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.
Who I Rep With
50 Cent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pour some liquors out to my
Dogs trapped up north
Reminisce on the deceased who no longer exist
Only wishin' we could bring them
Back with songs like dis
Old flicks on us chillin' wit
Da old time clique
Not our lives we risk
How it use to be, early morn
Pumpin' in shifts
Jakes wit pale faces in the
Night is the scariest they handcuff me
They knew my government and alias
Various calls were made up for awarin' us
The D's in the marked vans and cabs
In our land
Hoodrats get stapped by niggas who forty
Turnin' out young lady's and
Make them make thotties
Got them coked out, the hood is bugged out
Thug babies, famous in they strollers
Before they walk they knew the hood talk
It's in the air of New York
So everybody'll pick em up, kissin em up
Treatin' them like they own
In dis hood we call home
Fist fight till we grown and
These guns come out circle of life
It's kinda deep how we end out
Yo them niggas that wanted beef before
Don't want no beef no mo
Ya'll niggas better sober up before
Ya'll speak to me, don't come at me high
Last rapper that raised his voice to me
Got jabbed in da eye
Now if I say I'm gone get you, I'mma get ya
On da strength of da inf
From long range I can hit ya
You find out them niggas who wit
Ya ain't even wit ya
After da gem stars split ya
You need an MD to stitch ya
Peep how I use words to paint pictures
Peep how I got niggas with bodies askin' me
For ten cents to got hit ya
Look my name up in the law book
Curtis Jackson known for creatin' action
By rapidly clappin' nigga I stay strapped
So much I nickname gats
Got a tech I call Tina, a nine I name Nina
Two niggas went to see Allah
Afta they seen her this QB shit
Bout to take me to da next level
Next crib, next Benz, next bitch, next bezel
It's that real
Yo, aiyyo, who da fuck wanna war
I got a four four, pierce ya'll niggas jaw
You see me thugged out, iced out
Guinness Stout
Hopin' out the Range wit da gun out
Smack your man down, you ran off
I was gonna hit him with two
I left some for you
I put four, QB rugged and raw
I got somethin' for these rap cats
Fish held back gats scope wit a beam on it
Loc put your cream on it
Shine don't scheme on it
I make your dream about it
Forever, whatever whatever get gully
Shots thru your leather and clothe
With your skelly off break ya'll clowns off
Yo hollow tips will flood your jacket
I don't give a fuck who you be
Millennium Thug
Now who da fuck want it with me
I mastered the art of slap
Boxin' niggas in da dark
QB's big man, Horse of the Bravehearts
I'm da Sasquash of rap, collector of gats
Testin' macks at your bulletproof
Vests and hats
How bout that, guns bust off, I bust back
When trucks backfire, I bust back
How bout that
Stomp a muhfuckin' rib out ur back
Ya'll niggas ain't gangsta rap
Ya'll click like Josey and the Pussycats
When we come around da front, stop
Uh huh
Ya'll can't fuck around ya'll get dropped
When guns pop, who's tellin'
Twin barrel nines wavin' and yellin'
QB NIGGA WHAT
Two-time felon, straight to da melon
Straight to da dome
Send a nigga back, get da shells
Go straight home
Never slip, my Ill Will to survive is so deep
Can't sleep, cousin to death, makes me weak
Pullin' triggers at my shadow
Bravehearts pop up
Wiz, Jungle and Horse shot your block up
The lyrics of "Who We Rep With" by 50 Cent feat. Nas & Bravehearts are an ode to their roots and old friends who have passed away. The song begins with a tribute to the wealthy ones who "flash and floss" while they pour liquor out for their friends who are trapped up north. The lyrics remember the deceased who have passed on and the group wishes they could bring them back with songs like this. The group reminisces on the old times, chilling with their old-time clique, holding nine thoughts of death not risking their lives, pumping in shifts.
