Coordinates	°′″N°′″N
name	Misaki Ito
birth name	Tomoko Anzai
birth date	May 26, 1977
birth place	Iwaki, Fukushima, Japan
occupation	Actress, model
yearsactive	2000—present
spouse	Yoshinori Enomoto (2009—present)
website	http://www.ken-on.co.jp/itou/index.html }}

(born May 26, 1977) is a Japanese actress and model. Her real name is .

Career

In 1999, Ito became the Asahi Beer "image girl" and a model under an exclusive contract to CanCam magazine. She also appeared in Gateway computers and Choya Umeshu commercials.

In 2005, she appeared in the TV drama series Densha Otoko as the love interest of the otaku protagonist.

She also appears in ads for Shiseido's MAQuillAGE line of cosmetics (along with Chiaki Kuriyama, Ryoko Shinohara and Yuri Ebihara) and Seiko watches, in addition to being the current Vodafone model in Japan, following on from Yu Yamada. She also provided the look and voice for Q's assistant Miss Nagai in the game ''James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing''.

Misaki Ito also starred in the 2002 movie ''"Ju-on"'' (a.k.a. ''"The Grudge"'') which is a Japanese horror film that was remade in the U.S.A. in 2004 under the name "The Grudge", starring Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Personal life

She and , the director of pachinko company Kyoraku Sangyo, registered their marriage on November 18, 2009 and held their wedding ceremony in Hawaii on November 24, 2009. The couple first met in Hawaii at a wedding of a friend in November 2008. Ito gave birth to a daughter on June 27, 2010.

Filmography

Movies

''Tengoku de Kimi ni Aetara'' (2007)

''Last Love'' (2007)

''Tsubakiyama: Kachou no Nanoka-kan'' (2006)

''About Love'' (2005)

(2005) (2004)

''9 Souls'' (2003)

(2003) (2002) (2002) (2002)

TV Dramas

''Ejison No Haha'' (2008)

''Yama Onna Kabe Onna (2007)

''Maison Ikkoku'' (2007)

''Densha Otoko DX~Saigo no Seizen'' (2006)

''Sapuri'' (2006)

''Kiken na Aneki'' (2005)

''Densha Otoko'' (2005)

''Tiger & Dragon'' (2005)

''HOTMAN 2'' (2004 TBS)

''Itoshi Kimie'' (2004)

''Kunimitsu no Matsuri'' (2003)

''Ryuuten no ouhi - Saigo no koutei'' (2003)

''Tokyo Love Cinema'' (2003)

''Yoomigaeri'' (2003)

''Blackjack ni Yoroshiku'' (2003)

''You're Under Arrest'' (2002)

''Lunch no Joou'' (2002)

''Gokusen'' (2002)

''Suiyoubi no Jouji'' (2001)

''Beauty 7'' (2001)

''Shin Omizu no Hanamichi'' (2001)

''Love Complex'' (2000)

Commercials

Shiseido (2005)

Hitachi

Vodafone

Choya

Nestle Japan

Mazda

Seiko

All Nippon Airways

Daiwa Securities

Video games

James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing (2004)

Awards and nominations

Awards

Best Smile of the Year (2003)

15th Japan Jewelry Best Dresser Prize

29th Erandol Newcomer Prize

28th Japan Academy Award Newcomer Prize

34th Best Dresser Prize

43rd Golden Arrow Prize - Broadcasting and drama section

19th DVD Best Talent Prize

1st Japan Golden Raspberry Award

24th Diamond Personality Prize

References

External links

Official home page

Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:People from Fukushima Prefecture Category:Japanese actors Category:Japanese female models

de:Misaki Itō es:Misaki Itō fr:Misaki Itō ko:이토 미사키 ms:Misaki Ito nl:Misaki Ito ja:伊東美咲 ru:Ито, Мисаки tl:Misaki Ito zh-yue:伊東美咲 zh:伊東美咲

Coordinates	°′″N°′″N
name	Adam Pascal
birth date	October 25, 1970
birth place	Bronx, New York, U.S.
occupation	Actor/Musician
yearsactive	1996–present
spouse	Cybele Chivian(1998–present; 2 children)
website	}}

Adam Pascal (born October 25, 1970) is an American actor and singer known for his performance as Roger Davis in the original cast of Jonathan Larson's musical ''Rent'' on Broadway 1996, the 2005 movie version of the musical, and the Broadway Tour of ''Rent'' in 2009. He is also known for originating the role of Radames in Elton John and Tim Rice's ''Aida'' and for playing the Emcee from the 1998 revival of ''Cabaret''.

Early life and stage work

Pascal was born in The Bronx, New York and grew up in Woodbury, Nassau County, New York, with his mother and stepfather, Wendy and Mel Seamon. He was raised Jewish. Before his interest in music, he was a personal trainer. Although he began as a rock musician playing in a number of bands (such as Mute) formed with his schoolmates, Pascal became drawn to the musical theater. A friend of his from high school mentioned ''Rent'' to him. On a whim, he auditioned and was cast as the HIV positive rock guitarist Roger Davis. His powerful tenor voice and his performance in ''Rent'' earned him a Tony nomination, a Theater World award, and an Obie Award. He left the show on November 2, 1997, but went on to reprise Roger when ''Rent'' opened in London.

