50 Cent began his music career nearly three decades ago - but many fans are only now discovering the true meaning behind his stage name.
The rapper, who hails from Queens, New York, faced more adversity in his childhood than most. At the tender age of eight, 50 Cent, real name Curtis James Jackson III, lost his mother, Sabrina, a drug dealer, in a tragic fire.
This left him to be brought up by his grandparents following his father's departure. Balancing school with boxing at the local gym, the young boy found himself "selling crack on the strip" at just 11 years old.
He recalls bringing firearms and drug money to school, which eventually led to his arrest after being caught by metal detectors.
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