When Eminem and Dr. Dre joined forces to bring rising New York rapper 50 Cent into the mainstream, the world wasn't ready for the phenomenon that ensued. In February of 2003, 50 came through and delivered his debut album Get Rich Or Die Tryin, a front-to-back classic that housed timeless singles like "21 Questions," "P.I.M.P," and the one that started it all -- "In Da Club."
50 Cent's "In Da Club" Hits One Billion Views">Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
Easily one of the most recognizable hip-hop anthems of the past two decades, 50 and Dre's breakout collaboration has remained in steady rotation since its release seventeen years ago. Between the infectious introduction of "it's your birthday" to the star-studded names dropped throughout (Em, Dre, Xzibit, and Lloyd Banks all receive shout-outs), the merits of "In Da Club" are numerous in nature. To list them all would likely require a more thought-provoking piece; should you be interested in touching on similar ground, however, consider a reflection on Dr. Dre and 50 Cent's musical chemistry right here.
Suffice it to say, "In Da Club" is a legendary song and as such it's no surprise to see it doing equally legendary numbers. Not far removed from his longtime friend and collaborator Eminem adding another billion-view video to his resume, Fif has secured his own major musical milestone of a similar nature. As of now, "In Da Club" has officially hit one billion YouTube views, marking his first video to do so by a decent margin. No easy feat, and one that the rapper should be proud of. Should you be feeling nostalgic, be sure to check out the official "In Da Club" video below, originally released on January 7th, 2003.
Congratulations 50!