50 Cent | Where did the name ‘50 Cent’ originate from and did he release any music before working with Dr Dre?

50 Cent is currently on tour in the United Kingdom, as part of his ‘The Last Lap’ tour and has already made the headlines while in the United Kingdom, after highlighting a certain member of the audience during his show in Birmingham during the week. That individual happened to be a pensioner caught in the crowd enjoying themselves, demonstrating 50 Cent is for people of all ages, not just ‘the kids.’ 

The footage, featuring 50 Cent (birth name Curtis Jackson III), captured the enthusiasm of 64-year-old Mary Jane Farquharson as she savoured his performance at Resorts World Arena. A devoted hip-hop enthusiast, Mrs Farquharson, from Nuneaton, said that her son introduced her to the genre, and now she's hooked. 50 Cent, sharing the video on X (formerly Twitter), acknowledged her as "by far" the most effortlessly cool person at the concert.

That’s not the only reason ‘Fiddy’ has been in the news though; with the recent allegations made by R&B artist Cassie towards Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs overnight, claiming charges of sex trafficking among a number of other claims, 50 Cent of course took to social media to give his opinion.

“Damn brother love, brother love, brother love, you out here looking 👀CRAZY AS A MF. LMAO,” 50 Cent captioned a selfie on X on Thursday. Combs changed his name to “Love,” or “Brother Love,” in 2017, saying at the time that he had evolved into a new person and therefore desired a new moniker.

Where did the name ‘50 Cent’ come from?

50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis James Jackson III, derived his stage name from an infamous Brooklyn robber Kelvin Darnell Martin - also known as "50 Cent." The choice of this name symbolizes change, as the rapper has explained that it reflects his desire to bring about positive change in his own life and leave behind a criminal past. The name "50 Cent" also serves as a metaphor for change in the broader sense, representing transformation and the pursuit of success.

Was 50 Cent involved in music before working with Dr. Dre and Aftermath?

50 Cent was indeed involved in music before joining Dr. Dre. He gained attention in the late 1990s with his mixtapes and underground recordings. One of his notable early works was the mixtape "Guess Who's Back?" released in 2002, which helped him generate buzz in the hip-hop community.

However, his breakthrough came when he signed with Eminem's label, Shady Records, and Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment in 2002. This partnership catapulted him to mainstream success. Under the mentorship of Eminem and Dr. Dre, 50 Cent released his debut studio album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', in 2003, which became a massive commercial success and established him as a major force in the music industry.

What is 50 Cent’s net worth?

According to Forbes, 50 Cent’s net worth is estimated as $45m as of this year. That works out to £36.1m.