The role helped Pascal gain fame on Broadway, and he was cast in the Elton John and Tim Rice musical ''Aida'' as the Egyptian general Radames with the original and final casts (former ''Rent'' castmate Idina Menzel would co-star as Amneris in 2001), and Kander and Ebb's ''Cabaret'', closing the show as the Emcee (closing cast). He also participated in several charity performances, including ''Chess'' in 2003 (playing the American, Freddie Trumper), ''Hair'' in 2004 (singing "I Got Life"), and the ''24 Hour Plays'' in 2005. He returned to ''Aida'' in 2004 to close the run of the show as Radames.

Along with original Broadway ''Rent'' cast member Anthony Rapp (Mark Cohen), Pascal returned to Broadway to star as Roger in ''Rent'' from July 30 to October 7, 2007. In January 2009, he and Rapp reprised their originating (and film) roles as Roger and Mark in another ''Rent'' tour titled: ''"Rent: The Broadway Tour"'', which played in many cities in the North America, as well as stops in Japan and South Korea. At the tour's Detroit, Michigan stop in February, Pascal suffered two herniated discs in his neck and was on medical leave for a week. Cary Shields, an understudy and also a Broadway ''Rent'' veteran, filled in. Pascal made a full recovery and finished up the tour in early 2010. This tour closed on February 7, 2010.

Pascal reprised the role of Frederick Trumper, aka "Freddie, The American" in the London concert version of ''Chess'' at the Royal Albert Hall on May 12–13, 2008. His ''Rent'' and ''Aida'' co-star Idina Menzel played the role of Florence. This performance was recorded; it has been televised, first on American and British television on June 17, 2009, and repeatedly in America on PBS stations as part of that network's "Great Performances" series; and has been released on DVD.

Music

Pascal felt that he was looked upon solely as a Broadway singer, and thus returned to his rock and roll roots with a solo recording contract on Sh-K-Boom Records, which was founded by his ''Aida'' costar, Sherie Rene Scott and her husband Kurt Deutsch. He has released two solo rock albums, ''Model Prisoner'' (2000), ''Civilian'' (2004), as well as a collaborative rock album ''Blinding Light'' (2008) with pianist, Larry Edoff. He also contributed a cover of Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind" to the CD ''Broadway Cares: Home for the Holidays'' (2001), the end credits song, "Winter Light", from the movie ''Noel'' (2004), and the song "Perfect Place" on the album ''Listen'' which showcases songs written by adolescents who stutter (2009). In School of Rock, he played Theo, lead singer of the band No Vacancy, and sang on two songs on the soundtrack.

On July 4, 2006, Pascal took part in the Macy's Fourth of July Celebration. He sang during the traditional fireworks display. He also took part in both the fifth and tenth anniversary celebrations of ''Rent'' on Broadway in 2000 and 2005, respectively.

Pascal formed the band "Me and Larry (Edoff)" in 2006. The two musicians began composing and performing original material and reworked Broadway songs in small venues throughout the US. Pascal won the 2007–2008 Golden Icon Award for Best Small Venue Concert. The band's first CD, ''Blinding Light'', was released in May 2008 on Pascal's own label. The CD is available at concerts and through Amazon and the band's website (where a direct digital download is available).

In 2008, Pascal recorded a ballad entitled "Eva Wanted" with Broadway veteran and recording artist Maya Days. Pascal and Days co-starred in ''Aida'' on Broadway in 2000. Days is also a veteran of ''Rent'' on Broadway and in the UK, as well as the first National Tour, playing Mimi.

In 2010-2011, interpretation/reworking in a traditional cabaret style - not just covers - of songs from various Broadway musicals is in production, and will be released at an undisclosed date.

As of 2009 and later, Pascal is developing a theatrical stage version of the classic 1988 concept album, ''Operation: Mindcrime'' by the prograssive metal band, Queensrÿche. The band is one of Pascal's musical influences, and has fully endorsed his efforts.

Film work

Pascal made his film debut in ''SLC Punk!'' (1999), and also appeared in ''School of Rock'' (2003) and ''Temptation'' (2004). The audio for ''Temptation'', a musical, was recorded live on set during filming.

In late 2005, he, along with five others of the principal cast, reprised their roles in the film version of ''Rent'', directed by Chris Columbus. Pop idol Justin Timberlake campaigned heavily to Columbus and the producers for the role of Roger, but Columbus insisted that only the original cast members could convey the true meaning of ''Rent''. The film released on November 23, 2005.

