50 Cent Essentials

The Queens rapper generated a deafening buzz by releasing a series of well-received mixtapes in the early 2000s. Fif's G-Unit crew—alongside Cam'ron's Diplomats—are responsible for changing mixtapes from DJ-driven discs to artist-driven projects. 50 Cent Mania went into overdrive when he inked a joint deal with Eminem's Shady Records and Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. Get Rich or Die Tryin' quickly bypassed the expiration date suggestion of its title by shifting 872,000 copies in five days—the fastest-selling debut ever.  Fif's also proven to be an excellent businessman—launching the careers of Lloyd Banks, Young Buck and the Game—while making savvy investments outside of music. He remains rap's reigning superhero—generating attention with every move, single, and tweet he releases.