It was the night of 50 Cent’s biggest concert to date, a sold out crowd of 15,000 in Long Island's Nassau Coliseum. It was almost time to go onstage, so he slipped on his bulletproof vest and pulled the Velcro straps tight. 50 is wealthier and more successful than he has ever been in his life, yet he’s not so great in everybody’s eyes. "Niggas out there sellin' drugs is after what I got from rappin',” he said. Marquis, the mother of 50 Cent’s baby boy, appeared and held up a tailor-made kiddie-sized navy-blue bulletproof vest that her son was going to wear while onstage. There's something cute and playful about it, but it is worn for more than just looks.

If you have listened to any of the major hip hop stations or have tuned in to MTV or BET, then you have undoubtedly heard of 50 Cent. His name seems to be all over the music industry. His album “Get Rich or Die Trying,” whose title defines his life, has sold over two million copies in three weeks, and is currently number one on the Billboard charts.

Even with all this success 50 Cent doesn’t seem overwhelmed at all. He still possesses the same modest look on his face that is illuminated by his bright smile and his

Tragedy hit home when 50 was eight years old. One night somebody went home with his mother. Something was slipped into her drink that left her unconscious. The windows were closed and the gas was turned on. She was found dead a few days later. "Had to be something to do with the drugs," 50 said. "Her body was all fucked up."

In 2000, 50 was shot 9 times in front of his grandparents’ house in Queens. He was hit in the hand, hip, chest and face. While he was spending the next few months recovering, Columbia Records dropped him from the label. 50 teamed up with Sha Money XL and recorded over 30 songs. The songs were distributed to DJ’s throughout the area to build a “buzz.”

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