50 Cent has revealed that D’Angelo inspired him to slim down early on in his career, crediting the R&B singer’s iconic “How Does It Feel (Untitled)” music video for leading him to an “important” realization.
The G-Unit leader sat down for a conversation with Men’s Health about his long-running interest in fitness, and said his health journey began after his near-fatal shooting in 2000.
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While recovering from the infamous attack, during which he was shot nine times and miraculously survived, a young 50 was placed on a liquid diet for six weeks, which resulted in him shedding 54 pounds off his previously stocky frame.
“When you slim down, you see everything,” he said. “I’m also working out to get myself stronger, ’cause who’s to say you’re not gonna get hit again?”
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50 Cent then said D’Angelo’s “How Does It Feel (Untitled)” video, which features the crooner shirtless the entire time and transformed him into a reluctant sex symbol, served as a pivotal moment for him because of the female reaction to the visual.
“They were talking about a Brad Pitt line!” 50 Cent recalled, referring to the actor’s defined V-shaped pelvis in Fight Club. “I’m like, ‘Wait, what’s that?! Oh, nah, that’s important!'”
The interview comes shortly after 50 Cent said he was getting back into “fighting shape” for his massive Final Lap Tour, which kicked off last month.
“We gonna do the tour and stuff like that, right? So I’m back working out like that,” he told fans on Instagram Live in May. “I always work out, but it’s different when I gotta start running and all that shit. Matter of fact, I’ma show y’all [on] Live every day. Yeah, I’ma do five miles in front of ’em every day.
“You gonna see me come back down. I’ma lose at least 25 pounds before [the tour]. I’ll be back in dog shape before I go. I’ma start talking mad shit when I’m back in shape. That’s why I be wanting to fight and shit like that, on the low.”
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of 50 Cent’s blockbuster debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin,’, the tour began in Salt Lake City, Utah and will continue its sprawling journey across North America until September 22, making stops in cities like Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and 50’s hometown of New York City along the way.
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From there, the Power mogul will embark on a European leg, which begins shortly after on September 28, and includes shows in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy and the U.K. 50 Cent will then close it out on November 18. Busta Rhymes is also joining Fif on the road, along with Jeremih for the North American dates.
As for D’Angelo, he’s celebrated a major milestone in 2023 so far. January 25 marked the 23rd anniversary of his critically acclaimed sophomore LP Voodoo, and next December will mark 10 years since the crooner’s last album, 2014’s Black Messiah.
