50 Cent's journey into becoming a media mogul began when he burst onto the scene as an abrasive rapper. Get Rich or Die Tryin' is held as one of the greatest debut hip-hop albums of all time. Chronicling the violent streets of Queens, New York, the album's "we made it" narrative and chart-topping anthems, such as "In Da Club" or "21 Questions," would elevate 50 Cent into a pocket of stardom. His career has seen him nominated for a double-digit amount of Grammys. While his music career began to diminish as he transitioned into other arenas, his classics make him one of the highest-streamed hip-hop artists to this day.
However, 50 Cent was always a businessman at heart. After the success of Get Rich or Die Tryin', he got to work on forming his own record label. By 2003, 50 Cent had founded G-Unit Records. Signing the likes of Lloyd Banks and Young Buck, the label would quickly become a formidable force in the hip-hop industry. It was just the beginning for 50 Cent, who stands with the likes of Diddy and Jay-Z on the shortlist of rappers who've made successful transitions into other industries.
50 Cent Became A Mainstream Actor By The Late 2000s
50 Cent's first concrete film role was in the crime drama Get Rich or Die Tryin'. Starring in a film about himself was a genius move from 50 Cent. He took advantage of his success as a musician to ease into the acting world. Intended to mirror 50 Cent's upbringing, the film is a tale of an inner-city drug dealer who turns away from a life of crime to pursue his passion for music. While the film received mixed reviews, 50 Cent's success as the spotlight of the film would earn him additional opportunities in the industry. Soon after that, he would act in high-grossing films such as Home of the Brave alongside Steven Jackson. The military drama saw 50 Cent play Jamal Aiken. He was a bitter Army National Guard Soldier who had difficulty re-adjusting to civilian life.
However, his highest-grossing film as an actor would come in the form of Righteous Kill. 50 Cent would act alongside film icons Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. He starred in the film as a drug dealer named Spider, who is murdered by a corrupt police team. Throughout 50 Cent's acting career, many of his roles have reflected that of an enforcer or drug dealer. Fitting along with his gangster image from his MC days, he's acted in similar films such as Den of Thieves and Before I Self Destruct. Throughout the late 2000s, he acted in various crime films.
Power Was 50 Cent's Big Break As A Producer
As 50 Cent has proven throughout his career, he's not one to be satisfied with where he's currently at. After carving out successful careers as a rapper and an actor, he began looking towards production in film roles. His big break would be Power. Airing on Starz, the show would become one of the most successful on the platform, airing for six seasons. Like many of 50 Cent's acting roles, the show is a crime drama. Power throws the viewer into a world of drug use and politics. Before the show's success, he had also produced All Things Fall Apart and Fire with Fire. However, Power solidified 50 Cent as an iconic media mogul.
50 Cent Is Pivoting Into An Ownership Position
Power isn't the only successful show that 50 Cent executive produced. He also played an instrumental role in the success of BMF. The 2-season show gives a haphazard look into the rise of the origins of a black mafia family in Detroit. His real-life son depicts Big Meech in the form of Demetrius "Lil Meech" Flenory Jr. BMF is a coming-of-age story based in the violent streets of Detroit. In addition, 50 Cent made his first appearance as a director on the show on Episode 7 of Season 1. If he is any indicator, his director appearance is likely a sign of things to come for 50 Cent. In addition, he's set to star in The Expendables 4 alongside Jason Statham and Megan Fox. The film is expected to hit theaters in September.
Surprisingly, recent developments have hinted at 50 Cent looking to break away from Starz. He's currently spearheading the construction of a 985,000-square-foot G-Unit Studio. The site intends to act as a film and television studio for his own network. He stated, "I have the number 1,2,3, and 4 top TV shows in African American and Latina households, and I hate that I did them with the wrong people. I'm not doing any BMF spinoffs or selling any shows to STARZ." In addition, he penned a three-project deal with media company Lusid Media in October of 2022. Already highly successful as an actor and producer, the next stage of his media career will focus on ownership.