50 Cent G Unit

His lockjaw delivery makes him look as gangsta as Marlon "the Godfather" Brando, but 50 Cent is no actor, folks. In fact, his unique articulation has to do with a hole in his jaw, the result of having taken a bullet in the face (along with eight other shots taken to the rest of his body). He managed to defeat the odds by leaving the street hustle behind before it was too late, transforming his life of crime into a profession in rhyme. Whether rapping about the streets, the clubs, or even certain candy shops, 50 has quickly emerged as one of hip-hop's most dominant and talked about superstars to date.

Born Curtis Jackson, the New York native was raised in a drug-infested area of South Jamaica, Queens, and so, naturally, he was introduced to the negative side of the ghetto at an early age. 50 never knew his father, and his mother was a crack cocaine dealer and addict who was murdered in her own home by an unknown assailant at the age of 23. Only 8 years old at the time, 50 moved in with his grandparents, where he eventually followed in the footsteps of his mother by the age of 12. In tenth grade, he was arrested and given juvenile probation for possession of narcotics. 50 dropped out of school shortly thereafter. He continued his hustle, but the law caught up with him again, this time twice in a matter of three weeks. Perhaps these arrests put things in perspective for young 50, because soon after, he began to show an interest in writing rhymes with a few of his buddies. One of his crew introduced him to the late Jam Master Jay of Run-D.M.C., who showed 50 the ropes and produced a few unreleased tracks for him.

Never losing focus, 50 moved on and recorded another album, Power of the Dollar, this time with Columbia Records. But two months before he was set to debut in 2000, he suffered those infamous nine point-blank gunshot wounds and was dropped from his label as a result. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, however. Although the Power of the Dollar album was shelved, its catchiest single, "How to Rob," was featured in countless mix tapes circulating across the East Coast. And they inevitably made it to the West Coast and onto the Internet. The song became a turning point in 50's career. In it, he paints portraits of how he'd stick up random celebrities, from Mariah Carey to members of the Wu-Tang Clan to even Jay-Z. The single sparked not only controversy within the industry but also extreme popular demand from hip-hop fans.

His budding popularity, legendary invulnerability to bullets, and expertise in verbal assaults earned him the right to sign with Eminem and Dr. Dre in 2003. In doing so, he's sold more albums in two years (Get Rich or Die Tryin' and The Massacre) than most artists in any music genre can dream of selling in their entire careers. GameSpot recently filmed exclusive interviews with 50 Cent, the G-Unit, and the producer of the upcoming video game 50 Cent: Bulletproof. Watch the videos in this special feature for the latest on the world's premier rapper and his new video game. Sign me up to receive email updates on the latest news, contests and videos for 50 Cent and other Interscope Records artists.

Gunit 50 Cent

---

How to Buy an Electric Guitar

For most of us, making any major purchase, such as... Read More

How to Organise a Gig or a Live Music Event - the Budget

Three times in the last month I've been asked the... Read More

Piano Playing For Adults: More Fun Than Sex And Not Nearly As Dangerous!

OK, so I lied about the fun part.Maybe piano playing... Read More

Arranging for New Age Piano

A while back, I wrote an article that compared flower... Read More

Top 50 Music Quotations

Discover the phenomenonal complexity of music and reflect on the... Read More

George Winston and New Age Piano Playing

The first time I heard George Winston play back in... Read More

Shopping For Your First Drum Set

Your first drum set purchase is very exciting! You have... Read More

5 Ways to Enjoy Your Music Files

OK, say you've got one thousand of your favorite MP3... Read More

Good News for the Musically Untalented

Have you ever been told that you were good at... Read More

How To Change Your Guitar Strings

Changing your guitar strings might make you feel a litte... Read More

Musical Improvisation Basics - 8 Vital Things To Remember

This article discusses 8 vital things to remember as improvisers... Read More

Music for Corporate Entertainment

For many years I have supplied music for and played... Read More

Making Music As A Lefty

Author Interview with Ryan Thomson, seacoast New Hampshire resident, and... Read More

Bagpipe Lessons In Your Own Home !

Bringing Bagpipe Tuition to Everyone, Everywhere.I have been teaching music... Read More

The Post-rock Revolution (Explosions in the sky)

A lot has been said about the 'post-rock' revolution as... Read More

Right Hand Guitar Playing Tip

This lesson can open for you a secret of high-speed... Read More

How Many Chords Are There, Anyway?

Since chords (the main component of harmony) are one of... Read More

How to Create Hip, Mature, and Lush Harmonies [correction]

Rarely is a chord played with its tones contained in... Read More

Warner Music Executive Payments

"In human life, art may arise from almost any activity,... Read More

So You Want to be President? Learn to Play a Musical Instrument!

President Harry S. Truman, the man in the White House... Read More

50 Cent G Unit

His lockjaw delivery makes him look as gangsta as Marlon... Read More

The Time Machine Exist!

We call it music, ever noticed how vividly music triggers... Read More

Guitar Performance - Make The Most of It!

Getting ready for any type of guitar performance can be... Read More

Would Chopin Have Passed A Music Quiz?

Q. My children are very interested in playing music. Is... Read More

Turn It Up: Plugging Into The Perfect Guitar And Amp Settings

Yowza! Did you hear that hideous noise? It sounded like... Read More

Singing: The Tonic of Life

Most people these days would associate singing with the popular... Read More

Painting with Sound

Whenever I go to a Borders bookstore here in San... Read More

Bang on Your Drum All Day Long - Without Annoying Your Neighbors!

Bang! Bam! Bang! Have you always wanted to play the... Read More

So You Wanna Learn How To Start a Record Label?

Well, you love music so much that you have decided... Read More

Story of 50 Cent

G-Units 50 Cent , was born 6th of July 1976... Read More

Acoustic Or Electronic Drums - What Is Your Choice?

A debate rages on in the drumming world! You might... Read More

Facts about Betty Kresin, Eminems grandmother

Betty Kresin, Eminem's grandmother from the maternal side... Read More

Can You Really Learn To Play a Musical Instrument From an Online Course?

Out of the 250 million people in the United States,... Read More