Jackson was born and raised in South Jamaica, a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. His mother Sabrina, a drug dealer, died in a fire when he was 8. Since his father had already abandoned the family, young Curtis was sent to live with his grandparents. Growing up during the crack epidemic of the 80s and 90s, Jackson dealt drugs when he wasn't "killing time" at school or boxing at a local gym. His grandparents assumed he was at after-school programs when he was out selling crack. In tenth grade, Jackson was caught with guns and drug money passing through the metal detectors at Andrew Jackson High School in Queens. In 1994, Jackson was arrested again for selling vials of cocaine to an undercover officer, and three weeks later he was arrested yet-again after police found heroin, crack cocaine, and a starter pistol in his home. Jackson was sentenced to 3 to 9 years in prison, but opted to join a 6 month boot camp program and get his GED. Around this time, Jackson began going by "50 Cent," inspired by deceased Brooklyn stick-up man Kelvin "50 Cent" Martin.
After leaving drug dealing to pursue a rap career, he released his debut album Guess Who's Back Again in 2002. He was discovered by Eminem and Dr. Dre and then signed to Interscope Records. He has since released Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003), The Massacre (2006), Curtis (2007) and Before I Self Destruct (2009).
50 Cent has engaged in feuds with other rappers including Jay-Z, Ja Rule, The Game, Cam'ron, Fat Joe, and Rick Ross. He has also pursued an acting career, appearing in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin' in 2005, the Iraq War film Home of the Brave in 2006, and Righteous Kill in 2008. 50 Cent is one of the richest hip-hop performers, having a net worth estimated at US $440 million in 2008.
Before 50 Cent ever inked a major deal, he built up a substantial fan base in New York through underground mixtapes. 50 Cent met up with Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC and was signed to his label to write all of Jayโs music. After heโd left JMJ, he signed to Columbia Records in 1996. On this label, he released Power of the Dollar, and the singles How to Rob and Ghetto Qua Ran. Columbia Records released him from the label after being shot on May 24th, 2000.
Around this time, Eminem had heard one of 50 Centโs demo tapes and expressed a huge interest in him on MTV, as did Dr. Dre. Shortly after this, 50 Cent officially signed to Interscope Records. He was the first rapper to sign to the joint label owned by Dr. Dre and Eminem. The first song he released on this record was entitled Wanksta and was featured on the 8 Mile soundtrack.
In its first week of release, his debut โGet Rich Or Die Tryinโโ sold 872,000 units - easily reaching Gold status. Within the second week it went Platinum (1 mil) and on April 12th, 2004 the RIAA certified it six times Platinum.
In 2005 he followed the success of his album Get Rich or Die Tryinโ with a new release - The Massacre (originally called St. Valentines Day Massacre until the release date was pushed back). The first single released off this, Disco Inferno, was a huge hit - he followed this hit up by the release of Candy Shop and then again with Just a Lil Bit.
In 2003 Interscope Records allowed 50 Cent to have his own label - G-Unit Records. He first signed Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo and Young Buck as the established members of G-Unit Records. In 2004, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent had signed The Game under a joint venture.
16-My Toy Soldier
50 Cent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do it exactly the way I said do it man
These niggas is pussy you heard me?
Get up nice and close
I put that battery in his back
I'm the reason why he move like that
That's my muh'fuckin toy soldier
You don't wanna play with my toy soldier
I say it's on then it's on until your life is over
Fuckin' with my toy soldier
If he's a casualty of war, trust me I got more
You don't want it with my toy soldiers
Listen up close now, follow instructions
Catch a nigga slippin', run up on him and buck him
I ain't got no conscience no morals or nothin'
They ain't wit us, they against us, we supposed to touch 'em
Here's what to do if you see him approach me
Pop that nigga, I don't care if he know me
Half the niggas hatin' on me used to be homies
I don't trust 'em when they smile or when they frown 'cause they phony
Everytime I come around they call the police on me
That's why the D's in the precinct know me
They know about my rap sheet, they know 'bout how I clap heat
Run like I'm in a track meet, swift with the MAC, B
You can see the envy in they eyes fo' sho' mayn
Mad as a motherfucker that I'm holdin'
See me in the back of the Phantom, rollin'
Quick to make examples out of niggas fo' sho' man, hold me down
I put that battery in his back
I'm the reason why he move like that
That's my muh'fuckin toy soldier
I tell him pop that gat, he gon' pop that gat
You don't wanna play with my toy soldier
I say it's on then it's on until your life is over
Fuckin' with my toy soldier
If he's a casualty of war, trust me I got more
You don't want it with my toy soldiers
Shoot, stab, kill muh'fucker
If you ain't 'bout it I don't want you around, cocksucker
Every word out my mouth is felt; that oo-wop pop
Them hollows so hot, yo' ass'll melt
Barber razor in the club, stunt, I'll give you a shape up
Have your ass stitched, gored, your head all taped up
Niggas know how I get down, see they know when I'm around
Ha ha, my soldiers around
And if some shit goes down, and a nigga get laid down
It's no surprise 'cause niggas know how we get down
Black tints on the Testarossa, hammer out the holster
Gat in my lap in case you gotta get clapped
You monkey niggas swing through my hood, we on that Gorilla shit
You clap off and miss, we come back, start killin' shit
Catch us on the corner wearin black chinchilla shit
We organized, disciplined, plus we militant
I put that battery in his back
I'm the reason why he move like that
That's my muh'fuckin toy soldier
I tell him pop that gat, he gon' pop that gat
You don't wanna play with my toy soldier
I say it's on then it's on until your life is over
Fuckin' with my toy soldier
If he's a casualty of war, trust me I got more
You don't want it with my toy soldiers
Two windows to a man's soul
Fill you with holes
Listen homey, I'm the man for the job
So if he ain't (Yayo, c'mon!)
