He’s been a giant in the music industry for nearly three decades, yet many of 50 Cent’s fans are only now uncovering the true meaning behind his iconic stage name.
Born Curtis James Jackson III, 50 Cent’s upbringing in Queens, New York, was fraught with challenges that few children should ever face.
Tragedy struck early when, at just eight years old, his mother Sabrina, who was involved in drug dealing, died under tragic circumstances, leaving him in the care of his grandparents following his father’s absence.
By the age of 11, young Curtis was already embroiled in the street life, “selling crack on the strip” while juggling school and boxing training.
His illicit activities didn’t go unnoticed; he was eventually busted by metal detectors at school, leading to his arrest.
In 1994, he was handed a prison sentence for drug-related offences. He served six months in a boot camp and managed to obtain his GED, which marked a turning point in his life.
It was then that he embraced the moniker 50 Cent, as a metaphor for change. The name, he explained, was influenced by Kelvin Martin, a notorious 1980s Brooklyn robber also known as 50 Cent.
He remarked: “It says everything I want it to say. I’m the same kind of person 50 Cent was. I provide for myself by any means.”
Just two years after his stint in prison, 50 Cent found solace in music, honing his craft in a friend’s basement. He laid down tracks for his debut album “Power of the Dollar” with Columbia Records between 1999 and 2000.
However, a near-fatal shooting incident led to the album being shelved and his contract with the label terminated.
In 2002, Eminem stumbled upon 50 Cent’s mixtape Guess Who’s Back? and swiftly signed him to his label, Shady Records. This marked the beginning of 50 Cent’s rise to fame, with hits such as In da Club, Just A Lil Bit, Many Men, 21 Questions, Intro, p.i. m.p, and Candy Shop.
Hip Hop Gods states: “So far, 50 Cent has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and won several prestigious awards, including a Grammy Award and three American Music Awards. Billboard ranked him as the third-best rapper of the 00s, and the sixth-best overall artist of the same decade. His single In da Club was included at spot #13 on Rolling Stones magazine’s list of the 100 Best Songs of the 2000s!”
Regarding the origin of his stage name, one Quora user explained: “The name was inspired by Kelvin Martin, a 1980s Brooklyn robber known as 50 Cent; Jackson chose it ‘because it says everything I want it to say’.”
Another user chimed in: “50 Cent’s real name is Curtis James Jackson III. His stage name 50 Cent was chosen because it’s a metaphor for change.”