| His lockjaw delivery makes him look as gangsta as | | | | Never losing focus, 50 moved on and recorded |
| Marlon "the Godfather" Brando, but 50 Cent is no | | | | another album, Power of the Dollar, this time with |
| actor, folks. In fact, his unique articulation has to do with | | | | Columbia Records. But two months before he was |
| a hole in his jaw, the result of having taken a bullet in | | | | set to debut in 2000, he suffered those infamous nine |
| the face (along with eight other shots taken to the rest | | | | point-blank gunshot wounds and was dropped from his |
| of his body). He managed to defeat the odds by | | | | label as a result. This turned out to be a blessing in |
| leaving the street hustle behind before it was too late, | | | | disguise, however. Although the Power of the Dollar |
| transforming his life of crime into a profession in rhyme. | | | | album was shelved, its catchiest single, "How to Rob," |
| Whether rapping about the streets, the clubs, or even | | | | was featured in countless mix tapes circulating across |
| certain candy shops, 50 has quickly emerged as one | | | | the East Coast. And they inevitably made it to the |
| of hip-hop's most dominant and talked about | | | | West Coast and onto the Internet. The song became |
| superstars to date. | | | | a turning point in 50's career. In it, he paints portraits of |
| Born Curtis Jackson, the New York native was raised | | | | how he'd stick up random celebrities, from Mariah |
| in a drug-infested area of South Jamaica, Queens, and | | | | Carey to members of the Wu-Tang Clan to even |
| so, naturally, he was introduced to the negative side of | | | | Jay-Z. The single sparked not only controversy within |
| the ghetto at an early age. 50 never knew his father, | | | | the industry but also extreme popular demand from |
| and his mother was a crack cocaine dealer and addict | | | | hip-hop fans. |
| who was murdered in her own home by an unknown | | | | His budding popularity, legendary invulnerability to bullets, |
| assailant at the age of 23. Only 8 years old at the time, | | | | and expertise in verbal assaults earned him the right to |
| 50 moved in with his grandparents, where he | | | | sign with Eminem and Dr. Dre in 2003. In doing so, he's |
| eventually followed in the footsteps of his mother by | | | | sold more albums in two years (Get Rich or Die Tryin' |
| the age of 12. In tenth grade, he was arrested and | | | | and The Massacre) than most artists in any music |
| given juvenile probation for possession of narcotics. 50 | | | | genre can dream of selling in their entire careers. |
| dropped out of school shortly thereafter. He continued | | | | GameSpot recently filmed exclusive interviews with 50 |
| his hustle, but the law caught up with him again, this | | | | Cent, the G-Unit, and the producer of the upcoming |
| time twice in a matter of three weeks. Perhaps these | | | | video game 50 Cent: Bulletproof. Watch the videos in |
| arrests put things in perspective for young 50, because | | | | this special feature for the latest on the world's |
| soon after, he began to show an interest in writing | | | | premier rapper and his new video game. Sign me up |
| rhymes with a few of his buddies. One of his crew | | | | to receive email updates on the latest news, contests |
| introduced him to the late Jam Master Jay of | | | | and videos for 50 Cent and other Interscope Records |
| Run-D.M.C., who showed 50 the ropes and produced a | | | | artists. |
| few unreleased tracks for him. | | | | |