50 Cent

50 Cent—born Curtis James Jackson III on July 6, 1975, in New York City—is a screen artist and multi-hyphenate entertainer whose career bridges music, film, and television. Raised in Queens, he began recording in the late 1990s, but a near-fatal shooting in 2000 derailed early label plans and reshaped his public narrative.

Momentum returned when his 2002 mixtape caught the attention of Eminem, leading to a deal connected to Shady/Aftermath. His breakthrough album Get Rich or Die Tryin' became a defining blockbuster of the 2000s, cementing him as a global star and helping launch the G-Unit brand.

On screen, Jackson expanded into acting with roles that often lean into grit and streetwise intensity, including Get Rich or Die Tryin' (as Marcus), Before I Self Destruct (as Clarence), and Righteous Kill (as Spider), alongside credits like Twelve (as Lionel) and Dead Man Running (as Thigo). He also moved behind the camera as a producer, most notably shaping the hit TV universe Power and its spin-offs through his media ventures.

With tens of millions of records sold and major industry honors across music and television, 50 Cent remains a durable pop-culture force—equally recognized for his on-screen presence and his savvy reinvention in modern entertainment.