50 Cent Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is 50 Cent’s net worth?

An American rapper, producer, actor, and entrepreneur, 50 Cent boasts a net worth of $40 million. He gained fame in the early 2000s with his debut album “Get Rich or Die Tryin’”, which achieved multiple platinum certifications and produced hits such as “In Da Club.” His other albums, like “The Massacre,” also enjoyed tremendous success. Renowned for his unique style that mixes aggressive lyrics with catchy hooks, 50 Cent has sold millions of albums across the globe. Besides music, he has made notable advancements in business, particularly through his investment in Vitamin Water, which yielded a significant profit after the company’s sale to Coca-Cola. Furthermore, 50 Cent successfully transitioned into the film and television industry, both in acting and production roles, with his semi-autobiographical series “Power” enjoying widespread success and generating multiple spin-offs.

Throughout his career, 50 Cent has amassed at least $200-300 million through various ventures, primarily from record sales, touring, and numerous brand partnerships. Nonetheless, excessive spending (particularly on real estate, cars, and legal issues) led him to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2015. More details on this filing will follow in this article. At his peak prior to declaring bankruptcy, 50 Cent’s net worth exceeded $100 million.

Early Life

Born Curtis James Jackson III on July 6, 1975, in Queens, New York City, 50 Cent was brought up in the South Jamaica neighborhood by his mother, Sabrina, a drug dealer who passed away when he was just eight years old. After her death, he was raised by his grandmother. By the age of 12, he began selling drugs after school. In 10th grade, he faced arrest when metal detectors caught him trying to smuggle guns and drug money into high school. In 1994, he was arrested again for selling cocaine to an undercover police officer. Another arrest followed when a police raid at his home uncovered heroin, crack cocaine, and a firearm. He spent six months in a boot camp and obtained his GED.

Early Career and Shooting

Jackson’s rise began with the release of a controversial underground rap single titled “How To Rob.” In May 2000, he was set to release “Thug Love,” a collaboration with Destiny’s Child, when he was shot outside his grandmother’s home in Queens. The assailant, alleged to be Darryl Baum (Mike Tyson’s bodyguard), discharged nine shots, injuring 50 Cent in the hand, arm, hip, both legs, chest, and left cheek. Three weeks later, the attacker was killed. 50 Cent spent 13 days in the hospital, during which he signed a publishing deal with Columbia Records. Unfortunately, he was dropped when he attempted to release the song “Ghetto Qu’ran,” and he faced blacklisting from the U.S. recording industry as a whole. To build his reputation, he moved to Canada where he recorded songs for mixtapes. In 2002, he launched the mixtape “Guess Who’s Back?”.

Rise to Fame

In 2002, Eminem discovered Jackson. Eminem was so impressed by the mixtape “Guess Who’s Back?” that he invited Jackson to Los Angeles.meeting Dr. Dre. A $1 million record deal was signed by 50 Cent, leading to the release of “No Mercy, No Fear.” Eminem’s film “8 Mile” included a song by 50 Cent in its soundtrack. The year 2003 marked a peak in 50 Cent’s fame with the debut of his album “Get Rich or Die Trying,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts and sold nearly a million copies within the first four days. The lead single, “In Da Club,” achieved a record as the most-listened-to song in radio history just one week after its release. Shortly thereafter, Interscope granted 50 Cent his own label, G-Unit Records. In March 2005, Jackson released his subsequent album, “The Massacre,” which sold 1.14 million copies in its first four days and maintained the top position on the Billboard charts for a full six weeks. His third album, “Curtis,” launched in 2007, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Then came album number four, “Before I Self Destruct,” released in November 2009. Delays caused by conflicts with his record label pushed the release of his fifth album, “Street King Immortal,” to November 2012. Thus far, his studio albums have collectively sold over 21 million units.

Other pursuits

During his relatively brief time in the limelight, 50 Cent established the label G-Unit Records, initiated the G-Unit clothing line, and has even appeared in several films alongside legends such as Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. In 2012, he also founded a boxing promotion company named The Money Team.

Bankruptcy Filing

According to the Wall Street Journal on July 13, 2015, 50 Cent filed for Chapter 11 personal bankruptcy protection. This filing took place in the US bankruptcy court in Hartford, Connecticut, where he was a resident at that time.

At that moment, 50 Cent was residing in Mike Tyson’s former mansion located at 50 Poplar Hill Dr, Farmington, CT 06032. In the bankruptcy paperwork, his reported assets were estimated between $10 million and $50 million. He claimed to have debts of comparable amounts.

This filing occurred merely days after a jury ruled that 50 Cent must pay Rick Ross’ ex-girlfriend, Lavonia Leviston, a $5 million judgment for the release of a sex tape featuring her without consent. The judgment comprised $2.5 million for unauthorized use of her image and another $2.5 million for emotional distress. The judge in this case also mandated Mr. Jackson to present proof of income and wealth, allowing the jury to assess further punitive damages.

