50 Cent Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is 50 Cent’s net worth?

With a net worth of $40 million, 50 Cent is an American rapper, producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He rose to fame in the early 2000s, with his debut album “Get Rich or Die Tryin'” launching him to international stardom, achieving multiple platinum certifications and producing hits such as “In Da Club.” His following albums, including “The Massacre,” also received significant acclaim. Recognized for his unique style that combines aggressive lyrics with memorable hooks, 50 Cent has sold millions of albums globally. His impact, however, goes beyond music, as he has made notable business achievements, particularly through his investment in Vitamin Water, leading to a considerable windfall when the brand was acquired by Coca-Cola. Additionally, 50 Cent has successfully ventured into the film and television industry, both in acting and producing roles; his semi-autobiographical series “Power” has gained popularity and led to several spin-offs.

Throughout his career, 50 Cent has accumulated earnings estimated between $200-300 million from various pursuits, including record sales, tours, and numerous brand partnerships. Nevertheless, his extravagant spending habits—particularly on real estate, automobiles, and legal battles—resulted in his Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in July 2015. More on this filing will be discussed later in the article. Prior to declaring bankruptcy, 50 Cent’s wealth had reached over $100 million.

Early Life

On July 6, 1975, Curtis James Jackson III, known as 50 Cent, was born in Queens, New York City. He was brought up in the South Jamaica neighborhood by his mother, Sabrina, a drug dealer who passed away when Jackson was eight. Following her death, 50 Cent was raised by his grandmother. At the age of 12, he started selling drugs after school. During the 10th grade, he was apprehended by metal detectors at his school while attempting to smuggle in guns and drug money. In 1994, he faced another arrest for selling cocaine to an undercover officer and was later arrested again following a police raid that uncovered heroin, crack cocaine, and a firearm at his residence. He spent six months in a boot camp and obtained his GED.

Early Career and Shooting

Jackson gained traction with the release of the contentious underground single, “How To Rob.” In May 2000, just before he was set to put out “Thug Love,” a collaboration with Destiny’s Child, he was shot in an incident outside his grandmother’s home in Queens. An assailant, Darryl Baum (who was also Mike Tyson’s bodyguard), unleashed nine shots, hitting 50 Cent in the hand, arm, hip, both legs, chest, and left cheek. The assailant was killed three weeks after the shooting. 50 Cent was hospitalized for 13 days, during which he secured a publishing deal with Columbia Records, though he was later dropped when he attempted to release the song “Ghetto Qu’ran.” Faced with being blacklisted by the entire U.S. recording industry, he traveled to Canada to record mixtapes to enhance his popularity, culminating in the 2002 release of “Guess Who’s Back?”.

Rise to Fame

In 2002, Eminem discovered Jackson. Impressed by the “Guess Who’s Back?” mixtape, Eminem extended an invitation for Jackson to come to Los Angeles.meeting Dr. Dre. Signing a record deal worth $1 million, 50 Cent released “No Mercy, No Fear.” A song by 50 Cent was included in Eminem’s movie “8 Mile,” which contributed to his rise. The year 2003 marked a significant surge in 50 Cent’s popularity with the launch of his debut album, “Get Rich or Die Trying.” This album made a grand entrance at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, selling nearly a million copies within the first four days. Moreover, in just one week, the lead single, “In Da Club,” achieved a record for the most-listened-to song in radio history. Following this success, Interscope assigned 50 Cent his own label, G-Unit Records. In March 2005, Jackson released another album, “The Massacre,” which was a tremendous hit, selling 1.14 million copies in its first four days and securing the number-one spot on the Billboard charts for six consecutive weeks. His third album, “Curtis,” was released in 2007 and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The fourth album, “Before I Self Destruct,” came out in November 2009. Due to disagreements with his record label, the release of his fifth album, “Street King Immortal,” was delayed until November 2012. To date, his studio albums have amassed over 21 million in sales.

Other pursuits

Throughout his relatively brief time in the limelight, 50 Cent established G-Unit Records, initiated the G-Unit clothing line, and has appeared in multiple films alongside icons such as Al Pacino and Robert Deniro. Additionally, he created a boxing promotion company, The Money Team, in 2012.

Bankruptcy Filing

On July 13, 2015, the Wall Street Journal reported that 50 Cent submitted a Chapter 11 personal bankruptcy petition. This filing occurred in the US bankruptcy court located in Hartford, Connecticut, as 50 was residing in Connecticut at that time.

At the filing’s time, 50 was living in Mike Tyson’s former mansion at 50 Poplar Hill Dr, Farmington, CT 06032. His reported assets ranged from $10 million to $50 million. He estimated that his debts were equally substantial.

This filing came shortly after a jury mandated 50 Cent to pay Rick Ross’ ex-girlfriend, Lavonia Leviston, a judgment of $5 million for the deliberate release of a sex tape featuring her. This judgment included $2.5 million for unauthorized use of her image and an additional $2.5 million for emotional distress. The presiding judge in this case also required Mr. Jackson to provide evidence of income and net worth so that the jury could assess further punitive damages.