I'm in that two-door Phantom and the body's kitted
Waves in my head lookin like tsunami hit it
Niggas scheme, but the infrared beam's on the MAC
I'll put green on yo' head like an Oakland A's hat
One boy was a doja, now he a soldier
My little son Dula lettin' off the Ruger
In a whip masked up, lookin' for his enemies
Riled and gassed up, off double D batteries
His last casualties, is hooked to them IV's
(50 gimme the word) That's when I squeeze (yeah!)
Click-clack, take that, fall back
It's a contract, 50 grand, I'm 50 man
I put that battery in his back
I'm the reason why he move like that
That's my muh'fuckin toy soldier
I tell him pop that gat, he gon' pop that gat
You don't wanna play with my toy soldier
I say it's on then it's on until your life is over
Fuckin' with my toy soldier
If he's a casualty of war, trust me I got more
You don't want it with my toy soldiers
Yeah! This is the general speakin' (yeah)
When I say move (ha ha ha) nigga you better move
Soldier, ha ha
I don't want nobody talkin' to none of my niggas
Come around here with that bullshit
Tryin' to feed niggas bad information and shit
That's how my toys malfunction
The song "My Toy Soldier" by 50 Cent tells the story of his "toy soldiers," a group of loyal followers who will do anything he asks them to do, including committing violent acts. 50 Cent sees himself as the mastermind behind these soldiers, putting a metaphorical "battery in their back" to make them move and act as he commands. He warns anyone who opposes him or his soldiers not to mess with them, as they are disciplined and organized, and will retaliate against any threat.
The lyrics of this song illustrate the power dynamic that 50 Cent has over his "toy soldiers," who are willing to do anything he asks them to do. He portrays himself as a fearless leader who is unafraid to use violence to get what he wants. At the same time, he warns his enemies of the danger they face if they cross him or his soldiers.
Overall, the lyrics of "My Toy Soldier" depict a world of violence and fear, where those who have power can manipulate and control those who do not. It is a chilling portrayal of the consequences of unchecked power and the dangers of blind loyalty.
Line by Line Meaning
You ready? Okay let me wind you up
Let's get started. Follow my instructions.
Do it exactly the way I said do it man
Do exactly as I instruct you to do.
These niggas is pussy you heard me?
These guys are weak. You know that, right?
Get up nice and close
Approach him closely.
I put that battery in his back
I motivate and control him.
I'm the reason why he move like that
He moves like I want him to move because of my control over him.
That's my muh'fuckin toy soldier
He's my toy soldier. I control him completely.
I tell him pop that gat, he gon' pop that gat
If I tell him to shoot, he'll shoot.
You don't wanna play with my toy soldier
You don't want to mess with me or my controlled soldier.
I say it's on then it's on until your life is over
If I declare war, it won't be over until the end of your life.
Fuckin' with my toy soldier
You're messing with me and my controlled soldier.
If he's a casualty of war, trust me I got more
If he dies during the war, I have more soldiers ready to take his place.
You don't want it with my toy soldiers
You don't want to be involved in a fight with my controlled soldiers.
Listen up close now, follow instructions
Pay attention carefully, and do as I say.
Catch a nigga slippin', run up on him and buck him
Attack and shoot him when he's vulnerable.
I ain't got no conscience no morals or nothin'
I have no conscience, no morals, and nothing holding me back.
They ain't wit us, they against us, we supposed to touch 'em
If they're not with us then they're against us and we must attack them.
Here's what to do if you see him approach me
If you see him coming towards me, shoot him immediately.
Pop that nigga, I don't care if he know me
Shoot him, even if he knows me.
Half the niggas hatin' on me used to be homies
Some of the guys who hate me used to be my friends.
I don't trust 'em when they smile or when they frown 'cause they phony
I don't trust them whether they smile or frown because they are not sincere.
Everytime I come around they call the police on me
Whenever I'm around, they call the cops on me.
That's why the D's in the precinct know me
That's why the officers in the precinct know who I am.
They know about my rap sheet, they know 'bout how I clap heat
The police know my criminal history, and that I'm quick to shoot.
Run like I'm in a track meet, swift with the MAC, B
I run like I'm in a race, and I'm quick to shoot with my MAC.
You can see the envy in they eyes fo' sho' mayn
You can tell that they're envious just by looking at their eyes.
Mad as a motherfucker that I'm holdin'
They're angry that I'm holding so much power and control.
See me in the back of the Phantom, rollin'
You'll see me in the back of my luxurious car, rolling.