In the independent movie ''Falling Star'' (formally titled ''Goyband''), Pascal stars as a former boy-band icon who is booked to play a show at a Kosher hotel, but ends up shocking the guests with his sexy show. Fans were invited to participate in the movie as extras for the concert scenes. His co-stars are Amy Davidson, Cris Judd, Tovah Feldshuh, Dean Edwards, Tibor Feldman and Natasha Lyonne. ''Goyband'' originally premiered at the Jerusalem Films Festival in December 2008. Its North America premiere was July 2009, on Long Island. The movie was bought by distributor, MarVista Entertainment, which retitled it ''Falling Star''.

Pascal has also completed filming for another independent movie, ''American Primitive'', about a gay couple who try to hide their relationship from family and neighbors in 1973, a few years following the Stonewall Riots.

Disney had been planning a major motion picture adaptation release of ''Aida'' in 2010. According to Jim Hill Media, Beyoncé Knowles was in talks with Walt Disney Studios to star in the title role alongside Christina Aguilera as Amneris. It was unknown if Pascal would be asked to play his familiar role of Radames in this adaptation. However, no further reports of the adaptation's production have surfaced since.

Television

Pascal had a guest role as Dennis Hofferman, a murder victim, on an episode of ''Cold Case'', with Tracie Thoms, his co-star from the film version of ''Rent'', and Laura Bell Bundy, another Broadway star who originated the role of Elle Woods in ''Legally Blonde''. The episode, called "Willkommen", originally aired on April 2, 2006, and revolved around an amateur production of ''Cabaret''.

Pascal provided the narration and sang a song in the double-length episode "Tale of the Mighty Knights" for the show ''The Backyardigans''. The song is called "I'm Not an Egg Anymore", and is the final song of the episode.

Personal life

On December 19, 1998, Pascal married Cybele Chivian, daughter of Eric S. Chivian, M.D., Director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School and 1985 Nobel Prize winner. They have two sons, Lennon Jay (born October 2001) and Montgomery Lovell (born February 2004).

Discography

"Mute" - ca. 1994

"Model Prisoner" - 2000

"Civilian" - 2004

"Blinding Light" (with Larry Edoff) - 2008

Stage credits

''Rent'' (Original US & UK casts) - Roger Davis (1996–1997 [New York], 1998 [London])

''Aida'' - Radames (Original cast) (1998–2000)

''Fully Committed'' (off-Broadway) - Co-producer (2000)

''Cabaret'' - Emcee (October 2003 - January 2004) (Closing Cast)

''Aida'' - Radames (2004) (Closing Cast)

''Hair'' (2005) (Actors' Benefit Concert)

''Chess'' - Freddie (2005) (Actors' Benefit Concert)

''24 Hour Plays'' (2005)

''Rent'' (Broadway) - Roger Davis (2007)

''Alive in the World'' (2008)

''Chess'' (London) - Freddie (2008)

''Drift'' - (2008)

''Rent'' (US national tour) - Roger Davis (2009–2010)

Filmography

!Year	!Film/television	!Role	!Other notes
1999	''SLC Punk!''	Eddie
2003	''School of Rock''	Theo
2004		Nicholi
2005		Roger Davis	appeared with most of the original stage cast members
2006		Dennis Hofferman	TV series, appeared alongside ''Rent'' co-star Tracie Thoms
	''American Primitive''	Theo	Independent film
''Single Drop of You''	Himself	Music Video
''Falling Star'' (formerly titled ''Goyband'')	Bobby Starr	Independent Film
	''Wild About Harry'' or ''American Primitive''	Theo

References

External links

Adam Pascal and Larry Edoff: Me and Larry Website

Adam Pascal Official YouTube Channel

Adam Pascal Interview

Category:1970 births Category:American film actors Category:American Jews Category:American male singers Category:American musical theatre actors Category:American rock singers Category:American singers Category:American stage actors Category:Jewish actors Category:Jewish American musicians Category:Living people Category:Musicians from New York Category:People from the Bronx Category:People from Nassau County, New York

ca:Adam Pascal es:Adam Pascal nl:Adam Pascal pt:Adam Pascal

Coordinates	°′″N°′″N
Name	Fiona Apple
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Fiona Apple McAfee Maggart
Born	September 13, 1977Manhattan, New York, United States
Genre	Baroque popAlternative rockExperimental rock Jazz Fusion
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician
Instrument	Piano, optigan, vocals
Years active	1996–present
Label	Epic
Website	Fiona-Apple.com }}

Fiona Apple McAfee Maggart (born September 13, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter. She released her debut album, ''Tidal'' in 1996 to commercial success. This was followed by critically acclaimed, but less commercially successful albums, ''When the Pawn...'' (1999) and ''Extraordinary Machine'' (2005). A perceived shelving of her third studio album was met with vocal protests from her fans, who campaigned against her record label in 2005. While her musical output has been praised and given her a "cult" following, she has also been noted for her erratic behavior early in her career. She received a Grammy Award for her single "Criminal" in 1998.

