Rapper 50 Cent was born Curtis Jackson III on July 6, 1975 in South Jamaica, Queens. He grew up without a father and his mother was murdered when he was eight years old. At the age of 12, 50 Cent began dealing drugs in order to get by in a tough neighborhood.
His rapping career began in a friend's basement in 1996. In 2000, he was shot nine times and spent 13 days in the hospital. 50 Cent's big break came in 2002 when Eminem introduced him to Dr. Dre. In 2003, he released his first commercial album, Get Rich Or Die Tryin'. The album was an immediate success and a star was born.
50 Cent established G-Unit Records in 2003 and proceeded to expand his career as a producer and entrepreneur. While continuing to pump out successful albums, 50 Cent crossed over into acting. In 2005, he made his motion picture debut in Get Rich Or Die Tryin'. The following year, he played an Iraq war veteran in Home of the Brave.
Did you know…
* He is left-handed, Just like Eminem
* Never had a real job
* His favorite actor is Charlie Sheen
* Shares the same birthday as George W. Bush
* His boxing name was "BooBoo"
* He lives in Mike Tyson's old house in Farmington, Connecticut
* He doesn't smoke or drink