50 Cent started rapping in the friend’s basement, where he used turntables to record over instrumentals. In 1996, his friend introduced him to Jam Master Jay of Run DMC, who established his own record label Jam Master Jay Records. It was the first time Curtis was in the studio.
Jay produced the 50 cent first album, which was never released. In 1999, after 50 Cent stopped collaboration with Jam Master Jay, “Platinum” producers of Trackmasters signed a contract with him in Columbia Records. He produced thirty-six songs for two weeks. Eighteen of them were included in the unofficial 50 cent first album called «Power of the Dollar» in 2000.
Jay taught him how to count bars, write choruses, structure songs and make records. The first official appearance of 50 Cent was on the song «React» with the band «Onyx», on their album «Shut ‘Em Down» in 1998. He trusted Jay as a mentor, who helped significantly expand his capabilities.
50 Cent’s popularity started to grow after a successful singles How to Rob, which he wrote for half an hour, while driving the car to the studio. The track comically explains how he can rob famous artists.
Rappers Jay-Z, Big Pun, DMX and Wu-Tang Clan replied to the song. Nas (perceiving the track positively) invited 50 Cent to travel on a promotional tour for his album Nastradamus. So we can say that the 50 cent first album should have been successful. The song How to Rob was should have been released with «Thug Love» of Destiny’s Child, but two days before recording a clip for «Thug Love» and a few weeks before the 50 cent first album, 50 Cent was wounded in a shootout and taken to the hospital.
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