Early life and family

Born in New York City, Apple is the daughter of singer Diane McAfee and actor Brandon Maggart. Her older sister, Amber, sings cabaret under the stage name Maude Maggart. Her half brother Spencer is a director and directed the video for her single "Parting Gift". Her half brother Garett Maggart starred in the TV series ''The Sentinel''. In addition, her maternal grandparents were Millicent Green, a dancer with the George White's Scandals, a series of 1920s musical revues similar to the Ziegfeld Follies, and Johnny McAfee, a multireedist and vocalist of the big band era; her grandparents met while touring with Johnny Hamp and his orchestra. Apple was raped at the age of 12, a trauma she would later allude to in songs such as "Sullen Girl".

Apple was introduced to the music industry in 1994 when she gave a demo tape containing the songs "Never Is a Promise", "Not One of Those Times", and "He Takes A Taxi" to her friend who was the babysitter of music publicist Kathryn Schenker. Schenker then passed the tape along to Sony Music executive Andy Slater. Apple's contralto voice, piano skills and lyrics captured his attention, and Slater signed her to a record deal.

Career

1996–1998: ''Tidal''

In 1996, Apple's debut album, ''Tidal'', was released by Work. The album sold 2.7 million copies and was certified three times platinum in the U.S. "Criminal", the third single, became a hit and the song reached the top forty on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song's controversial Mark Romanek-directed music video — in which a scantily-clad Apple appeared in a '70s-era tract house — played on MTV. Apple later said: "I decided if I was going to be exploited, then I would do the exploiting myself." Other singles from ''Tidal'' included "Shadowboxer," "Sleep to Dream," and "Never Is a Promise." In 1997, while accepting MTV Video Music Award for "Best New Artist" for her song ''Sleep to Dream'', Apple said: 'This world is bullshit, and you shouldn't model your life on what we think is cool, and what we're wearing and what we're saying'. ''The New Yorker'' and NYRock characterized her MTV Award show speech as ungrateful and "ridiculous". Apple was unapologetic saying: "I just had something on my mind and I just said it. And that's really the foreshadowing of my entire career and my entire life. When I have something to say, I'll say it." Apple responded to these criticisms in an article in ''Rolling Stone'' in January 1998.

During this period, Apple also made recordings of The Beatles' "Across the Universe" and Percy Mayfield's "Please Send Me Someone to Love" for the soundtrack of the film ''Pleasantville''. She later canceled the last twenty-one dates on a tour in support of her album due to "personal family problems".

1999–2003: When the Pawn

Apple's second album, ''When the Pawn...'', was released in 1999. Its full title is a poem Apple wrote after reading letters that appeared in ''Spin'' regarding an article that had cast her in a negative light in an earlier issue. The title's length earned it a spot in the ''Guinness Book of Records'' for 2001. However, as of October 2007, it is no longer the longest album title, as Soulwax released ''Most of the Remixes'', a remix album whose title surpasses ''When the Pawn...''s length by 100 characters. ''When the Pawn'' was cultivated during Apple's relationship with film director Paul Thomas Anderson. ''When the Pawn...'', which was produced by Jon Brion, used more expressive lyrics, experimented more with drum loops, and incorporated both the Chamberlin and drummer Matt Chamberlain. The album received a positive reception from publications such as ''The New York Times'' and ''Rolling Stone''. It did not fare as well commercially as her debut, though it was an RIAA-certified platinum album and sold 1 million copies in the U.S. The album's lead single, "Fast as You Can", reached the top 20 on ''Billboard'''s Modern Rock Tracks chart and became Apple's first Top 40 hit in the UK. The videos for two follow-up singles, "Paper Bag" and "Limp" (directed by then-boyfriend Anderson), received very little play.

After performing for 40 minutes in a set hampered by equipment issues to 3,000 fans at the New York City Roseland Ballroom, a frustrated Apple left the stage without returning. Her performance saw Apple appearing distraught at the sound quality, apologizing numerous times for the sound and crying. The incident was described by AOL as "music's most infamous on-stage meltdown". After completing a concert tour in support of her second album in 2000, Apple relocated to Los Angeles. During her hiatus, Apple contemplated retiring from her recording career. In spring 2002 Apple and Jon Brion, her longtime friend and producer on ''When the Pawn'', met for their weekly lunch meeting. Brion reportedly "begged" Apple to make another album. Apple agreed, and Brion went to Apple's label, Epic Records, with strict stipulations (including no deadline), which the label eventually agreed to. A tentative November 2002 release date was then set.

Apple sang with Johnny Cash on a cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge over Troubled Water" that ended up on his album ''American IV: The Man Comes Around'' and was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Country Collaboration with Vocals". She also collaborated with Cash on Cat Stevens's "Father and Son", which was included in his 2003 collection ''Unearthed''.