The lyrics then take a turn and describe the harsh realities of life in the hood, where hoodrats get stabbed by forty-year-old men, and young women are turned into thotties. The streets are bugged out, and thug babies are famous in their strollers before they even start walking because everyone in the hood picks them up and treats them like they are their own. The lyrics remind us that the world is cruel, and the circle of life, where fistfights turn into guns, is deep.
The second verse features Nas and Bravehearts, who rap about their thug lifestyles, the guns they carry, and the enemies they make. Nas boasts about his skills as a rapper and the fact that he is capable of taking revenge if someone disobeys his orders. He claims that he has a tech he calls Tina and a nine he named Nina. The Bravehearts talk about their reckless behavior and how they will continue to dominate their enemies.
Line by Line Meaning
Hats off, to da rich ones who flash and floss
Saluting the wealthy individuals who flaunt their riches.
Pour some liquors out to my
Dogs trapped up north
Paying tribute to the incarcerated members of the crew.
Reminisce on the deceased who no longer exist
Only wishin' we could bring them
Back with songs like dis
Recalling the departed members and longing for a way to resurrect them.
Old flicks on us chillin' wit
Da old time clique
Holdin' nines, thoughts of death
Not our lives we risk
Remembering the old days when they used to hang out with the crew, carrying guns with no fear of risking their lives.
How it use to be, early morn
Pumpin' in shifts
Jakes wit pale faces in the
Night is the scariest they handcuff me
They knew my government and alias
Reflecting on the past when they used to deal drugs early in the morning, but police were always on their tails, aware of their true identities.
Various calls were made up for awarin' us
The D's in the marked vans and cabs
In our land
Calling out the police who would use fake calls and undercover tactics to catch them in the act of illegal activities in their territory.
Hoodrats get stapped by niggas who forty
Turnin' out young lady's and
Make them make thotties
Got them coked out, the hood is bugged out
Portraying the harsh reality of the hood, where older men prey on young girls, turning them into sex workers while keeping them addicted to drugs.
Thug babies, famous in they strollers
Before they walk they knew the hood talk
It's in the air of New York
Describing how newborns in the neighborhood grow up knowing the gang culture, before they even learn how to walk or talk.
So everybody'll pick em up, kissin em up
Treatin' them like they own
In dis hood we call home
Fist fight till we grown and
These guns come out circle of life
Embodying the sense of community in the neighborhood, where everyone treats each other like family until it inevitably leads to physical violence and gunfights.
It's kinda deep how we end out
Reflecting on the deep and complex nature of how their lives turned out, with a mix of admiration and regret.
Yo them niggas that wanted beef before
Don't want no beef no mo
Noting how rivals who used to provoke them and want to start trouble have now backed down.
Ya'll niggas better sober up before
Ya'll speak to me, don't come at me high
Advising others to be sober before engaging in a conversation with him, not coming to him under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Last rapper that raised his voice to me
Got jabbed in da eye
Recalling how a rival rapper tried to confront him and ended up getting physically assaulted by him.
Now if I say I'm gone get you, I'mma get ya
On da strength of da inf
From long range I can hit ya
Making it clear that if he threatens someone, he will follow through with it, and he has the power to do so from a long distance.
You find out them niggas who wit
Ya ain't even wit ya
After da gem stars split ya
You need an MD to stitch ya
Noticing that some of the people who claim to be on his side are actually not on his side, and if someone betrays him, they'll be in need of medical attention.
Peep how I use words to paint pictures
Peep how I got niggas with bodies askin' me
For ten cents to got hit ya
Look my name up in the law book
Curtis Jackson known for creatin' action
By rapidly clappin' nigga
Boasting about his lyrical skills and reputation for causing violence, to the point where people who want someone killed come to him asking for help.
I stay strapped
So much I nickname gats
Got a tech I call Tina, a nine I name Nina
Showing how heavily armed he is, giving his guns nicknames for easy reference.
