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.
I Don't Need 'Em )
50 Cent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh huh
Sirens flashin' you know the routine, the crime scene taped off
It started out a robbery, they blew half his face off
They seen him shinin', cross full of diamonds he bought grindin'
His foot slip off the ladder of success he was climbin'
The D's came through, askin' niggas if they know what happened
Detectives at my mama crib, they say they wanna question me
They put me in a lineup last time and they arrested me
When it come to cookin' coke, they know I got the recipe
I turn a quarter to a half, that's why they mess with me
I'm the neighborhood pusher, I move packs to make stacks
A little weed, a little X, a little H, little crack
Figure, I'll push it to the limit, take the shit to the max
Navy blue vest on, navy blue Yankee hat
Calm, in my palm's fully loaded firearm
First to let off last to run, every time it's on
I tell niggas to suck my dick, get the fuck out my face
'Cause I don't need 'em
'Cause they're, never around, when I'm down
Shot and I'm bleedin'
(What? Nigga is there, is there a motherfuckin' problem nigga?)
(Oh, yeah that's what I, I thought so, pussy!)
Niggas be talkin' 'bout me, they always callin' me crazy
Fuck them O.G. niggas, they stuck in the 80's
Sayin they gon' do me somethin', now you know that's a lie
Nigga you look at me wrong I let the hammer fly
I'm rich, I still wake up, with crime on my mind
Queens nigga put it down like Pappy Mason in his prime
When I say move, nigga move, or get caught in the crossfire
I prevents runnin', cut my fuckin' hand on the barbed wire
This shit's crazy, it's just a different day it's the same shit
Hollow-tip partin' yo' head, leave your whole fuckin' brain split
They sick, they see me in that Aston Martin
What's the matter? They can't get that hooptie started
Thought they was grindin', well God damn, where that money at?
Thought you was fucked up, 'cause you was lettin' paper stack
You ain't a hustler, matter fact, you's a buster
I don't trust ya, I should send niggas to touch ya
I tell niggas to suck my dick, get the fuck out my face
'Cause I don't need 'em
'Cause they're, never around, when I'm down
Shot and I'm bleedin'
What? Who say they gon' do somethin' to me?
Must be out your rabbit-ass mind
Fuck around kill one of these niggas
In this song, 50 Cent spits rhymes about his experiences as a drug dealer and his survival instincts in the dangerous streets of Queens. The song starts with him describing a crime scene where a man got his face blown off in a robbery. 50 then discusses how he has been implicated in previous shootings and how the police are always questioning him. He brags about his ability to cook crack cocaine and turn a quarter into a half, attracting law enforcement. He clearly embodies the archetype of a traditional hustler and pusher in the community, and he’s built a reputation for himself. He has some trust issues with people around him, and he doesn't hesitate to cut people off if they are not adding value to his hustle. He tells everyone to "suck his dick" and get out of his face when he doesn't need them.
The lyrics contain an element of bravado and show how 50 Cent has been able to thrive in a dangerous environment. He is a survivor, and he proves this by his ability to protect himself and his business. The song has a dark and unsettling vibe, which reflects the harsh realities of life in the streets.
Line by Line Meaning
Sirens flashin' you know the routine, the crime scene taped off
A robbery turned violent and the aftermath is being cleaned up by police
It started out a robbery, they blew half his face off
The robbery resulted in someone getting shot in the face
They seen him shinin', cross full of diamonds he bought grindin'
The victim was targeted because they were showing off expensive jewelry
His foot slip off the ladder of success he was climbin'
The victim was successful but made a mistake that led to their downfall
The D's came through, askin' niggas if they know what happened
The police are interviewing people to gather information about the robbery and shooting
Somehow my name end up in anything that involves clappin'
The singer is often associated with gun violence and crime
Detectives at my mama crib, they say they wanna question me
The police are investigating the singer and want to question them about the recent crime
They put me in a lineup last time and they arrested me
The artist was previously arrested and put in a police lineup
When it come to cookin' coke, they know I got the recipe
The artist is known for being a successful drug dealer
I turn a quarter to a half, that's why they mess with me
The artist makes a lot of money selling drugs
I'm the neighborhood pusher, I move packs to make stacks
The singer is a drug dealer in their local area
A little weed, a little X, a little H, little crack
The artist sells a variety of drugs
Figure, I'll push it to the limit, take the shit to the max
The singer is willing to take risks to make more money selling drugs
Navy blue vest on, navy blue Yankee hat
The singer is wearing a specific outfit while committing crimes
Calm, in my palm's fully loaded firearm
The singer is carrying a loaded gun
First to let off last to run, every time it's on
The artist is quick to use their gun in dangerous situations and ready to flee the scene
I tell niggas to suck my dick, get the fuck out my face
The artist is confrontational and will challenge anyone who questions or insults them
'Cause they're, never around, when I'm down
The singer feels that the people around them are not supportive when things go wrong
Shot and I'm bleedin'
The singer has been injured and is bleeding
Niggas be talkin' 'bout me, they always callin' me crazy
People are gossiping and spreading rumors about the artist
Fuck them O.G. niggas, they stuck in the 80's
The artist does not respect older gang members who are stuck in the past
Sayin they gon' do me somethin', now you know that's a lie
The artist does not believe that anyone is actually capable of harming them
Nigga you look at me wrong I let the hammer fly
The singer is quick to use their gun if they feel threatened
I'm rich, I still wake up, with crime on my mind
The artist is successful but still thinks about committing crimes
Queens nigga put it down like Pappy Mason in his prime
The singer compares themselves to a notorious Queens gangster
When I say move, nigga move, or get caught in the crossfire
The singer is in control and expects others to follow their orders or face danger
I prevents runnin', cut my fuckin' hand on the barbed wire
The singer injured themselves while trying to escape the police
This shit's crazy, it's just a different day it's the same shit
The artist is tired of the constant cycle of crime and violence
Hollow-tip partin' yo' head, leave your whole fuckin' brain split
The artist is describing the effects of their gun and how deadly it can be
Thought they was grindin', well God damn, where that money at?
The singer thinks that other drug dealers are not as successful as they claim to be
You ain't a hustler, matter fact, you's a buster
The singer does not respect people who do not work as hard as they do
I don't trust ya, I should send niggas to touch ya
The artist is considering taking action against people they do not trust
What? Who say they gon' do somethin' to me?
The artist is challenging anyone who threatens them
Must be out your rabbit-ass mind
The artist thinks that anyone who threatens them is crazy
Fuck around kill one of these niggas
The singer is willing to kill anyone who disrespects or threatens them
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Anthony Best, Curtis James Jackson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jordandavis3867
Nobody speaks NY better than 50 cent. He has all elements of NY, the flash, the grime and grittiness and the confidence.
@ducatarina8310
the vibe too
@Jhchah2492
You wont get much gangster rap then this little gem. 50 the last of the REAL gangster rappers😈
@simphzlwizz5098
This is most likely one of the best beats ive ever heard in my life
@budz.47
I have to second that comment. I'm trying to find an instrumental to this.
@zamass1329
i have to listen atleast once a day
@dramatyst5661
Sibusiso Lwandle Buckwild made the beat!!
@LateflixAdultMovieNetwork
its fucking HUGE! Rhymes are insane too. And can relate to the lyrics.
@krlm2280
Alfredo Parra wrong operation breadbasket Orchestra made this in 1968 and Ghostface killah's version metal on lunges is better
@juicyjames16
This how I be feeling when people switch up on me. I dont need em