2005–2007: Extraordinary Machine

Apple's third album, ''Extraordinary Machine'', was originally produced by Jon Brion. Recording sessions began in 2002 at Ocean Way studios in Nashville, Tennessee, but later moved to the Paramour Mansion in Los Angeles. Work on the album continued until 2003, and in May of that year it was submitted to Sony executives. In 2004 and 2005, tracks were leaked on the Internet in MP3 format and played on U.S. and international radio. Subsequently, MP3s of the entire album went online. Although a website distributing the album was quickly taken offline, it soon reached P2P networks and was downloaded by fans. A fan-led campaign supported the album's official release. Mike Elizondo, who had previously played bass on ''Pawn'', was brought back as co-producer to complete the tracks he had begun with Brion and Apple. ''Spin'' later reported the following: "Fans erroneously thought that Apple's record label, Epic, had rejected the first version of ''Extraordinary Machine''... in reality, according to Elizondo, Apple was unhappy with the results, and it was her decision to redo the record, not her label's." In August 2005, the album was given an October release date. Production had been largely redone "from scratch" by Elizondo and was co-produced by Brian Kehew. Two of the eleven previous leaked tracks were relatively unchanged, and one new song was also included.

Despite suggestions that the album had caused a rift between Brion and Apple, they regularly perform together at Largo, a club in Los Angeles, including a joint appearance with Elizondo on bass just before the news broke of an official release. ''Extraordinary Machine'' debuted at number seven and was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Pop Vocal Album". It was eventually certified gold and sold 462,000 copies in the U.S., though its singles ("Parting Gift", "O' Sailor", "Not About Love" and "Get Him Back") failed to enter any ''Billboard'' charts. Apple went on a live tour to promote the album in late 2005.

In June 2006, Apple appeared on the joke track "Come Over and Get It (Up in 'Dem Guts)" by comedian Zach Galifianakis. Galifianakis previously appeared in the music video for Apple's "Not About Love". Apple recorded a cover of "Sally's Song" for the 2006 special edition release of the soundtrack for the Tim Burton film ''The Nightmare Before Christmas''. In May 2006 Apple paid tribute to Elvis Costello on VH1's concert series ''Decades Rock Live'' by performing Costello's hit "I Want You"; her version was subsequently released as a digital single. Apple toured the East Coast during August 2007 with Nickel Creek.

2008-present

In 2008, Apple recorded a duet titled "Still I" with Christophe Deluy. In 2009, Apple covered "Why Try to Change Me Now" and "I Walk A Little Faster" for ''The Best Is Yet to Come - The Songs of Cy Coleman''. In January 2010 Fiona Apple and Jon Brion performed together at "Love and Haiti, Too: A Music Benefit", a charity concert for the people hurt by the Haiti earthquake. Fiona sang a cover of "(S)he's Funny That Way", composed by Neil Moret, lyrics by Richard Whiting, which is often associated with the singer Billie Holiday. In June 2010, Fiona released a song titled "So Sleepy" produced by Jon Brion written by children involved with the non-profit organization 826LA. The song will be included on a compilation album released by the organization titled ''Chickens in Love''. Apple collaborated with Margaret Cho on her album ''Cho Dependent'', which was released on August 24, 2010.

In late 2010, ''Billboard'' magazine reported that Apple would be releasing a new album in the spring of the next year, with a few people claiming to have heard the new material.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions								! style="width:30px;"	! style="width:30px;"	! style="width:30px;"	! style="width:30px;"	! style="width:30px;"	! style="width:30px;"
		1996	style="text-align:left;"			* First studio album	* Release date: July 23, 1996	* Label: Clean Slate/[[Epic Records">Music recording sales certifications
! style="width:30px;"	! style="width:30px;"	! style="width:30px;"	! style="width:30px;"	! style="width:30px;"	! style="width:30px;"	! style="width:30px;"
1996	style="text-align:left;"			* First studio album	* Release date: July 23, 1996	* Label: Clean Slate/[[Epic Records	15	1	—	43	22	48	21		RIAA>US: 3× Multi-Platinum	CRIA>CAN: Platinum
1999				* Second studio album	* Release date: November 9, 1999	* Label: Clean Slate/Epic Records	13	—	46	54	—	—	32		* US: Platinum
2005				* Third studio album	* Release date: October 4, 2005	* Label: Epic Records	7	—	—	53	—	—	61		* US: Gold

Extended plays

! Year	! EP details
2006	''iTunes Originals – Fiona Apple''			* First extended play	* Release date: February 14, 2006	* Label: iTunes

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions
		style="text-align:left;"	21	4	17	—
	—	—	—	—
		—	—	—	—
	—	—	—	—	style="text-align:left;"
1999		—	20	29	33
		—	—	—	—
	—	—	—	—
2005		—	—	—	—
		—	—	—	—
	—	—	—	—
2007		—	—	—	—

Other contributions

"Across the Universe" (Lennon/McCartney) - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture ''Pleasantville'' (1998, Sony), lead vocalist

"Please Send Me Someone to Love" (Percy Mayfield) - Soundtrack to the Motion Picture ''Pleasantville'' (1998, Sony), lead vocalist

