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.
Scarlet Skit
50 Cent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of "Scarlet Skit" by 50 Cent and Tony Yayo describe their frustration with other rappers copying their style and wanting to be like them. They express their belief that G-Unit's music is superior to others and that they are the real deal. The skit also includes a phone conversation with a friend named Sha, who tells 50 Cent that he let a woman named Scarlet leave with his credit card and car keys because she refused to work. 50 Cent becomes angry and upset, as he remembers that the last time Scarlet went shopping with his credit card, she spent $5,000 on shoes.
The song can be seen as a humorous but also critical commentary on the rap industry and the competition between artists to be the most successful and popular. 50 Cent and Tony Yayo assert their dominance in the field, while also highlighting the dangers of trusting others and the potential for being taken advantage of. The use of humor and slang in the lyrics also adds to the authenticity of the skit and the streetwise persona of 50 Cent and G-Unit.
Line by Line Meaning
50 cent and Tony Yayo Background
Introduction of the conversation between 50 Cent and Tony Yayo
Still smokin' what (what what)
50 Cent and Tony Yayo are smoking weed.
Yayo: Son that G-Unit CD is fire man.
Tony Yayo expresses his admiration towards G-Unit's CD.
Like I said man these niggas look like us, they smell like us but they not us (laughing) real mutha fucking fire nigga ya heard.
Tony Yayo compares the imposters to them and calls G-Unit's CD 'real motherfucking fire'.
50: Yo they think this G-Unit CD is like work,like niggas is here working.
50 Cent comments on how others view G-Unit's CD as a result of their hard work.
(Over 50) (gunshot) we still smokin what(what what)
They continue to smoke weed despite being successful.
50 Niggas is changing, everybody wanna do there freestyles like me and shit.
50 Cent acknowledges that others now Freestyle and make music similar to him.
Yayo: Yeah. Everybody wanna fuckin do there freestyles like us.
Tony Yayo agrees with 50 Cent.
Before niggas was just rhyming now niggas wanna make a song with hot..
Tony Yayo comments on how people now want to make a song with a hot beat, rather than just rhyming.
You know what Im saying (50: yeahh) You know what Im talking bout [50:(laughing) these bum ass niggas!]
50 Cent and Tony Yayo laugh at the people who try to copy their style.
Niggas wanna do what we doin.
People aspire to be like 50 Cent and Tony Yayo.
50: (Phone ringing ) hold on, hold on (Yayo: what?) Speak on it
50 Cent answers a phone call.
Sha: Who this? 50: It's.. who you callin nigga its 50
50 Cent identifies himself to the caller.
Sha: oh 50 wat up nigga its sha Yayo: Sha Rau (50: wats up my nigga?) Sha: Wats poppin? Yo waddup nigga?
Sha, a friend of 50 Cent, is talking to him.
Yayo: chillin Sha: Yo listen I was tryin to get Scarlet 2 work.
Tony Yayo confirms that he's relaxing while Sha talks about Scarlet.
She wasn't tryin to work so I let her leave with the visa and the keys.
Scarlet didn't want to work, so Sha let her leave with his Visa and keys.
50: huh? Yayo: oh shit (laughing)
50 Cent expresses surprise while Tony Yayo laughs.
you let (cut off by sha) Sha: you said she could have it son
Sha reminds 50 Cent that he gave Scarlet permission to have it.
50: yo son listen man. you gave her my credit card son?
50 Cent is shocked that Scarlet has his credit card.
Sha: Yeah son you know she said she waz just gon get some shoes
Sha explains that Scarlet said she was just going to buy shoes.
50: son the last time she bought some shoes man I got the receipt for $5,000 son.
50 Cent is annoyed because the last time Scarlet bought shoes, it cost him $5,000.
I had to ask her if you bought shoes for ya car or for your feet? Yayo: (laughing) oh shit
Tony Yayo finds this story amusing and laughs.
wats goin on sha (whooooo!)
50 Cent asks Sha what's happening while making a sound effect.
Contributed by Grayson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@HowardNChauncey
We need more mixtapes in 2023