Two niggas went to see Allah
Afta they seen her this QB shit
Bout to take me to da next level
Next crib, next Benz, next bitch, next bezel
Describing how two people have died after encountering the level of violence he's capable of, and expressing his desire to move forward and upgrade his lifestyle.
Yo, aiyyo, who da fuck wanna war
I got a four four, pierce ya'll niggas jaw
You see me thugged out, iced out
Guinness Stout
Hopin' out the Range wit da gun out
Issuing a challenge to anyone who wants to start trouble, boasting about his firepower and gangster appearance.
Smack your man down, you ran off
I was gonna hit him with two
I left some for you
I put four, QB rugged and raw
Bringing up a recent incident where he was planning to physically assault someone, but decided to leave some for his crew to take care of before ultimately delivering a beating himself.
I got somethin' for these rap cats
Fish held back gats scope wit a beam on it
Loc put your cream on it
Shine don't scheme on it
I make your dream about it
Threatening his rivals in the rap industry that he has weaponry concealed or with a laser sight, and warning them not to mess with his crew or they'll regret it.
Forever, whatever whatever get gully
Shots thru your leather and clothe
With your skelly off break ya'll clowns off
Promising to always be ready for violence, and stating his ability to shoot through thick layers of clothing and hats, incapacitating his enemies.
Yo hollow tips will flood your jacket
I don't give a fuck who you be
Millennium Thug
Now who da fuck want it with me
Visualizing his bullets rapidly hitting someone's coat, and bragging about his status as a gangster in the new millennium.
I mastered the art of slap
Boxin' niggas in da dark
QB's big man, Horse of the Bravehearts
I'm da Sasquash of rap, collector of gats
Testin' macks at your bulletproof
Vests and hats
Referring to his prowess in fighting and boxing, being a big man in the crew and known as the Sasquash of rap, and testing his guns on bulletproof gear.
How bout that, guns bust off, I bust back
When trucks backfire, I bust back
How bout that
Stomp a muhfuckin' rib out ur back
Taking every trigger pull as a challenge and always being ready to respond with bullets, even when the sound is just a vehicle's backfiring, and describing how he would physically assault someone.
Ya'll niggas ain't gangsta rap
Ya'll click like Josey and the Pussycats
Insulting other rappers by saying they aren't real gangsters, and comparing them to a cartoon about a girl band.
When we come around da front, stop
Uh huh
Ya'll can't fuck around ya'll get dropped
Signaling his arrival as a warning for others to stop what they're doing, since they could get hurt otherwise.
When guns pop, who's tellin'
Twin barrel nines wavin' and yellin'
QB NIGGA WHAT
Two-time felon, straight to da melon
Reflecting on the consequences of gun violence, with no witnesses to report it, and boasting about his twin-barreled guns and criminal record.
Straight to da dome
Send a nigga back, get da shells
Go straight home
Intending to shoot someone in the head, leaving their body on the street, and then going home.
Never slip, my Ill Will to survive is so deep
Can't sleep, cousin to death, makes me weak
Pullin' triggers at my shadow
Bravehearts pop up
Wiz, Jungle and Horse shot your block up
Being constantly alert and vigilant, since he knows that death is always close by, and admitting that it can take a mental toll on him. Then switching to describing how his crew attacks others.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel DeVito
Guess Who's Back and Power Of The Dollar are 2 of the most slept in albums ever
blgdinger3
I'm a longtime fan of 50... and I'm just now discovering both those releases. Absolutely dope
Russ Radoncicx
One of the hardest beats n tracks of all time
Australium
Nas’ verse and the beat sounded sad
Gianni Bleya
@Australium almost pushes me into a mental breakdown
Lamaar Porter
Facts
Kev'Sia KonGo
@Australium 1111111111111111111111111
Prada Bwah LaFlare
Shit 2grimey
Gabriel H!
LONG LIVE 50CENT!!!🕸🕸🕸🔫🕷
Joseph Velasquez
coming up nobody could touch 50 he dropped fire after fire after fire every track and mixtape was better than the previous