Rapper 50 Cent has made it big in a very short space of time. Having been supported by Jam Master Jay, and produced by Dr Dre and Eminem, the rapper and poet has already experienced great success and critical acclaim. Whilst some 'talk the talk', 50 has 'walked the walk'. Growing up in Jamaica, Queens, he was born to a drug-dealing mother - she was killed in mysterious circumstances - and took over the family business at the age of 12. Living hard, he has been stabbed, shot 9 times (one bullet in his face) and has survived a number of assassination attempts. He is a potent and heady mixture of thug and poet.