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 Jayโs music. After heโd 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 Centโs 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 โGet Rich Or Die Tryinโโ 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 Tryinโ 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.
Whoo Kid Kayslay Shit!
50 Cent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey pass that nigga, we gettin' high
Yo, yo this is some bomb shit right here man
50 can't even smoke this motherfucker (ah haha, haha)
(Verse 1)
I can't smoke weed, cause my PO make me piss in a cup
Nigga go ahead, disrespect me, I'll fuck you up
Yo don't want stitches in yo grill motherfucker, then chill
As a young buck, niggas always knew I puff
Yousta see me go to school, on a smoiler bus (woo)
I'm a sped ed kid, I'm gettin' all this paper (uh huh)
You should sit, scibble lines and see where it take ya
Had violent tendencies, so they thought I was dumb
Why the so called smart kids was poppin' guns
I think about poppin' a gun, and then get the lump sum
Grampa my role model, yousta suck on a bottle
A pint a Crown Royal, make your insides boil
Been smell like Ben Gay, cause his back go out
He the one that taught me, what bein' black's about
Now peep the roach on the walls, that fall and crawl on my friend's
Wrist, Sittin' up in them Benz, to be in the pen
In the hood we hit the number, but never the lotto
Life in the fast lane, one wheel hit the pothole
Let's go, let's flow nigga
(Chorus - Singing - 2X)
War, what is it good for absolutely nothin'
But niggas keep frontin'
Fuck a nigga, live like a soldier
Die like a soldier
(Outro - Talking)
War, state of mercy nigga
You see me pop off nigga
Ain't no peace talk, bitch ass nigga
Fake gangsta nigga, you want to seem nigga (yeah)
You don't seem nigga, yeah nigga
Right? Kayslay, Whoo Kid
50 Cent, new shit
My nigga Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, G-Unit
Niggas, niggas, "Rotten Apple"
And nigga shy money, ain't fail nigga
Uh huh, ya heard
The song "Whoo Kid Kayslay Shit!" by 50 Cent is an aggressive and confident track that starts with 50 Cent talking about smoking weed but reveals that he can't as his PO makes him take drug tests. He then warns anyone disrespecting him that he won't hesitate to fight them and cut them up. 50 Cent talks about his past, being a sped-ed kid, but still managing to make money. He mentions his violent tendencies and how he used to think about shooting people and getting rich with the lump sum. He mentions his grandfather being his role model, teaching him what being black is all about. The chorus then comes in with the iconic "War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing," and 50 Cent continues to assert his dominance and warns anyone who messes with him that they will die like a soldier.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't smoke weed, cause my PO make me piss in a cup
I cannot smoke marijuana because my probation officer will check for it in my urine sample.
Nigga go ahead, disrespect me, I'll fuck you up
If you disrespect me, I will physically harm you.
I ain't talkin' about a fist fight, I'll cut you up
I am not threatening to punch you, but rather to use a sharp object to harm you.
Yo don't want stitches in yo grill motherfucker, then chill
If you do not want to end up needing stitches on your face, then calm down and stop instigating.
As a young buck, niggas always knew I puff
From a young age, people knew that I smoked marijuana.
Yousta see me go to school, on a smoiler bus (woo)
I used to ride on a school bus that emitted a lot of smoke.
I'm a sped ed kid, I'm gettin' all this paper (uh huh)
Although I was in special education classes, I am making a lot of money now.
You should sit, scibble lines and see where it take ya
You should try writing and see where it takes you in life.
Had violent tendencies, so they thought I was dumb
People assumed I was unintelligent because of my tendency to be violent.
Why the so called smart kids was poppin' guns
Meanwhile, the students who were considered intelligent were carrying guns and being violent as well.
I think about poppin' a gun, and then get the lump sum
I consider how much money I could make from committing a violent crime with a gun.
Grampa my role model, yousta suck on a bottle
My grandfather, who used to drink heavily, was a positive influence on my life.
A pint a Crown Royal, make your insides boil
Drinking Crown Royal whiskey can cause stomach problems and discomfort.
Been smell like Ben Gay, cause his back go out
My grandfather smells like a menthol pain relief cream due to his back problems.
He the one that taught me, what bein' black's about
My grandfather helped me understand what it means to be black in society.
Now peep the roach on the walls, that fall and crawl on my friend's
Observe the cockroach on the walls that falls and crawls on my friend's wrist.
Wrist, Sittin' up in them Benz, to be in the pen
While riding in a Mercedes-Benz car, we may end up going to prison.
In the hood we hit the number, but never the lotto
We may win a small amount of money through gambling, but never the big lottery prize in our neighborhood.
Life in the fast lane, one wheel hit the pothole
Living life at a fast pace can result in unexpected hurdles and problems.
War, what is it good for absolutely nothin'
War is not beneficial or helpful in any way.
But niggas keep frontin'
However, people continue to pretend and act tough.
Fuck a nigga, live like a soldier
Do not rely on anyone else and live with a strong, independent mentality as if you were a soldier.
Die like a soldier
If necessary, be prepared to die with the same courage and bravery as a soldier.
War, state of mercy nigga
War is a merciless state of being.
You see me pop off nigga
You witness me becoming very agitated and aggressive.
Ain't no peace talk, bitch ass nigga
There is no way to resolve matters peacefully, you cowardly person.
Fake gangsta nigga, you want to seem nigga (yeah)
You pretend to be a tough and dangerous person, but you are actually quite weak.
You don't seem nigga, yeah nigga
You are not what you try to present yourself as.
Right? Kayslay, Whoo Kid
Isn't that right, Kayslay and Whoo Kid?
50 Cent, new shit
This is a new song by me, 50 Cent.
My nigga Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, G-Unit
Shoutout to my friends and fellow rappers Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and the G-Unit group.
Niggas, niggas, "Rotten Apple"
A reference to the album "Rotten Apple" which refers to life in the harsh conditions of New York City.
And nigga shy money, ain't fail nigga
Shoutout to my friend shy money, who has not failed and is still successful.
Uh huh, ya heard
Yes, you heard me correctly.
Contributed by Grayson A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tyriqthepharaoh1285
Who's Still Listening In 2023 May 14 12:59am EST Brooklyn!
@midladder
Try 2024 Jan 16 11:58pm +0 CET
@WayvPlayz
2024 ๐ช๐พ๐ฅ๐ฏ๐ฏ
@bummydavis6530
some of the hardest shit ever recorded.....50 the general
@emmanuelhabimana2486
The fuckin beat is heat
@emmanuelhabimana2486
The heat bass is so HEAVY
@bornpower5948
I remember this year..........smh shit was wild and this mixtape was knocking outta every whip
@Gloryboyz13
Niggas who say 50 only got 2 good albums never heard these mixtapes !
@pj6208
Yeah!!! Hardbody shit. Fuck that mainstream shit. Classic
@randywave7
So classic man.