The $5 million judgment was issued about a year following a different ruling, where another judge ordered 50 to pay $17.5 million due to a trademark infringement related to a former business associate in a headphone venture. Combined, he faced potential legal judgments amounting to $22.5 million before considering punitive damages from the sex tape case.

The bankruptcy filing appeared to be a strategic maneuver for three main reasons:

• #1) To safeguard his business operations from the judgment creditor (Lavonia Leviston) and prevent liens on his assets.
• #2) To compel the creditor to negotiate the reduction of the $5 million judgment.
• #3) To avert the possibility of…the jury unable to grant further punitive damages to Ms. Leviston in the sex tape case.

He later elaborated:

“Becoming successful can make you a target, and I don’t want to be someone’s bullseye. I prefer not to be the person they arrive at with outrageous claims and go through that entire ordeal. Taking precautions is essential, just as any prudent businessperson would do in such circumstances.“

Following up, his lawyer stated:

“This filing allows Mr. Jackson to maintain his participation in various business ventures and continue his career as an entertainer while he seeks a structured reorganization of his financial situation.”

Vitamin Water Deal

One of 50 Cent’s most astute financial moves was negotiating a minority stake in Vitamin Water, in exchange for his role as their celebrity spokesman and the branding of the “Formula 50” drink.

In 2007, Coca-Cola acquired Glacéau, the producer of Vitamin Water, for $4.1 billion. It is widely believed that 50 Cent profited approximately ten times more from the Vitamin Water sale than he had from his music career before that time.

Initially, it was reported that 50’s equity in Vitamin Water stood at 10%, indicating a pre-tax bonanza of $410 million. However, this estimate was largely dismissed by investment bankers involved with the deal, who later suggested that 50’s actual stake was nearer to 2.5%. Should that be the case, 50 Cent would have realized earnings of $100-$150 million from the sale (before taxes).

Earnings By Year

2007: $32 million

2008: $150 million

2009: $20 million

2010: $8 million

2011: $6 million

2012: $7 million

2013: $7 million

2014: $8 million

2015: $4 million

2016: $6 million

2017: $5 million

2018: $4 million

2019: $4 million

Total: $261 million

Effen Vodka Deal

Reports surfaced in July 2017, though not confirmed, that 50 Cent had sold his minority stake in Effen Vodka for $60 million. He affirmed on Instagram the occurrence of the deal but did not validate the $60 million figure, which originated from DJ Envy during The Breakfast Club radio show. Envy cited this amount but did not provide evidence or confirmation. It’s possible 50 shared this number, which could imply its authenticity, yet it might just be an exaggeration. As we await more official confirmation, this figure hasn’t been included in 50’s currently stated net worth.

Starz Deal

In October 2018, 50 Cent entered a four-year overall agreement with Starz, the network that airs his drama series “Power.” This deal, which involves a commitment to three series, has the potential to reach a worth of $150 million if all objectives are met.

Personal Life

50 Cent has a son, Marquise Jackson, with his former girlfriend, Shaniqua Tompkins.Born in October 1996, Tompkins eventually filed a lawsuit against Jackson seeking $50 million, which was later dismissed. Their disagreements have appeared prominently on social media on numerous occasions.

In 2005, 50 Cent backed President George W. Bush after fellow rapper Kanye West criticized the president for his inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina. Later on, Jackson expressed his support for Barack Obama in 2008 and for Hillary Clinton in 2016. Despite the themes present in many of his songs, Jackson does not engage in drug or alcohol consumption.

In May 2016, while at Cincinnati International Airport, Jackson confronted a janitor, insulting him after accusing him of being under the influence. It was revealed that the janitor was a teenager with autism and hearing impairment. The incident gained considerable attention online, leading the teenager’s parents to consider suing 50 Cent. Ultimately, they reached a settlement involving a $100,000 donation from 50 Cent to Autism Speaks along with an apology.

Connecticut Mansion

In 2003, 50 Cent purchased a 17-acre estate in Connecticut, which boasts a 50,000-square-foot home that includes 21 bedrooms, 37 bathrooms, a gym, a casino, and a nightclub. This property was previously owned by Mike Tyson. At the time of the sale, Tyson was undergoing a divorce and had declared bankruptcy, leading to a court order for him to transfer the mansion to his ex-wife, Monica Turner. Turner sold the estate to 50 Cent for $4.1 million and subsequently invested an additional $6 million in renovations, which included a private movie theater, an infinity pool, and a helicopter pad.

During 50 Cent’s bankruptcy proceedings in 2015, his lawyers revealed that maintaining the house costs around $72,000 per month, with utilities alone eating up $18,000.

He initially tried to sell the mansion in 2007 for $18.5 million, but the attempt was unsuccessful. Since then, he has continued to attempt to sell the property with no luck, lowering the price to $4.995 million in September 2018, yet again finding no buyers. Eventually, in April 2019, he sold the home for $2.9 million, an 84% decrease from his original asking price, resulting in a $1.2 million loss compared to his purchase price.