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.
Freestyle 1
50 Cent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shady, Aftermath, The Dream Team
We gotta get the get well cards
Niggas is sick, feel this
Motion picture shit
Now don't think I won't hit ya 'cause I'm popular
I got a P90 Reuger to pop at ya
My clip loaded with sixteen shots for ya
Have you ever had a hot gun on your waste
And blood on your shoe
'Cause a nigga went and said the wrong shit to you
Homie you ain't been through what I been through
You not like me and I'm not like you
I'm like a animal with it when I spit it it's crazy
Got semi-autos to put holes in niggas tryin' to play me
One shot is not enough you need 'least an Uzi to move me
After four bottles of Don the kid start feelin' woozy
I write my life, you write what you seen in gangsta movies
I'm gangsta to the core nigga you can't move me
I'll find my space at the top
I got this rap shit locked
I never heard of you, you heard of me
I'll murder you
Spray shells through your convertible Lotus
You know this, rich or poor
Hollows still go through you door, this is raw
You scared of me, you not prepared for me
The kid is back
50 Cent
I know you like that
Yeah I know you like that
50 Cent's "Till I Collapse Freestyle" is an aggressive song that boasts of the rapper's successes while embracing his tough exterior as a result of his past experiences. The intro features a shout out to the rapper's record labels Shady, Aftermath, and The Dream Team, and then goes into a reflection of how he has made it in his career despite the obstacles. The line "we gotta get the get well cards, niggas is sick, feel this" implies that 50 Cent is at the top of his game and others are envious of him.
50 Cent reinforces his gangster persona in the song with a reference to his firearm, a P90 Reuger with a loaded clip of sixteen shots, and recounts a situation when he had a gun on his waist and blood on his shoes because someone said something disrespectful to him. He claims that he's not like anyone else and brags about how he can defend himself. "I'm like an animal with it when I spit it, it's crazy," he says.
The line "I write my life, you write what you seen in gangsta movies" is a challenge to other rappers who portray a tough persona in their music without having lived those experiences. His boastful lyrics take on anyone who has ever doubted him, making claims that he's at the top of the food chain and can destroy anyone who comes his way: "Spray shells through your convertible Lotus, You know this, rich or poor, Hollows still go through your door, this is raw." The song ends with the declaration that the kid (50 Cent) is back, and he knows his fans like it.
Line by Line Meaning
Shady, Aftermath, The Dream Team
50 Cent is associated with Eminem's label Shady Records and Dr. Dre's record label Aftermath Entertainment, together they form The Dream Team.
We gotta get the get well cards
The current state of the rap genre is so bad that 50 Cent feels like many rappers need a get well card, as if they are sick.
Niggas is sick, feel this
The current state of the rap genre is so bad that many rappers are sick and 50 Cent wants them to feel his music (and get better).
Motion picture shit
50 Cent's music is cinematic like a motion picture, giving his listeners an experience beyond just sound.
Now don't think I won't hit ya 'cause I'm popular
50 Cent won't hesitate to use violence just because he's famous.
I got a P90 Reuger to pop at ya
50 Cent owns a P90 Reuger gun that he will use to shoot at his enemies.
Catch ya slippin' I'm a give ya what I got for ya
If someone catches 50 Cent off guard, he will still attack with the weapons he has on him.
My clip loaded with sixteen shots for ya
50 Cent's gun clip is loaded with sixteen bullets for maximum damage to his enemies.
Have you ever had a hot gun on your waste
50 Cent is asking if the listener has ever carried a gun on them that was warm from recent use.
And blood on your shoe
This line implies that 50 Cent has killed someone before and got their blood on his shoes.
'Cause a nigga went and said the wrong shit to you
50 Cent takes disrespect very seriously and will not hesitate to resort to violence.
Homie you ain't been through what I been through
The listener has not experienced what 50 Cent has in terms of violence, struggle, and success.
You not like me and I'm not like you
The listener is not on the same level as 50 Cent and they are completely different people.
