A Cents of Destruction
50 Cent is Back on Tour, and Still Inviting Controversy

By Eleanor McCulloch

Curtis James Jackson III was abandoned by his father, lived through the murder of his mother, began dealing drugs at age 12, competed in the Junior Olympics as an amateur boxer, and became infamous for rapper rivalries.
He was riddled with bullets in 2000, founded a record label, collaborated with the biggest names in show business, starred in a handful of films, founded clothing, sports drink, body spray and condom lines, and is now one of the richest rappers ever to work in the genre.

But you likely know him better by the handle 50 Cent — a stage name reportedly borrowed from a robber who terrorized Brooklyn during the 1980s.

Born in Queens in 1975, 50 Cent’s breakout album, 2003’s “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” has now gone platinum eight times over, having sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. 50 Cent went on to release “The Massacre” in 2005, which has sold 11 million copies around the world.

But it’s the fact that 50 Cent is one of the hardest working hip-hop artists recording today that has jettisoned him off New York’s crack-slinging streets and on to star in one of the biggest success stories in industry history. The success, however, came with a storm of well-publicized feuds with fellow hip-hop industry notables.

It was after the 2000 shooting (when 50 Cent was shot nine times, including in the face) that he toiled for two years in rehab to release “Guess Who’s Back?” The album got him discovered by rapper Eminem, and soon after, he was signed to Interscope Records. Aided by rapper-mogul Dr. Dre, who would produce his early major commercial successes, Fiddy went on to found label G-Unit Records, soon signing up-and-comers Young Buck, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo.

He starred in the semi-autobiographical film “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” in 2005, War film “Home of the Brave” in 2006, and “Righteous Kill” in 2008.

An astonishingly slimmer 50 Cent, who lost more than 50 pounds to star in the upcoming film tale “Things Fall Apart” in which the rapper plays an college football rising star who is diagnosed with cancer, is now on tour in support of a new album.

After two years, Fiddy’s fourth studio album, “Before I Self Destruct,” was released in November to mixed reviews. Primarily challenged for being lyrically lacking compared to the emcee skills fans are used to, the album nonetheless maintains no shortage of challenges to other rappers and lady-killer tracks, in true 50 Cent-fashion. The album has also been lauded as a deep exploration of the relationships and bouts of loneliness the artist has had throughout his life. Be them good or bad reminiscences, the value to the tracks is that they are at least honest observations, even if through the eyes of the controversy-wielding 50 Cent, rather than the lonely Curtis Jackson.

50 Cent will perform with G-Unit on The Invitation Tour at 8 p.m., on Tuesday, June 15 at the Fillmore Miami Beach, 1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. Tickets are $40.50 to $56.50, and available at livenation.com or by calling 305-673-7300.

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