Quickly becoming the hottest unsigned artist and crew in New York, 50 and G-Unit’s stock peaked with the release of their No Mercy, No Fear and God’s Plan mixtapes later that year. Releasing his mixtape Guess Who’s Back? in 2002, Fif introduced his group G-Unit featuring rappers and fellow Southside natives Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks on his breakout mixtape 50 Cent Is the Future. Recovering from his wounds, the rapper teamed up with manager and executive Sha Money XL and hit the studio with a vengeance, flooding the mixtape circuit with freestyles and loose songs the following year. Building a buzz with his controversial single “How to Rob,” Fif recorded his intended debut album Power of the Dollar, but was dropped from the label in 2000 shortly after being shot multiple times during an ambush attack in Queens. Releasing his first single “The Glow / The Hit” on JMJ, the rapper eventually left the label, signing on with production duo Trackmasters through Columbia Records. member Jam Master Jay during the mid ’90s, Fif learned the ins and outs of songwriting during his tenure working with the legendary DJ’s imprint JMJ Records. Coming under the mentorship of Run D.M.C.
After serving time at a boot camp for drug possession, Fif returned to the streets, eager to make a soft landing in the music business. Born and raised in South Jamaica, Queens, 50, born Curtis Jackson, began rapping as a teen before running afoul of the law. Going from the brink of death to the executive suite is a rare transition, but one 50 Cent made seem effortless. Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images In part three of our four-part series, we look back at 14 of the most impactful artists that doubled as visionaries in Hip-Hop history. Last installment, we covered 14 of the most impactful founders and moguls of the past five decades.
In celebration of Black Music Month and Hip-Hop 50, VIBE and Lexus highlight 50 of the greatest music industry figures of the Hip-Hop Era. Creatives that make the art get the chunk of the headlines and credit, but it is often the work of the masterminds behind the scenes that pull the strings to ensure that the culture continues to be driven forward. Yet, the efforts of those who launched companies, climbed the corporate ladder, or capitalized on their artistic endeavors to pursue entrepreneurship are indispensable. The presence of Black power brokers in the music business was not as prevalent 50 years ago as it is today. Thriving off the ingenuity of savvy founders, executives, managers, and enterprising artists, Hip-Hop has moved the global needle and contributed to big business since its inception. Taking street energy and lending its influence and buying power to music, fashion, entertainment, and more. The movement born in the 1970’s from The Bronx, NYC has evolved from its humble beginnings into a billion-dollar industry.
Hip-Hop has become a global force, infiltrating various sectors of culture while impacting numerous facets of life.
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