50 Cent has become so popular overseas over the years that he is now getting paid more than 10 times what he used to command per show in the U.S. 20 years ago.
Appearing on this week’s cover of Billboard, the rapper turned mogul opened up about the many layers of his growing business empire, which last year included multiple deals in the film and television industry as well as an international tour.
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Since he recently shared a story about how Master P may have pulled a fast one on him by locking in a handful of performances at 50’s pre-Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ rate, the G-Unit boss was asked how that early rate compares to his current show price.
“I think he gave me like $80,000, and now I’m getting like $900,000, $1million. The coolest thing we create in America is celebrities. If you see LeBron [James’] fan base internationally, you’ll argue, ‘Why is he staying here?’ He’s that big internationally. For the most part, I can’t speak for everybody, but the international side of the game is different.”
During an appearance on Big Boy’s Neighborhood last month, 50 Cent was asked about his thoughts on P’s recent public spat with his son Romeo Miller. The G-Unit mogul responded that, unlike the situation between him and his son Marquise, he expects the Millers to be able to find their way back to the close relationship they once shared.
Fif then proceeded to praise Master P’s business acumen and revealed that his first tour came about thanks to the No Limit Records founder. But 50 Cent suspects he was out-negotiated in the process.
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“What I’ll say about P is he was slick,” 50 Cent continued. “He came, he gave me the money for the eight shows, right? We did four of them. He said, ‘Aw man, something happened we gonna have to take a break. We’ll just come back and do the other four later.’ When I came back to do the other four, I had already sold two million records. He had already paid me so I had to do the shows. He knew! He was like, ‘This muthafucka’s on fire! This is gonna go off.’”
Beyond his fee for performances, 50 Cent’s new Billboard feature saw him echo previous statements about how the ability to continue touring despite not having released a new project since 2015 has kept him from feeling the urge to release new music.
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“I get the attention that I want from music when I want it,” he explained in the new interview. “I just went out and toured 45 countries, and everywhere was sold out. That made me want to offer new music that I could integrate into everything now. I’ve done what I wanted to do in the [sales] capacity. I’ve sold over 35 million records. Not singles — albums.”
In October, the Power creator explained that he adapted his approach to releasing new music or content due to a realization that his core audience — those who were in college or “having an adult experience” for the first time when he first came onto the scene — are now at a very different place in their life.
“Now, those people are 43 years old,” he remarked. “They’re having that drink that they would have on premises at the night club, they’re having at home now. They meet the person that they’re hanging out with somewhere else, not in the nightlife. Cuz their kids are partying there.”
50’s growing film and television empire has also played a vital role in helping him not only continue to connect with his core audience, but also be introduced to a new generation of fans in a completely different light. To that end, many of his shows have served as a vehicle for him to continue releasing music.
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However, Fif kicked off 2023 with a promise that an actual project would arrive at some point this year.
The G-Unit mogul took to Instagram on January 1 to salute his good friend Eminem’s continued success after the Detroit rap icon reportedly raked in over five billion views on YouTube in 2022, making him the most popular rapper on the platform last year.
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In his caption, 50 hinted at dropping new music, as well as TV shows and movies, in the year ahead in an effort to remind the world that he, too, has still got it.