''Magnolia'' (1999, New Line Cinema) - "additional instruments and odd pieces of musical business by jon brion and fiona apple" as stated in the film's credits

"Bridge over Troubled Water" (Paul Simon) - duet with Johnny Cash from ''American IV: The Man Comes Around'' (2002)

"Father and Son" (Cat Stevens) - duet with Johnny Cash from ''Unearthed'' (2003)

"Frosty the Snowman" - from ''Christmas Calling'' (2003)

"It's Only A Paper Moon" with Maude Maggart - available as a bonus track on some editions of Maggart's 2005 album "With Sweet Despair"

"I Want You" (Elvis Costello) - live version from VH1's Live for Decades Rock Live!, released as an iTunes single (2006)

"Sally's Song" (Catherine O'Hara) - from ''Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas'' Special Edition Soundtrack (2006)

"Why Try to Change Me Now" (Cy Coleman) - recorded for the "Then Was Then and Now Is Now: A Tribute to Cy Coleman" CD/LP

"Angel Eyes" - a snippet of the song is available at Largo Film

"Still I" - a duet with Christophe Deluy, hear a snippet of the song available on Christophe Deluy's blog

"I Walk a Little Faster" (Cy Coleman) - recorded for "The Best Is Yet to Come" CD/LP

"Loveless" (David Garza) - track available from Garza's "Dream Delay"

"So Sleepy" included on a compilation album released by the organization 826LA, titled ''Chickens in Love''.

"Hey Big Dog" (Margaret Cho) from ''Cho Dependent'' (2010)

"Everyday" (Buddy Holly) with Jon Brion from ''Rave On Buddy Holly'' (June 2011)

Music videos

Year	!Song	Director	!Album
			style="text-align:left;"

Awards and nominations

References

Inline

External links

Fiona Apple at Sony Music

Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:American contraltos Category:American female singers Category:American female pop singers Category:American jazz pianists Category:American jazz singers Category:American pop pianists Category:American pop singers Category:American pop singer-songwriters Category:American rock pianists Category:American rock singers Category:American vegans Category:American singer-songwriters Category:English-language singers Category:Feminist musicians Category:Female rock singers Category:Grammy Award winners Category:People from Manhattan Category:Musicians from New York Category:American pop singer-songwriters Category:Women in jazz

ca:Fiona Apple cs:Fiona Apple de:Fiona Apple es:Fiona Apple fa:فیونا اپل fr:Fiona Apple ko:피오나 애플 it:Fiona Apple he:פיונה אפל hu:Fiona Apple nl:Fiona Apple ja:フィオナ・アップル no:Fiona Apple pl:Fiona Apple pt:Fiona Apple ro:Fiona Apple ru:Эппл, Фиона simple:Fiona Apple sk:Fiona Apple fi:Fiona Apple sv:Fiona Apple tr:Fiona Apple vi:Fiona Apple

Coordinates	°′″N°′″N
Name	50 Cent
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Curtis James Jackson III
Origin	South Jamaica, Queens, New York, U.S.
Birth date	July 06, 1975
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	Rapper
Years active	1997–present
Label	Aftermath, Shady, G-Unit
Associated acts	G-Unit, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Sha Money XL, DJ Whoo Kid, Snoop Dogg
Website	}}

Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums ''Get Rich or Die Tryin''' (2003) and ''The Massacre'' (2005). His album ''Get Rich or Die Tryin''' has been certified eight times platinum by the RIAA.

Born in South Jamaica, Queens, Jackson began drug dealing at the age of twelve during the 1980s crack epidemic. After leaving drug dealing to pursue a rap career, he was shot at and struck by nine bullets during an incident in 2000. After releasing his album ''Guess Who's Back?'' in 2002, Jackson was discovered by rapper Eminem and signed to Interscope Records. With the help of Eminem and Dr. Dre, who produced his first major commercial successes, Jackson became one of the world's highest selling rappers. In 2003, he founded the record label G-Unit Records, which signed several successful rappers such as Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo.

Jackson has engaged in feuds with other rappers including Ja Rule, Nas, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Cam'ron, Puff Daddy, Rick Ross, and former G-Unit members The Game and Young Buck. He has also pursued an acting career, appearing in the semi-autobiographical film ''Get Rich or Die Tryin''' in 2005, the Iraq War film ''Home of the Brave'' in 2006, and ''Righteous Kill'' in 2008. 50 Cent was ranked as the sixth-best artist of the 2000s by ''Billboard'' magazine. The magazine also ranked him as the fourth top male artist and as the third top rapper behind Eminem and Nelly. ''Billboard'' magazine also ranked him as the sixth best and most successful Hot 100 Artist of the 2000s and as the number one rap artist of the 2000s. ''Billboard'' ranked his album ''Get Rich or Die Tryin''' as the twelfth best album of the 2000s and his album ''The Massacre'' as the 37th best album of the 2000s. As of September 2011, 50 Cent is working on his fifth studio album, which is set to be released in 2012.

