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 Jay’s music. After he’d 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 Cent’s 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 ”Get Rich Or Die Tryin’” 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 Tryin’ 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.
21 Questions (Produced by Brea
50 Cent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You are now riding
With 50 Cent
You gotta love it
I just wanna chill and twist a lot
Catch stunts in my 7-45
You drive me crazy, shorty I
I provide everything you need and I
Like your smile, I don't wanna see you cry
Got some questions that I gotta ask and I
Hope you can come up with the answers babe
Girl, it's easy to love me now
Would you love me if I was down and out?
Would you still have love for me?
Girl, it's easy to love me now
Would you love me if I was down and out?
Would you still have love for me? Girl
If I fell off tomorrow would you still love me?
If I didn't smell so good would you still hug me?
If I got locked up and sentenced to a quarter century
Could I count on you to be there to support me mentally?
If I went back to a hoopty from a Benz
Would you poof and disappear like some of my friends?
If I was hit and I was hurt would you be by my side?
If it was time to put in work would you be down to ride?
I'd get out and peel a nigga cap and chill and drive
I'm asking questions to find out how you feel inside
If I ain't rap 'cause I flipped burgers in Burger King
Would you be ashamed to tell your friends you feelin' me?
And in the bed if I use my tongue, would you like that?
If I wrote you a love letter would you write back?
Now we can have a li'l drink you know a nightcap
And we can go do what you like, I know you like that
Girl, it's easy to love me now
Would you love me if I was down and out?
Would you still have love for me?
Girl, it's easy to love me now
Would you love me if I was down and out?
Would you still have love for me? Girl
Now would you leave me if you're father found out I was thuggin'?
Do you believe me when I tell you, you the one I'm lovin'?
Are you mad 'cause I'm askin' you 21 questions?
Are you my soul mate? 'Cause if so, girl you a blessing
Do you trust me enough to tell me your dreams?
I'm starin' at ya' trying figure how you got in them jeans
If I was down would you say things to make me smile?
I treat you how you want to be treated just teach me how
If I was with some other chick and someone happened to see?
And when you asked me about it I said it wasn't me
Would you believe me? Or up and leave me?
How deep is our bond if that's all it takes for you to be gone?
We only humans girl, we make mistakes
To make it up I do whatever it take
I love you like a fat kid love cake
You know my style I say anything to make you smile
Girl, it's easy to love me now
Would you love me if I was down and out?
Would you still have love for me?
Girl, it's easy to love me now
Would you love me if I was down and out?
Would you still have love for me? Girl
Could you love me in a Bentley? Could you love me on a bus?
I'll ask 21 questions and they all about us
Could you love me in a Bentley? Could you love me on a bus?
I'll ask 21 questions and they all about us
50 Cent's "21 Questions" is a love ballad that features the artist trying to figure out just how much his love interest cares for him. The song begins with an introduction, and then it goes on to 50 Cent saying that he just wants to "chill and twist a lot" with his lady in his 7-45. He adds that he needs to see and feel his woman next to him because she drives him crazy. He then mentions that he can provide everything she needs, and he likes her smile, so he does not want to see her cry. 50 Cent then proceeds to ask her several questions in the chorus.
The questions 50 Cent asks in the chorus come from a place of his own insecurity, and he needs his love interest to answer them truthfully. He asks if she would still love him if he was down and out, if he was not smelling good, or if he was locked up and sentenced. He also asks if she would still love him if he went back to driving his hoopty from his Benz, and if she would be there for him if he were to get hurt. In the second verse, 50 Cent continues to ask his love interest more questions to gauge just how deep their bond is.
Line by Line Meaning
New York City
The song begins in New York City
You are now riding
The listener is now riding with 50 Cent through the song
With 50 Cent
The artist of the song is 50 Cent
You gotta love it
The listener should enjoy the song as it progresses
I just wanna chill and twist a lot
The artist is looking for a relaxing and enjoyable time
Catch stunts in my 7-45
The artist wants to drive a fast and impressive car
You drive me crazy, shorty I
The artist is strongly attracted to someone, to the point of being driven crazy
Need to see you and feel you next to me
The artist desires physical affection from the person they are attracted to
I provide everything you need and I
The artist is willing and able to provide for the person they are with
Like your smile, I don't wanna see you cry
The artist cares for the happiness of the person they are with, and doesn't want to see them sad or upset
Got some questions that I gotta ask and I
The artist has important questions to ask the person they are with
Hope you can come up with the answers babe
The artist is hopeful that the person they are with can answer their questions
Girl, it's easy to love me now
The artist acknowledges that it is easy for someone to like them when things are going well
Would you love me if I was down and out?
