50 Cent: podcast appearances and interviews

Curtis James Jackson III, known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, television producer, record executive, and businessman born in Queens, New York City. He began his musical career in 1996 and recorded his debut album, Power of the Dollar, for Columbia Records around 1999 to 2000. Following a shooting in May 2000 in which he was struck by nine bullets, the album's release was canceled, and he was dropped from the label. His 2002 mixtape Guess Who's Back? attracted the attention of Detroit rapper Eminem, who signed Jackson to his label Shady Records, an imprint of Interscope Records, that year. His debut studio album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', released in 2003, achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success, reaching the top of the Billboard 200 chart and producing hit singles such as In da Club and 21 Questions. The album received multiple Platinum certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America. In the same year, he founded G-Unit Records and formed the hip-hop group G-Unit with members Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. Jackson's subsequent albums, including The Massacre in 2005, continued his commercial success, though later releases like Curtis (2007), Before I Self Destruct (2009), and Animal Ambition (2014) experienced varying critical responses. Beyond music, he has built a career in television, notably as an executive producer and star of the series Power and its spin-offs. Jackson has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and has received numerous awards, including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy, and multiple Billboard Music, World Music, American Music, and BET Awards. He has also appeared in films such as Get Rich or Die Tryin', Home of the Brave, and Righteous Kill. Recognized as one of the top artists and rappers of the 2000s, his influence and accomplishments are widely acknowledged within the entertainment industry.