L'As

#269 #TEAMOM

[(st_ides) @benjamins_st]

Get Rich or Die Tryin’(released February 6, 2003) is 50 Cent’s (Curtis Jackson) major-label debut and one of the biggest commercial and cultural explosions in hip-hop history‼️💯.

The Story Behind the Album⁉️
In the late 1990s, 50 signed with Columbia Records through Jam Master Jay’s development deal‼️. He recorded his intended debut, "Power of the Dollar" (which included the provocative single “How to Rob,” name-checking other rappers)‼️. In May 2000, just before it was set to drop, he was shot nine times outside his grandmother’s house in Queens (including hits to the face, chest, and arm)‼️. The attack was widely linked to his earlier track “Ghetto Qur’an,” which referenced Queens drug figure Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff‼️. He survived but was dropped by Columbia‼️.

While recovering, he linked with producer Sha Money XL and recorded relentlessly in a Long Island house/studio that functioned as a safe house‼️. The mixtapes "Guess Who’s Back⁉️" and "50 Cent Is the Future" (with G-Unit) created massive street buzz‼️. Eminem heard the material, flew 50 out, introduced him to Dr. Dre, and they signed him to a roughly $1 million joint deal with Shady/Aftermath/Interscope‼️.

Much of the album was cut quickly (some key tracks in intense LA sessions with Dre)‼️. It mixed gritty street narratives, survival stories, and radio-ready hooks over polished production (Dre, Eminem, and others)‼️. Standouts include “In Da Club,” “21 Questions,” “P.I.M.P.,” “Many Men (Wish Death),” “Heat,” and “Wanksta.” “Many Men” almost got cut for tempo reasons until Dre (and Tony Yayo) insisted it stay‼️. The album was rushed out slightly early due to bootlegging fears‼️.

It debuted at No. 1 with around 872,000 first-week sales, spent multiple weeks at the top, became the best-selling album of 2003, and has been certified 9× platinum in the U.S. (with global sales estimates around 12 million)‼️. It turned 50 into a superstar almost overnight and helped shift the sound and energy of early-2000s mainstream rap‼️.

In August 2023, while performing as a surprise guest on 50’s Final Lap Tour at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Cole told the crowd:

“Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is the best album of all time‼️. I don’t give a fuck what you talking about… It’s "Get Rich or Die Tryin’ at number one and it’s "Thriller" at number two, and I love Michael Jackson.”‼️

Few other major artists have made the exact same absolute “best of all time” declaration in public. Fat Joe has called it “one of the greatest albums of all time” (even while acknowledging past beef that made him initially avoid it)‼️. Nas has praised it as a game-changer‼️. It regularly appears on “best of the 2000s,” classic debut, and all-time hip-hop lists, but Cole’s onstage statement is the clearest high-profile endorsement of it as *the* greatest album period‼️.

Jay-Z saw 50’s arrival coming and warned his Roc-A-Fella circle‼️. In a 2013 "Breakfast Club" interview, he recalled telling artists in the studio:

“I’m telling you man, y’all got a chance right now to flood it, put out a lot of music, because 50 Cent is coming.” Four months later “In Da Club” hit and “it was over.”‼️

Young Guru (Jay’s longtime engineer) confirmed a similar moment during "The Blueprint 2" sessions: Jay walked in when the whole crew was present and said something like, “Yo, this dude 50, y’all gonna have to deal with him in the next couple months.”‼️ Guru described it as a clear warning that “another power [was] coming.”‼️ Memphis Bleek has also referenced the heads-up‼️.

Jay recognized 50’s talent (especially his hooks and intensity) early and treated the impending arrival as an inevitability that his camp needed to respond to by staying active‼️. 50 has acknowledged the story positively, noting Jay knew he would always find a way‼️.

[Complex Music @ComplexMusic]

Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones Pt. II" is the best hip-hop beat of all time. (According to your votes) 👑

[Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 🏆 @fifaworldcup_fr]

Jay-Jay 🦅🫣

#FIFAWorldCup

[Impact @ImpactMediaFR]

Le peuple palestinien est en train de disparaître sous le regard du monde entier.

Ni oubli, ni pardon.

#Génocide

[King Of Accra @kingofaccra]

Another Reminder : DON'T FIGHT RANDOM PEOPLE

[Brèves de presse @Brevesdepresse]

⚡️🇫🇷FLASH - Aminata #Pouye, tête de liste de La France insoumise (#LFI) aux élections sénatoriales en #Gironde, a été victime d’une violente agression raciste près de #Bordeaux samedi soir. Elle a été attaquée par 4 hommes alors qu’elle rentrait d’une réunion. « Les Noirs, il y en a trop, casse-toi », lui ont lancé les agresseurs avant de lui asperger le visage d’un liquide inconnu, provoquant immédiatement une irritation des yeux. Elle ne présente pas de séquelle oculaire. Aminata Pouye a déposé plainte en ligne dimanche et doit compléter sa déclaration auprès de la gendarmerie.

[Olympique de Marseille @OM_Officiel]

Tadjidine Mmadi 💫💙🤍

[Focus @FocusMedia_Fr]

🇺🇸✊ FLASH | La cagnotte de soutien à Arianna, licenciée d’un restaurant Burger King après avoir lancé « Free Palestine » à un client israélien, a atteint 153 418 dollars en seulement 48 heures.

🔗 https://t.co/e6HWIDB3Q5

[POOJA!!! @PoojaMedia]

Dribble 101.

Watch the first ome 🤣

[Patience @officialtwinny]

This is better than saying “I love you”

🥹♥️

[9 @daime4l]

Ferran Touré

[knight 🧛🏻‍♂️🐊 @hardestpics8]

The audacity to put Cardi B and Nicky in one song, and they bodied prime Migos with ease 😮‍💨

[FCB World @Forca_Fcb]

SHE MUST BE PROUD!❤️

[State of Palestine @Palestine_UN]

🇵🇸 ❤️💛🇪🇸

[Toni Kroos @ToniKroos]

Football won

[BeFootball @_BeFootball]

OVATION GÉNÉRALE POUR DIDIER DESCHAMPS EN CONFÉRENCE DE PRESSE ! 🥹👏❤️

« N'oubliez jamais, le plus important, c'est respect. Je vous souhaite à tous le meilleur. »

🎥 @RMCsport

[L'As @adhinooo]

@ItsKingSlime But they keep the iPhone more close than ever 😂

[Vibes Foot @VibesFoot]

𝗟𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗧𝗘́ 😱

En 2007, Lionel Messi avait été photographié avec un bébé dans le cadre d’une opération organisée avec l’UNICEF.

Près de 20 ans plus tard, ce bébé va affronter Messi en finale de la Coupe du Monde. Son nom ? Lamine Yamal.

[oumse-dia @oumsedia69]

Hier à Lyon on avait le roi de l’esquive 🥶😅😂😭 #FRAESP #lyon

[afeni shakur - DEMBOUZ🐌 @fentyspirit]

brad ma puce de ma vie