I'm like a animal with it when I spit it it's crazy
When 50 Cent raps, he unleashes the beast within him and it's so good that it's insane.
Got semi-autos to put holes in niggas tryin' to play me
50 Cent owns semi-automatic guns to defend himself against people trying to disrespect or challenge him.
One shot is not enough you need 'least an Uzi to move me
50 Cent is so tough that he won't be affected by just one bullet, you would need something like an Uzi to harm him.
After four bottles of Don the kid start feelin' woozy
50 Cent is boasting that he can handle his liquor well and after drinking four bottles of Dom Perignon champagne, he's still not drunk.
I write my life, you write what you seen in gangsta movies
50 Cent raps about his real life experiences, while other rappers simply write about what they've seen in movies.
I'm gangsta to the core nigga you can't move me
No matter what happens, 50 Cent will always be true to his gangsta roots and no one can change that.
I'll find my space at the top
50 Cent will inevitably succeed and find his place at the top of the music industry.
I got this rap shit locked
50 Cent is confident that he has conquered the rap game and no one can take that away from him.
I never heard of you, you heard of me
50 Cent is so famous that he hasn't even heard of some of his competitors, but they are all aware of him.
I'll murder you
Seemingly written for effect, this line implies that 50 Cent will harm those who cross him.
Spray shells through your convertible Lotus
50 Cent will shoot at someone's convertible car, specifically the Lotus model.
You know this, rich or poor
No matter someone's social status, 50 Cent will still harm them if they disrespect him.
Hollows still go through you door, this is raw
Even if someone tries to hide behind their front door, 50 Cent's bullets will go straight through it. This is the harsh reality of his violent lifestyle.
You scared of me, you not prepared for me
People are intimidated by 50 Cent and they are not ready to face the consequences of trying to cross him.
The kid is back
50 Cent is back making music and ready to take over the rap game once again.
I know you like that
People enjoy 50 Cent's music and he knows it.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Marshall B. III Mathers, Curtis James Jackson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jthomas420
This is one of the dopest, hardest, most real freestyles of of time. 50 was fuckin beast mode back here
@Dev-qs2yb
Bro what's the beat?
@frnt2bak
Its not freestyle, its power of the dollar lyrics
@josefali7766
@@frnt2bak Power of the dollar came out i 2000, this is in 1998. 50 used this freestyle in his lyrics, not the other way around.
@evermayne3151
@@Dev-qs2yb Nore - the change
@mprzic2888
@@josefali7766 it should’ve come out but Columbia Records didn’t do the release and dropped 50 out of the label after he got shot 9 times bro
@jaydentrafford9136
0:23 is the best flow transition I’ve ever heard!!!
@user-mr2ms3lk2y
The flow AND the punchline was epic !! 50 Cent never got the respect he deserved as an MC that's really sad shit. He's great at writing and creating radio pop records he's been really successful but IMO he was an animal when he used to do street records and mixtapes, but because what he was saying on these records was actually real and he meant every words the industry and POP hip-hop fanbase he was constantly bashed for it in the media. It was ok for a fake G like Rick Ross (an ex C.O who took the whole identity of freeway Ricky Ross) Rapped about being the biggest drug dealer in Miami, talked about shooting niggas, being a top G, media and industry didn't gave a fuckk about it because they knew it was fake, REAL hip-hop died when Woke industry, fanbase and media embraced impostors and cancelled the real MC'S out there!! Nowadays an artist like Drake is classified as an hip-hop artist, that would've never happened back in the days, he's an r&b or pop artist, real hip-hop MC'S raps verses on records and the signing high notes chorus were done by featured r&b artists... Nowadays niggas signs all over the song and add a semi rap verse of 20 seconds and dares to call it hip-hop... I miss good old hip-hop!! I've never been a big Ja Rule fan since he was too pop for me back then but in today's hip-hop I'd rather listen at new music from Ja Rule vs any of these new artists, all the same Uninspiring Migos sounding like mf's I can't stand a single one of em !!
@deanbrooks2093
Facts 💯
@wolfstey
I replayed this so much cause im high