21 years ago, 50 Cent introduced the world to the term that serves as the title of his debut breakthrough album and a Holy Guide that he lives his life with, Get Rich or Die Tryin.' It was released on February 6, 2003.
Here's a little backstory. 50 survived nine bullets that landed on his hand, arm, hip, both legs, chest, and left cheek in 2000, but struggled to find a label to shelter him after Columbia dropped him. Then, he took to the streets to build the buzz for himself by releasing back-to-back classic mixtapes, including his debut tape Guess Who's Back, which landed on Eminem's hands. The rest is history.
The most hyped hip-hop album debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart with 872.000 copies sold within the first month. In a celebration of 21 years of Get Rich or Die Tryin,' here are 9 facts about the album.
1. Suge Knight Came Into The In Da Club Video Set
You might want to keep this on the DL, but we all know how notorious Suge Knight, the former prez of Death Row Records, was. It totally makes sense if his surprise appearance on the set of 50's club-banging music video, In Da Club, in Los Angeles.
"I don't know what the intention was or what was going on, he was just there," director Phillip Atwell said, as reported by MTV. "I don't know what that was supposed to represent. We just kept shooting, that's all I know."
2. 50 Cent Was NEARLY Shot, Again
50's American Dream story could have ended eight months after the release of Get Rich or Die Tryin. In September 2003, 50 and his entourage stopped at the parking lot of a Jersey City Doubletree Hotel before they were shot by mysterious gunmen. 50 and his posse then fled to the hotel lobby and took cover before leaving the scene later. Nobody was wounded, but ten bullet casings were found in the crime scene, as reported by Rolling Stones.
3. It Was His 2002 Guess Who's Back Mixtape That Caught Eminem's Attention
"My manager gave me a copy of Guess Who's Back," Eminem told Complex in 2017 about how he linked up with the Queens native. "Within the first couple of songs, I was like, Yo, he's back ... Every song he was doing was so crazy. There's nothing to get rid of. There's nothing that we can even say, "Ah, that would be cool for a mixtape.""
4. Patiently Waiting Was One Of The First Beats Eminem Produced For 50
Eminem and Dr. Dre shared a heavy co-sign on 50 Cent, and they both served as the executive producers of Get Rich or Die Tryin' album.
"Patiently Waiting was one of the first beats I sit with 50, actually," Eminem told Complex further. "I was really tryna make it cinematic. Tryna makes it seems like, you know, a movie. Part of it was a respect that I had for him as a lyricist, you know?"
5. Eminem & 50 Met Way Before He Was Signed To Shady
"I think the first time I met 50 first was at the release party," Eminem said further, "I think it was in New York (in 1999). I met him, and we talked in the backroom."
50 wasn't playing around when he called the Shady Records honcho as his 'favorite white boy' on Patiently Waiting. Their friendship still remains strong, even after 50 left Shady Records family for creative reasons in 2014.
6. 50 Cent Got So Rich That He Purchased Mike Tyson's Mansion Only 7 Months After GRODT Release
Let's bag that bread, Fifty.
Only 7 months after the successful release of Get Rich or Die Tryin', 50 was able to purchase a 4.1 million dollars worth of mansion from the legendary boxer, Mike Tyson. The 52-room estate in Connecticut includes an indoor pool, a hot tub, and a nightclub. He sold the mansion in 2019 for only 2.9 million dollars.
7. A Doctor Who Saved His Life Sued The Rapper
One of the main subjects that centers Get Rich or Die Tryin' album is how 50 Cent got shot, not once but nine times, survived from it, and now he's here for a 'real reason.' Everybody seemed to love the album and the good story, but that's not the case for Dr. Nader Paksima, who saved 50's life from those gunshots. According to BBC, the doc sued for unpaid medical bills worth more than 32.500 dollars.
8. Many Men (Wish Death) Was Actually A Nas' Song
50 Cent re-enacted the catastrophic event of his shooting on Many Men (Wish Death). The track served as the third single of the album.
Little did we know that Darrel 'Diggah' Branch actually made the daunting beats with Nas in mind. According to Hot97, fellow Queen rapper Nas had already laid his vocals on the beats at that time.
"He was developing another artist named Nashawn," former A&R Lenny 'Linen' Nicholson said during an interview with Mass Appeal.
9. His 2005 Debut Movie Shared The Same Title As The Album
Following the footstep of Eminem, who released 8 Mile in 2002, 50 also released his semi-biographical movie, Get Rich or Die Tryin, in 2005. Get Rich or Die Tryin' centered the story of Marcus, a quiet mama boy, who's shot nine times and lost his mother. Then, he took rap as his escape route.
Listen to Get Rich Or Die Tryin' down below.
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