50 Cent - Biography and Lessons

50 Cent is one of the world’s most famous and influential rappers. He shot to fame with the release of his albums ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin' and ‘The Massacre’, which sold over 20 million copies. He has also acted in several movies and founded his own record label. 50 Cent has hit the headlines for feuding with other rappers.
50 Cent’s real name is Curtis James Jackson III. He was born in New York in 1975. His mother was murdered when he was eight. He never knew his father. At the age of 12, he started drug dealing and carrying a gun. When he was 14, he competed at boxing in the Junior Olympics. In 1994, he spent six months in prison.

50 Cent started rapping in 1996, after meeting Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC. Jay developed 50 Cent’s rapping skills and in 1999, Columbia Records signed him. He recorded a successful single called “How to Rob”. Just as his popularity was growing, he was shot nine times outside his home. His record label dropped him and he was unable to find work.
He moved to Canada and recorded his album ‘Guess Who's Back?’ In 2002, Eminem heard the album and invited 50 Cent to his home in LA to sign a million-dollar record deal. In 2003, 50 Cent released his smash-hit album ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin'. 50 Cent is now an actor and very successful businessman as well as being a rap superstar.

247 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.

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