Early life

Curtis Jackson III grew up in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, in New York City. He grew up without a father and was raised by his mother, Sabrina, who gave birth to him at the age of fifteen.

Sabrina, a cocaine dealer, raised Jackson until the age of eight, when she was killed in 1983. Twenty-seven at the time, she became unconscious after someone drugged her drink. She was then left for dead after the gas in her apartment was turned on and the windows shut closed.

After her death, Jackson moved into his grandparents' house with his eight aunts and uncles. He recalls, "My grandmother told me, 'Your mother's not coming home. She's not gonna come back to pick you up. You're gonna stay with us now.' That's when I started adjusting to the streets a little bit".

Jackson began boxing around the age of eleven.

At fourteen, a neighbor opened a boxing gym for local kids.

"When I wasn't killing time in school, I was sparring in the gym or selling crack on the strip", he recalled. In the mid 1980s, he competed in the Junior Olympics as an amateur boxer. He recounts, "I was competitive in the ring and hip-hop is competitive too... I think rappers condition themselves like boxers, so they all kind of feel like they're the champ". At the age of twelve, Jackson began dealing narcotics when his grandparents thought he was at after-school programs. He also took guns and drug money to school. In the tenth grade, he was caught by metal detectors at Andrew Jackson High School. He later stated, "I was embarrassed that I got arrested like that... After I got arrested I stopped hiding it. I was telling my grandmother [openly], 'I sell drugs.'"

Following time spent in a correctional boot camp, Jackson adopted the nickname "50 Cent" as a metaphor for "change". The name was derived from Kelvin Martin, a 1980s Brooklyn robber known as "50 Cent". Jackson chose the name "because it says everything I want it to say. I'm the same kind of person 50 Cent was. I provide for myself by any means".

Music career

1996–99: Early career

Jackson started rapping in a friend's basement where he used turntables to record over instrumentals. In 1996, a friend introduced him to Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC who was organizing his label Jam Master Jay Records.

Jay taught him how to count bars, write choruses, structure songs, and how to make a record. Jackson's first official appearance was on a song titled "React" with the group Onyx on their 1998 album ''Shut 'Em Down''. He credited Jam Master Jay as an influence who helped him improve his ability to write hooks. Jay produced Jackson's first album; however, it was never released.

In 1999, after leaving Jam Master Jay, the platinum-selling producers Trackmasters took notice of Jackson and signed him to Columbia Records. They sent him to a studio in Upstate New York where he produced thirty-six songs in two weeks. Eighteen were included on his unofficially released album, ''Power of the Dollar'' in 2000. He also started the now-defunct Hollow Point Entertainment with former G-Unit affiliate Bang 'Em Smurf.

Jackson's popularity started to increase after the successful but controversial underground single, "How to Rob", which he wrote in half an hour while in a car on the way to a studio. The track comically explains how he would rob famous artists. He explained the reasoning behind song's content as, "There's a hundred artists on that label, you gotta separate yourself from that group and make yourself relevant". Rappers Jay-Z, Kurupt, Sticky Fingaz, Big Pun, DMX, Wyclef Jean and the Wu-Tang Clan replied to the song and Nas, who received the track positively, invited Jackson to travel on a promotional tour for his ''Nastradamus'' album. The song was intended to be released with "Thug Love" featuring Destiny's Child, but two days before he was scheduled to film the "Thug Love" music video, Jackson was shot and confined to a hospital due to his injuries.

2000–01: Shooting

On May 24, 2000, Jackson was attacked by a gunman, alleged to be Darryl "Hommo" Baum, outside his grandmother's former home in South Jamaica, Queens. He went into a friend's car, but was asked to return to the house to get jewelry.

His son was in the house, while his grandmother was in the front yard. Upon returning to the back seat of the car and already seated, another car pulled up nearby. An assailant then walked up to Jackson's left side with a 9mm handgun and fired nine shots at close range. He was shot nine times: in the hand (a round hit his right thumb, to where the bullet passed through and out his little finger), arm, hip, both legs, chest, and his face (his left cheek). The face wound resulted in a swollen tongue, the loss of a wisdom tooth, and a small slur in his voice. His friend also sustained a gunshot wound to the hand. They were driven to the hospital where Jackson spent thirteen days.

Baum, the alleged shooter, was killed three weeks later.

Baum was also Mike Tyson's close friend and bodyguard.

Jackson recalled the incident saying, "It happens so fast that you don't even get a chance to shoot back.... I was scared the whole time.... I was looking in the rear-view mirror like, 'Oh @#!*% , somebody shot me in the face! It burns, burns, burns.'" In his autobiography, ''From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens'', he wrote, "After I got shot nine times at close range and didn't die, I started to think that I must have a purpose in life... How much more damage could that shell have done? Give me an inch in this direction or that one, and I'm gone". He used a walker for the first six weeks and fully recovered after five months. When he left the hospital, he stayed in the Poconos with his then-girlfriend and son. His workout regime helped him attain his muscular physique.