The $5 million judgment came roughly a year after a different judge ordered 50 Cent to pay $17.5 million due to damages in a trademark infringement case involving a past partner in a headphone business. Combined, he was facing potential legal judgments totaling $22.5 million before any punitive damages were calculated in the sex tape case.

Several reasons suggest that the bankruptcy filing was at least partially strategic:

• #1) To prevent the judgment creditor (Lavonia Leviston) from disrupting his business operations or placing liens on his assets.
• #2) To compel the creditor to negotiate and reduce the $5 million judgment.
• #3) To prevent…the jury’s decision in the sex tape case, preventing Ms. Leviston from being awarded additional punitive damages.

He later elaborated:

“Success often makes you a target. I have no desire to be a bullseye. I’d rather not be the guy who faces large claims and the ensuing stress. I’m taking measures that any prudent business person would adopt in such scenarios.“

Following this, his lawyer stated:

“The filing allows Mr. Jackson to maintain his engagement with various business ventures while continuing his career as an entertainer, all during an organized reorganization of his financial situation.”

Vitamin Water Deal

One of 50 Cent’s standout financial decisions was negotiating a minority ownership stake in Vitamin Water in exchange for being their celebrity ambassador and endorsing the “Formula 50” beverage.

In 2007, Coca-Cola acquired Glacéau, the company behind Vitamin Water, for $4.1 billion. It’s commonly believed that 50 Cent generated approximately ten times more profit from the Vitamin Water sale than from his entire music career up to that moment.

Initial reports suggested that 50’s equity stake in Vitamin Water was 10%, which would translate to a pre-tax profit of $410 million. However, investment bankers familiar with the transaction later indicated that his actual stake was more likely around 2.5%. This smaller percentage would imply that 50 Cent earned approximately $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

Reportedly in July 2017, 50 Cent sold his minority stake in Effen Vodka for $60 million, though this has not been confirmed. He addressed the deal on Instagram, acknowledging it took place but didn’t confirm the $60 million figure, which originated from DJ Envy on The Breakfast Club radio show. While Envy shared that figure, he did not cite any source or verification. It’s possible that the number came from 50 himself, which would be intriguing to verify, but it may also be inflated. We are currently awaiting more reliable sources for confirmation, hence, this figure is not currently included in 50’s net worth mentioned above.

Starz Deal

In October 2018, 50 Cent entered into a four-year overall agreement with Starz, the network airing his drama series “Power.” This deal, which encompasses a commitment of three series, could potentially reach a value of $150 million if all conditions are met.

Personal Life

50 Cent shares a son with his former girlfriend, Shaniqua Tompkins. Marquise Jackson was

Born in October 1996, Tompkins later initiated a lawsuit against Jackson for $50 million, which was ultimately dismissed. The two have had numerous clashes on social media over time.

In 2005, 50 Cent voiced his support for President George W. Bush following fellow rapper Kanye West’s criticism of the president’s sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina. Later, in 2008 and 2016, Jackson backed Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, respectively. Despite the themes present in many of his lyrics, Jackson abstains from drugs and alcohol.

In May 2016, Jackson confronted a janitor at Cincinnati International Airport, insulting him due to accusations of intoxication. It was revealed that the janitor was an autistic and hearing-impaired teenager. The incident gained viral attention, leading the teenager’s parents to consider suing 50 Cent. Ultimately, they reached a settlement where 50 Cent donated $100,000 to Autism Speaks and issued an apology.

Connecticut Mansion

In 2003, 50 Cent acquired a 17-acre estate in Connecticut, which boasts a 50,000-square-foot house complete with 37 bathrooms, 21 bedrooms, a gym, a casino, and a nightclub. This property was previously owned by Mike Tyson, who, at the time of the sale, was managing a divorce and had declared bankruptcy. As per court orders, Tyson had to transfer the mansion to his ex-wife, Monica Turner, who sold the estate to 50 Cent for $4.1 million. He later invested an additional $6 million into various renovations, which included a private movie theater, infinity pool, and helicopter pad.

During his bankruptcy proceedings in 2015, it was disclosed by 50 Cent’s lawyers that the maintenance and financing of the house typically required around $72,000 each month, with utility costs alone reaching $18,000.

Initially, 50 attempted to sell the mansion in 2007 for $18.5 million but was unsuccessful. He continued to try selling the property without success for several years and eventually reduced the price to $4.995 million in September 2018, still finding no buyers. In April 2019, he sold the home for $2.9 million, resulting in an 84% decrease from his original asking price and a loss of $1.2 million compared to what he paid for it.