Top hits by hip-hop artist 50 Cent!

Probably everyone knows 50 Cent's legendary hit "In Da Club", which for so long managed to become almost the gold standard of the hip-hop industry... However, do you know other powerful hit tracks of this legendary rap singer? Today, we're going to check it out! Let's start with the fact that 50 Cent dominated the charts and music media in the early 2000s. At the peak of his career, he appeared on the covers of over 50 magazines! From his very first track in 1999, "How to Rob" (which unfolds a hilarious tale of how he, 50 Cent, robbed all the popular rappers from Jay-Z to DMX) it was clear that this guy makes music as well as he knows the streets! He was releasing club hits that despite the dancehall motif still sounded gangster... And his debut Get Rich or Die Tryin' became one of the most versatile debut rap albums you'll ever hear.....

And even if the chart returns diminished with each successive album, there were always flashes of what actually made 50 Cent one of the best street rappers to ever come out of New York! And today's selection of hits helps the listener understand exactly what made him so special....

"In Da Club" (2003)

"In Da Club" remains the standard by which all 50 Cent club songs are judged to this day! For Curtis Jackson, this track was a huge breakthrough! Needless to say, it was widely praised on his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin'...? The Dr. Dre and Mike Elizondo beat sounds too aggressive for the club! But coupled with the smooth and melodic vocals it really works... 50 Cent sings:

"We're going to party like it's your birthday.
We'll drink Bacardi like we did at your birthday party.
But, you know, we don't care,
That it's not your birthday..."

As a result, "In Da Club" became the first single of the artist, which not only hit the UK Singles Chart, but also became its leader! The track was later accompanied by a music video, which won the MTV Video Music Awards 2003! Today this track is included in Rolling Stone's legendary list of "500 Greatest Songs in History...".

"Wanksta" (2002)

"Wanksta" was released in November 2002, as the second single from the soundtrack to the film 8 Mile. As a result, the track reached number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song received a lot of airplay: it became 50 Cent's first single to hit the charts after signing to the Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment labels. For a long time, the rapper's fans assumed that the lyrics were addressed to 50 Cent's long-time nemesis Ja Rule! However, the rap singer later denied this, adding that "Wanksta" means "fake gangster" (as there was also a lot of rumours and speculation surrounding the track's title...).

The beat of "Wanksta" sounds like a chrome lorry! The instrumental softens the fact that periodically 50 Cent threatens his opponents with firearms...

"I Get Money" & "Ayo Technology" (2007)

In 2007, Curtis released two more club hits: "I Get Money" and "Ayo Technology". The first track received acclaim from listeners and critics alike. Many called it the standout hit from Curtis' album, while many praised 50 Cent's swagger and wit regarding the lyrics, in which the rapper talks about his now rich life...

"Ayo Technology" also graced Curtis' album, becoming a success among other artists who actively recorded their cover versions...

There's a rather entertaining story behind this track: 50 Cent was forced to change the title three times... The earlier title of the track didn't fit the format of the radio stations.

"Just a Lil Bit" & "Candy Shop" (2005)

As strange as it may sound, yes, 50 Cent has had some flashes of his sensual side... A prime example is the single "Just a Lil Bit" off his second studio album The Massacre. This is pure passion intelligently packaged for the club format. Here the rapper discards all metaphors, making it clear what he wants ...

"All a nigger really needs is very little.
No, just a little bit, baby, just a little bit.
We're gonna crash at my place for a few minutes.
I'll show you how to live, real quick..."

In "Candy Shop" the performer, on the contrary, uses a flirtatious form of narration full of metaphors, such as: "I have a magic wand. I'm a doctor, and I'm prescribing you a dose of love," and things like that....

As a result, this moderately paced dance track topped the Billboard Hot 100, as did the music video for it, which reached number one on MuchMusic...

"21 Questions" (2003)

Meanwhile, "21 Questions" is one of the best love songs in rap. The late Nate Dogg utters the ultimate question, "Would you love me if I was depressed?" It's a tender demonstration of vulnerability (and perhaps insecurity) that has become a classic. It sounds so tender and seemingly sincere.....

This may be one of the few times 50 Cent has put his heart on the line.

"Many Men (Wish Death)" (2003)

50 Cent has an uncanny ability to turn his past into cinematic songs. He transports you into that world and addresses those who were still trying to get out of it... Thus, "Many Men (Wish Death)" begins by replaying the night the rapper almost lost his life... This is followed by a piano-driven memorial service in which he declares his dominance in rap before discussing the nightmare-inducing paranoia and the mentality it spawned....

Knowing that 50 Cent has survived nine gunshots, each line sounds harder and harder to...

"Ski Mask Way" (2005)

"Ski Mask Way" is a great song from 2005! It's kind of an action film of 50 Cent turning a robbery at gunpoint into a routine: "That chain is nice, is that what you bought me? / They got nice earrings, is that what you bought me?"

In his poems, he takes 50 people hostage and robs a stash of...

"How We Do" (2005)

This track was recorded by 50 Cent together with hip-hop artist The Game. We can say that this duet is the perfect combination of everything: 50 Cent's frantic rhythm and length combined with Game's deep and aggressive wheeze....

Each syllable sounds smooth and easy....