Sexiest Men Alive Network : 50 Cent

Curtis "50 cent" Jackson was born in South Jamaica, Queens and has lived in New York City all his life. Having a rough childhood, he was raised by his grand-parents since the age of eight, because his father ran out on them and his mother was murdered.

Initially, Curtis wanted to become a heavy weight boxer, he evencompeted in the Junior Olympics as an amateur fighter. At the same time, around the age of 12, Curtis being surrounded by people who dealt with narcotics, fell into the selling drugs game himself. He was once caught at school passing a metal detector and another time was arrested by an undercover police officer. Jackson was sentenced to 3-9 years in prison but managed to serve 7 months in a "shock incarceration" boot camp, where he later earned his GED.

He was first introduced to Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC who then taught 50 cent how to count bars, write choruses, structure songs, and make a record, since he had never been in a studio before. Later in 1997, his first son was born, Marquise Jackson with Shaniqua Tompkins. 50 explains that the birth of his son is actually what really pushed him to take his music career seriously. This was followed in 1999, after leaving Jam Master Jay, the platinum selling producers Trackmasters took notice of 50 and signed him to Columbia Records.He produced 36 songs in this short period, 18 of which were included on his 2000 unofficially released album, Power of the Dollar.

In 2000, something that was very known in the media, 50 Cent was nearly shot to death outside his grandmother's house. He took bullets in the hand, a shell hit his right thumb and came out his pinky, hip, legs, chest, and face, which pierced his left cheek. The latter wound shaved a chunk off his gums, left a hole between the top and bottom rows of his teeth, and resulted in a small but permanent slur in his voice. They were driven to a hospital where 50 spent 13 days in recovery. The alleged shooter was killed three weeks later.

After the shooting, unfortunetely 50 Cent was "blacklisted" in the recording industry and dropped from Columbia Records. This situation did not hold 50 back. He then travelled to Canada after not being able to get any studio time in the US and recorded 30 songs for mix tapes. Independently on the makeshift LP, Guess Who's Back?

Curtis' big break came when In 2002, when Eminem finished recording his album The Eminem Show, he listened to a copy of 50's latest CD. As he was impressed with wha he heard, Eminem invited 50 to meet with him and dr. Dre. He was shortly signed to a reported US $1 million record deal, 50 quickly released another bootleg of borrowed beats, No Mercy, No Fear. The CD featured one new track "Wanksta", which was put on Eminem's 8 Mile soundtrack, which was a huge hit in that year.

From there, 50 grew a huge fanbase, had his own crew, when Interscope then granted 50 Cent his own label, G-Unit Records. He is now well known, and even acted in a few movies. Although Curtis Jackson is not your typical pretty boy, he definitely has that special something that makes the girls go "mmmmm"...

50 Cent Gallery: