50 Cent's debut album, "Get Rich Or Die Tryin'" was released 18 years ago today.
A Look Back At 50 Cent's "Get Rich Or Die Tryin"
Exactly 18 years ago today—on February 6th, 2003—approximately 400,000 people made their way to a record shop (Apple’s iTunes Store wouldn’t open its digital doors for another two months) and laid down their hard-earned ducats for 50 Cent’s major label debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin’.
50 Cent has embraced many personas throughout this lengthy career: drug dealer, television producer, professional beef-instigator, accidental cryptocurrency millionaire and too many others to mention. However, for many of us, he will be fondly remembered as the rapper who barged into our earholes with both guns blazing, armed with one of the most impactful hip-hop debuts in history: Get Rich Or Die Tryin'.
Debuting at the pole position on Billboard 200, GRODT sold almost 900K units its first week and is now certified 6x platinum. The commercial success of the album in terms of radio and video plays as well the movie that launched starring 50 Cent with the same title helped earn the album a Grammy nod in 2004.
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.