The platinum hitmakers Trackmasters took notice of 50 and signed him to Columbia Records in 1999. They shipped 50 to Upstate NY where they locked him up in the studio for 2 ½ weeks. He turned out 36 songs in this short period, which resulted in Power Of A Dollar, an unreleased masterpiece that Blaze Magazine judged a classic. 50's stick up kid anthem "How to Rob" blew through the roof and playfully painted him as a deliriously hungry up-and-comer daydreaming of robbing famous rappers. But 50 and the fans were the only ones laughing. Unable to take a joke Jay-Z, Big Pun, Sticky Fingaz, and Ghostface Killah all replied to the song.
"It wasn't personal. It was comedy based on truth, which made it so funny,"
says 50 Cent.

In April of '00 50 was shot 9 times, including a .9mm bullet to the face, in front of his Grandmothers house in Queens. He spent the next few months in recovery while Columbia Records dropped him from the label. 50 didn't fold, he flew. Right into the zone. He banged out track after track, despite no income or backing, with his new business partner and friend Sha Money XL. The two recorded over 30 songs, strictly for mix-tapes, with the soul purpose of building a buzz. 50's street value rose and by the end of the Spring of '01 he'd released the new material independently on the makeshift LP, Guess Who's Back? Beginning to attract interest, and now backed by his crew, G-Unit, 50 stayed on his grind and made more songs. But it was different this time, rather than create new songs as they had before, 50 decided to showcase his hit making ability by retouching first class beats which had already been used. They released the red, white and blue bootleg, 50 Cent Is the Future, revisiting material by Jay-Z and even Rapheal Saadiq.

That's when the unbelievable happened, and hip-hop history was written. The energetic CD caught the ear of supa MC Eminem and within a week Em was on the radio saying, 50 Cent is my favorite rapper right now. Em looked to mentor Dr. Dre to confirm his belief in the young hitmaker, and the good doctor co-signed. Floored by the appreciation of the greats, 50 didn¹t hesitate in signing with the dream team. In the wake of his acquisition 50 Cent has become the most sought after newcomer in almost a decade. Not since the summer of '94, when radio would play absolutely anything Notorious B.I.G. related, has hip-hop seen buzz like this.

Ever the clever businessman 50 didn't let the opportunity escape him and quickly released another bootleg of borrowed beats, No Mercy, No Fear. The CD featured only one new track, "Wanksta", which was certainly not intended for radio, but the streets couldn't wait for the official single and within weeks "Wanksta" became New York's most requested record.
Thankfully the stellar cut has found a home on the multi-platinum soundtrack to Eminem¹s smash movie, 8 Mile. With several huge hits already under his belt, 50 Cent is poised to be the artist to beat next year. With over ten incredible tracks stashed from last Spring, and newly recorded winners courtesy of Eminem, who's really cut his production teeth of late, and hip hop's greatest, highest selling producer Dr. Dre. "Creatively, what more could I ask for?" he asks jokingly. "You know if me and Em is in the same room then its gonna be a friendly competition, neither of us wanna let the other one down. And Dre??? C'mon." Promising an LP of the caliber of rap classics like Illmatic, Ready to Die, and Reasonable Doubt, 50 Cent's debut promises to set the pace for hip-hop in coming years. The product of his unrelenting drive, talent and, frankly, his real-ness, 50's official first album promises to do for him just what it says. With his infectious flow and viciously funny I-don't-give-a-fuck personality, there is no doubt that 50 Cent will Get Rich or Die Trying.