Quick to make examples out of niggas fo' sho' man, hold me down
I'm always ready to make examples out of those who oppose me.
Shoot, stab, kill muh'fucker
I'm willing to shoot, stab, and kill anyone who opposes me.
If you ain't 'bout it I don't want you around, cocksucker
If you're not willing to contribute, I don't want you around.
Every word out my mouth is felt; that oo-wop pop
Every word I say has weight and is backed by my gun.
Them hollows so hot, yo' ass'll melt
The bullets are so hot that they will burn you from the inside.
Barber razor in the club, stunt, I'll give you a shape up
I'll use a razor blade to cut you in the club. Watch me do it.
Have your ass stitched, gored, your head all taped up
I'll make sure you're badly injured and have to be stitched up.
Niggas know how I get down, see they know when I'm around
People know how I act and what I'll do when I'm present.
Ha ha, my soldiers around
My controlled soldiers are always with me, laughing.
And if some shit goes down, and a nigga get laid down
If there's trouble, someone will end up dead.
It's no surprise 'cause niggas know how we get down
It's not a surprise because people know our behavior and actions.
Black tints on the Testarossa, hammer out the holster
The windows in my car are tinted black. My gun is loaded and ready.
Gat in my lap in case you gotta get clapped
My gun is in my lap in case I need to shoot someone.
You monkey niggas swing through my hood, we on that Gorilla shit
You monkeys who come around my area, we're like gorillas and will attack you.
You clap off and miss, we come back, start killin' shit
If you try to shoot and miss, we'll come back and kill you.
Catch us on the corner wearin black chinchilla shit
You'll find us on the corner wearing expensive black fur clothing.
We organized, disciplined, plus we militant
We're organized, disciplined, and militant.
Two windows to a man's soul
A man's eyes reveal his true intentions.
Fill you with holes
We'll shoot you repeatedly.
Listen homey, I'm the man for the job
Listen, I'm the right person to handle this situation.
So if he ain't (Yayo, c'mon!)
If he isn't following my orders (Yayo, come on!)
I'm in that two-door Phantom and the body's kitted
I'm driving my expensive car, and it's been modified.
Waves in my head lookin like tsunami hit it
The waved hairstyle I have looks like it was affected by a tsunami.
Niggas scheme, but the infrared beam's on the MAC
People conspire against me, but I'm ready with my infrared laser sight on my gun.
I'll put green on yo' head like an Oakland A's hat
I'll put a reward on your head like the one on an Oakland A's baseball cap.
One boy was a doja, now he a soldier
One guy was weak, but now he's a soldier under my control.
My little son Dula lettin' off the Ruger
My little son Dula is shooting his gun.
In a whip masked up, lookin' for his enemies
He's in a car wearing a mask, looking for his enemies.
Riled and gassed up, off double D batteries
He's excited and energized, powered by two D batteries.
His last casualties, is hooked to them IV's
His last victims are receiving medical attention through IVs.
(50 gimme the word) That's when I squeeze (yeah!)
When 50 gives me the command, I'll shoot (yeah!)
Click-clack, take that, fall back
I'll shoot you, and then you should retreat.
It's a contract, 50 grand, I'm 50 man
It's a business deal, worth 50 thousand dollars, and I'm the man for the job.
Yeah! This is the general speakin' (yeah)
Yes! I'm the leader of this operation. (Yes)
When I say move (ha ha ha) nigga you better move
When I command you to move, you better do it.
Soldier, ha ha
You're a soldier under my command. Ha ha.
I don't want nobody talkin' to none of my niggas
Nobody should be talking to my controlled soldiers.
Come around here with that bullshit
Don't bring any nonsense around here.
Tryin' to feed niggas bad information and shit
Don't try to misinform my controlled soldiers.
That's how my toys malfunction
If they receive bad information, then my controlled soldiers will malfunction.
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Marvin Bernard, Curtis James Jackson, Steven Lee King, Marshall B Mathers, Luis Edgardo Resto
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marceenrobinson6760
This shit 12 yrs old n still go hard asf. I think 50 is underestimated. Definitely one of my favorite mc's of all time.
@wickedlylovely2710
I remember I was in the 6th grade when this album came out. Idk how I convinced my mom to get it ๐๐
@corynormand1032
Marceen Robinson agreed!!
@shonakelday4546
Paola Cardenas for real last time i listened to this was on my dads valve amp at home, travelled to next town over day it came out, had to take the ornaments off the shelves or they vibrated off w these Dirtier tracks, good times. we talkin 14 years ago ๐ 11th grade to you (im old), heck
@thedawg2510
Oh fo sho
@ki11atj49
@D Dre you literally contradicted yourself you said he had bars yes 50 is an MC if you haven't listened to guess who's back or power of the dollar and you probably don't know shit about 50 lyrically capablities
@WMachismo
I had this CD back in the day you can't go wrong with 50 cent he is a legend
@breffaloco
the memorys this gives is chills. this album was my kit in junior high to high school
@valeriep.b0ynt0n43
๐๐ช๐ฆ๐ป๐๐ผ
@m.i.c.762
Same brotha