Curtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent, began his career as an African-American rapper, actor, and producer, but has since expanded into entrepreneurship. One of his initial business ventures was founding the record label G-Unit, through which he released multiple albums and discovered new artists. In addition to G-Unit, he ventured into acting and established a boxing promotion company called Money Team.
In 2015, 50 Cent filed for bankruptcy after extensive spending on real estate, cars, and legal battles. At that time, his assets were reported to be between $10 million and $50 million, with debts of a similar range. The decision to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy was a strategic move to manage the costs associated with ongoing lawsuits.
“When you’re successful, you become a target. I don’t want to be a bullseye,” 50 Cent explained. “I’m taking precautions that any good business person would take in this situation.”
He also founded G-Unit Films in 2003 and Cheetah Vision in 2008, with the latter securing $200 million in funding by 2010. As of 2021, his net worth was estimated at around $30 million. Alongside his liquor company and his role as co-creator and executive producer of the STARZ TV series “Power,” he recently opened a studio in Shreveport, LA, which is reportedly the second-largest Black-owned studio after Tyler Perry Studios.
During a recent appearance at Invest Fest in Atlanta, 50 Cent shared one of his “unwritten laws” of business success: “One of the unwritten laws of business is to not appear to need anything,” he said. “Everybody will do you a favor when you don’t need one. If they can expect a bigger favor in return or a favor from you at a later point, they’ll find the ability to just do it.”
He added, “That’s why when they tell me no, I go — if television says they are going on strike, I say, ‘Okay, I’m on tour.’ That last tour [the Final Lap Tour], I did 103 shows. It’s the third-highest-grossing Hip-Hop tour ever.”
