urtis “50 Cent” Jackson is a star in the making, and a probable future legend. Only two videos deep in the rap game, the next generation of hip-hop is already here. On first glance, knowledgeable fans may not be able to classify 50’s exact draw, but on closer inspection, it becomes obvious: 50 Cent is the underdog, the one you root for, the one you want to see succeed- the Rocky of hip-hop.


As a young teenager, 50 Cent used to sell crack on consignment, selling four “rocks” and getting to keep the fifth as payment. He used to sell to family members, making about 1,400 dollars a week at age 14. “I’d go to get for my aunt, seems like I run to the store to get some, but I already got it”. In similar fashion to Jay-Z, 50 Cent used the money to put together his demo tape. After a few years of hard work and shopping his tape, he found a contact: a former member of the Fat Boys. And so began a future trademark of his: burning bridges. When the Fat Boy and friend shilled his demo tape, 50 began a tirade with “man, you niggaz is mad ol’ school, gimme my fuckin’ tape back”. Blacklisted early, 50 began a friendship with the late Jam Master Jay, who agreed to produce his debut. After deciding JMJ was taking too long to get started on the album, 50 split from his first record deal, floundering around until he finally fell into a circle of friends that included Tone and Poke, the Trackmasters, veterans of the rap game who had previously worked with Nas, among others, and were starting their own label for Columbia Records. After going to upstate New York for a recording session with the group, 50 left with his magnum opus. “How to Rob”, his first real song, featuring the Trackmaster’s friend D-Dot AKA The Madd Rapper. “How to Rob”, an instructional manual on how he would rob hip-hop and R&B superstars, featured witty lines like “Dreams of fuckin’ an R&B bitch / But I’d wake up early, and bounce with all her shit”, did not elicit positive reactions from most of the hip hop elite. Wu-Tang threatened to kill him on “One Blood Under W”, Jay-Z shouted him out at Summer Jam (I’m about a dollar / What the fuck is 50 Cent?), but DJ Clue spun his record more because of his reference (“I should rob Clue, man, his shit did well”).


The most tangible conclusion, however, from his first single was the emergence of a rivalry with another new rapper from Queens, Ja Rule. As far as the truth goes, Ja Rule took offense to some of 50 Cent’s lines, specifically those from “Your Life is on the Line”. After Ja barked at 50 in a freestyle backing up then friend Jay-Z, 50 came back with the track, with a chorus of “Scream murdaaaaaaaaaa / I don’t believe you / Murdddddddaaaaaaaa / Fuck around and leave you / Murddddddddaaaaaad / I don’t believe you / Murda, murda, your life’s on the line” in response to Ja’s flagship song “Holla”. This is where truth ends and speculation, rumor and exaggeration begins. 50 claims that he took Ja Rule’s chain and then returned it, and then Ja had him stabbed (in the knuckles, no less) and later shot in the face 16 times, which Ja claims to have no part of. Whether this is true or not, the fact is, 50 Cent spent close to six months eating through a tube, enjoying piping hot liquid and nothing else.


Eventually, 50 fell out with Tone and Poke, and insulted them publicly. His album, featuring high profile collaborations with Destiny’s Child, Blaque, and Noreaga, would never see the light of the day. But those who knew 50 Cent even back then knew not to count him out. Through a friend of a friend, 50 appeared on the remix of “I’m Gonna Be Alright” by J-Lo, which should have been a career starter, but when 50 did not appear in the video, it again appeared like 50 Cent would have problems making it big. That is, until Eminem discovered the witty Queens MC, and signed him to a big contract to appear on his brand new Shady Records.


It’s all about charisma. 50’s lyrics aren’t immaculate, and his flow is even sometimes basic. But the reason he keeps coming back is because he has an innate likeable quality that is easy to get behind. His enemy, Ja Rule, is standoffish, pompous and untalented, and just from that alone it’s easy to rally with his purported rival. Ignore his first single, “Wanksta”, and focus on the new one, “In The Club”. He’s witty, sharp, and infectious. That’s why “In The Club” may be the best single by a new artist to come out in rap music in years. Yes, even better than “Grindin’”, even better than “Lapdance”, even better than “My Name Is”. 50 Cent is the next big thing in hip-hop...and don’t say I didn’t let you know beforehand.