50 Cent wants to be the gateway for artists who want to get into acting

Written by ABC Audio. All rights reserved. on June 9, 2023

50 Cent has always been about business; his approach to making money in music was thanks in part to Jam Master Jay. In an interview with Vulture, 50 explained that the late rapper taught him about the importance of writing and song structure over lyrical bars. “The money is in writing the right songs. So that was way more important to me for my entire career,” he said.

Songwriting also played a vital role in the attention 50 got ahead of his Power of the Dollar album via the song “How to Rob,” in which he named several artists. He said the move was an act of desperation, but helped him get the attention of Nas, who brought him along on the Nastradamus tour.

50’s relationships, particularly with movie producer Avi Lerner, helped him learn more about Hollywood. As fans know, his partnership with Courtney Kemp resulted in Power, on which he says he took a huge pay cut.

Now an executive producer with two film-and-television production companies and several shows under his belt, 50 says he hopes to help those who want to act, noting his ability to spot stars in Omari Hardwick, Mary J. Blige and Lil Meech, and the opportunity he gave Kendrick Lamar to appear on Power.

“It’s important to me … to be the gateway for the younger artists. For them to come to me when they decide, ‘Yeah, I want to do some acting. I want to do this,'” 50 said. “It’s a talent to see talent in people. Not everyone has that. They may be talented themselves in one way and even in multiple ways. I like to be the person to position other people. I like to give them a job.”