneur, and an actor.
Early Life
He was born Curtis James Jackson III on July 6, 1975, in the South Jamaica neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens which was a poverty-stricken urban neighborhood. He was raised solely by his mother, Sabrina, who gave birth to him at the age of fifteen.
When Jackson was eleven years old, he got interested in boxing. The following year, Jackson started working with narcotics but told his grandparents he was attending school programs. During this time, he began bringing guns and drug money to school. When Jackson was fourteen years old, a neighbor opened a boxing gym for local youth. In the mid-1980s, Jackson competed in the Junior Olympics as an amateur boxer. At the age of sixteen, he was caught by metal detectors at Andrew Jackson High School. He later explained that he was embarrassed by his subsequent arrest and confessed to his grandmother that he was selling drugs.
Afterwards, Jackson was sent to correctional boot camp. After his release, he adopted the nickname “50 Cent” as a metaphor for “change”. The name was derived from Kelvin Martin, a Brooklyn robber known as “50 Cent”. This became his stage name for all recordings.
His Music Career
When Jackson was 21 years old, in 1996, he began rapping in the basement of a friend. He used turntables to record over instrumentals. Another friend introduced him to Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC who was organizing his label Jam Master Jay Records. Jay taught Jackson how to count bars, write choruses, structure songs, and create a record. Jackson credited Jam Master Jay as an influence who helped him improve his ability to write hooks. Jay produced Jackson’s first album. The album was shelved and never released.
In 1999, after leaving Jam Master Jay, the platinum-selling producers Trackmasters took notice of Jackson and signed him to Columbia Records. They sent him to a studio where he produced thirty-six songs in two weeks. Eighteen were included on his unofficially released album, “Power of the Dollar” in 2000. He also started the now-defunct Hollow Point Entertainment with former G-Unit affiliate Bang ‘Em Smurf. In May, 2000, he got shot and spent two weeks recuperating from his wounds. Because of this, Columbia Records dropped 50 Cent from his contract.
Fame and Popularity
In 2002, Eminem listened to a copy of Jackson’s “Guess Who’s Back?” CD. He received the CD through Jackson’s attorney, who was working with Eminem’s manager Paul Rosenberg. Impressed with the album, Eminem invited Jackson to fly to Los Angeles, where he was introduced to Dr. Dre. After signing a $1 million record deal, Jackson released the mixtape, “No Mercy, No Fear” it featured one new track, “Wanksta”. This was 50 Cent’s first charted single on Billboard’s Hot 100 at #13, in November 2002, and was on the chart for twenty weeks.
He debut his album “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” in February 2003 and on that album was a single titled “In Da Club” which went to #1 in March 2003 and stayed in the top position for nine weeks. This song has sold over 2 million copies and is ranked at #448 on Rolling Stone’s top 500 songs of all time. In March 2003, it broke a Billboard record as the “most listened-to” song in radio history within a week. The same album had another single “21 Questions” which went to #1, in May 2003 and stayed there for 4 weeks. This became 50 Cent’s second #1 single. The album produced a top ten hit “P.I.M.P.” #3 in June, 2003. Billboard ranked 50 Cent as the number one artist of 2003.
His next studio album titled “The Massacre” in 2005 produced his third number one hit “Candy Shop” which was #1 for nine weeks in March. It also produced three more top ten hits “Disco Inferno” #3, and “Just A Lil Bit” #3, and Outta Control” #6. Billboard ranked 50 Cent as the number one artist for 2005. The second time he achieved this distinction.
In 2009, his album “Relapse” was a song “Crack A Bottle” which went to #1 for one week and was his last #1 song to date. His last top ten hit was “Down On Me” in 2011 at #4. His last charted single on the Hot 100 to date is “My Life” at #27 in 2012.
All told, 50 Cent has a total of 4 #1’s, 13 Top 10, 16 Top 20, 23 Top 40 hits. He also has 5 top ten albums. He has a total of 50 charted singles with six bubbling under the Hot 100. Billboard ranks 50 Cent as the #9 artist from 2000-2010 and #79 artist of all time from 1955-2010. He is still active today and could add to these totals. He is scheduled to release another studio album sometime in 2014.
He also established another Billboard record for solo artists by having three singles in the top five on the same chart date in 2003. The Beatles have the record for a group with five in April, 1964.
Top 10 & Number #1’s
Below is a complete listing of 50 Cent’s top ten hits and his number ones (in bold) in chronological order on the Hot 100 chart. The list will consist of the title, date, peak position, weeks at #1 & #2 in ().
- In Da Club – March 8, 2003 #1 (9)
- Magic Stick – April 26, 2003 #2 (3)
- 21 Questions – May 31, 2003 #1 (4)
- P.I.M.P. – May 31, 2003 #3
- How We Do – November 27, 2004 #4
- Disco Inferno – December 11, 2004 #3
- Hate It Or Love It – February 12, 2005 #2 (5)
- Candy Shop – March 5, 2005 #1 (9)
- Just A Lil Bit – March 26, 2005 #3
- Outta Control – July 23, 2005 #6
- Ayo Technology – August 25, 2007 #5
- Crack A Bottle – February 21, 2009 #1 (1)
- Down On Me – November 27, 2010 #4
If you are a fan of 50 Cent, below are two albums that contain all of his #1 hits and some top-tens. Check them out!
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The Massacre (Explicit Version) 22 Tracks
Get Rich Or Die Tryin 16 Tracks
Note: Some of the lyrics are explicit and may not be suitable for younger listeners.
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If you are a fan of 50 Cent, below are two albums that contain all of his #1 hits and some top-tens. Check them out!
The Massacre (Explicit Version) 22 Tracks
Get Rich Or Die Tryin 16 Tracks
Note: Some of the lyrics are explicit and may not be suitable for younger listeners.
Go back to the top 100 songs of all time home page.