The artist questions whether the person they are with would still love them if they were in a tough situation
Would you still have love for me?
The artist asks if the person they are with would still care for them in difficult times
If I fell off tomorrow would you still love me?
The artist wonders if the person they are with would still care for them if they lost everything they had
If I didn't smell so good would you still hug me?
The artist questions if the person they are with would still show affection even if they didn't smell good
If I got locked up and sentenced to a quarter century
The artist suggests a hypothetical scenario where they are sentenced to 25 years in prison
Could I count on you to be there to support me mentally?
The artist asks the person they are with if they would be supportive of them emotionally in a tough situation
If I went back to a hoopty from a Benz
The artist suggests a scenario where they have to downgrade from a nice car to a less impressive one
Would you poof and disappear like some of my friends?
The artist is concerned that the person they are with would leave if they were not as successful or impressive as they used to be
If I was hit and I was hurt would you be by my side?
The artist asks if the person they are with would stand by them in a difficult situation
If it was time to put in work would you be down to ride?
The artist questions if the person they are with would be willing to work hard and commit to a task together
I'd get out and peel a nigga cap and chill and drive
The artist suggests a hypothetical scenario where they would get into a physical altercation and then relax by driving
I'm asking questions to find out how you feel inside
The artist is asking important questions to better understand the person they are with
If I ain't rap 'cause I flipped burgers in Burger King
The artist suggests a scenario where they work at a fast food restaurant instead of being a successful rapper
Would you be ashamed to tell your friends you feelin' me?
The artist is concerned that they might not be seen as impressive or desirable enough by the person they are with
And in the bed if I use my tongue, would you like that?
The artist asks the person they are with if they would enjoy a certain sexual act
If I wrote you a love letter would you write back?
The artist wonders if the person they are with would reciprocate their romantic gestures
Now we can have a li'l drink you know a nightcap
The artist suggests having a small drink to end the night
And we can go do what you like, I know you like that
The artist is willing to do activities that the person they are with enjoys
Now would you leave me if you're father found out I was thuggin'?
The artist is wondering if the person they are with would leave them if their father disapproved of their lifestyle
Do you believe me when I tell you, you the one I'm lovin'?
The artist is asking if the person they are with trusts and believes in their love for them
Are you mad 'cause I'm askin' you 21 questions?
The artist is asking if the person they are with is upset about being asked so many questions
Are you my soul mate? 'Cause if so, girl you a blessing
The artist is suggesting that if the person they are with is their soul mate, they are a blessing in their life
Do you trust me enough to tell me your dreams?
The artist is asking if the person they are with trusts them enough to share their aspirations with them
I'm starin' at ya' trying figure how you got in them jeans
The artist is admiring the physical appearance of the person they are with
If I was down would you say things to make me smile?
The artist is wondering if the person they are with would try to lift their spirits if they were feeling down
I treat you how you want to be treated just teach me how
The artist is willing to treat the person they are with as they desire, but needs direction from them
If I was with some other chick and someone happened to see?
The artist suggests a scenario where they are seen with another woman
And when you asked me about it I said it wasn't me
The artist would deny any wrongdoing if they were confronted about it
Would you believe me? Or up and leave me?
The artist is questioning whether the person they are with would trust their word or believe the worst about them
How deep is our bond if that's all it takes for you to be gone?
The artist is questioning the strength of their relationship if a simple accusation is enough to end it
We only humans girl, we make mistakes
The artist acknowledges that they are not perfect and will make mistakes
To make it up I do whatever it take
The artist is willing to do whatever it takes to make things right after making a mistake
I love you like a fat kid love cake
The artist loves the person they are with very much
You know my style I say anything to make you smile
The artist is willing to say anything that will make the person they are with happy
Could you love me in a Bentley? Could you love me on a bus?
The artist is questioning whether the person they are with loves them for who they are, regardless of their material possessions
I'll ask 21 questions and they all about us
The song consists of 21 questions that the artist is asking to better understand their relationship with the person they are with
Contributed by Alyssa L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ahmed El Sayed
on If I Can't
good