While in the hospital, Jackson signed a publishing deal with Columbia Records. However, he was dropped from the label and "blacklisted" in the recording industry because of his song "Ghetto Qu'ran".

Unable to find a studio to work with in the U.S, he traveled to Canada. Along with his business partner Sha Money XL, he recorded over thirty songs for mixtapes, with the purpose of building a reputation.

According to Shady Records A&R; Marc Labelle in an interview with HitQuarters, Jackson shrewdly used the mixtape circuit to his own advantage saying, "He took all the hottest beats from every artist and flipped them with better hooks. They then got into all the markets on the mixtapes and all the mixtape DJs were messing with them." Jackson's popularity rose and in 2002, he released material independently on the mixtape, ''Guess Who's Back?''. Beginning to attract interest, and now backed by G-Unit, Jackson continued to release music including ''50 Cent Is the Future''. The mixtape revisited material by Jay-Z and Raphael Saadiq.

2002–09: Rise to fame

In 2002, Eminem listened to a copy of Jackson's ''Guess Who's Back?'' CD. He received the CD through Jackson's attorney, who was working with Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg. Impressed with the album, Eminem invited Jackson to fly to Los Angeles, where he was introduced to Dr. Dre. After signing a $1 million record deal, Jackson released the mixtape, ''No Mercy, No Fear''. It featured one new track, "Wanksta", which was put on Eminem's ''8 Mile'' soundtrack. He was also signed to Chris Lighty's Violator Management and Sha Money XL's Money Management Group.

In February 2003, Jackson released his commercial debut album, ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'''. Allmusic described it as "probably the most hyped debut album by a rap artist in about a decade". ''Rolling Stone'' noted the album for its "dark synth grooves, buzzy keyboards and a persistently funky bounce" with Jackson complementing the production in "an unflappable, laid-back flow".

It debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 872,000 copies in the first four days. The lead single, "In da Club", which ''The Source'' noted for its "blaring horns, funky organs, guitar riffs and sparse hand claps", broke a ''Billboard'' record as the most listened-to song in radio history within a week.

Interscope granted Jackson his own label, G-Unit Records in 2003. He signed Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, and Young Buck as the established members of G-Unit. The Game was later signed under a joint venture with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment.

In March 2005, Jackson's second commercial album, ''The Massacre'', sold 1.14 million copies in the first four days-the highest in an abbreviated sales cycle- and peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 for six weeks.

He became the first solo artist to have three singles on the ''Billboard'' top five in the same week with "Candy Shop", "Disco Inferno", and "How We Do". ''Rolling Stone'' noted that "50's secret weapon is his singing voice - the deceptively amateur-sounding tenor croon that he deploys on almost every chorus".

After The Game's departure, Jackson signed singer Olivia and rap veterans Mobb Deep to G-Unit Records. Spider Loc, M.O.P., 40 Glocc and Young Hot Rod later joined the label. Jackson expressed interest in working with rappers outside of G-Unit, such as Lil' Scrappy of BME, LL Cool J from Def Jam, Mase from Bad Boy, and Freeway of Roc-A-Fella, some of whom he recorded with. In September 2007, he released his third album ''Curtis'', which was inspired by his life before ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'''. It debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 691,000 units in the first week, behind Kanye West's ''Graduation'', whom he had a sales competition with, as both albums were released on the same day.

He confirmed on TRL on September 10, 2008 that his fourth studio album, ''Before I Self Destruct'', will be "done and released in November".

On May 18, 2009, Jackson released a song entitled "Ok, You're Right". The song was produced by Dr. Dre and was included in ''Before I Self Destruct''.

In Fall 2009, 50 Cent appeared in the new season of VH1's Behind The Music.

On September 3, 2009 months upon the release of his "Before I Self Destruct" album 50 Cent posted a video for the Soundkillers' Phoenix produced track "Flight 187" which introduced his mixtape, the 50th LAW, and was also featured as a bonus track on his iTunes release of Before I Self Destruct. The song ignited speculation that there was tension between rapper 50 Cent and Jay Z for Jackson's comments in the song.

2010–present

In an interview with the British entertainment website ContactMusic, 50 Cent announced that he was working on a dance album named ''Black Magic''. 50 Cent said he was inspired by the European nightclubs. "First they played hip-hop which suddenly changed to uptempo songs, known as Eurodance". He went on The Invitation Tour in the summer of 2010, in support of ''Before I Self Destruct'' album, and the then shelved ''Black Magic'' album. He "recorded 20 songs to a whole different album concept" before he put those to the side and did something different.

50 Cent revealed that he wanted his new album to have the same "aggression" as his debut record, ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'''.

He later tweeted that the album was "80 percent done", and stated that fans can expect the album in the summer of 2011; however, the album has been delayed to 2012 at the earliest, due to tensions and disagreements at Interscope Records, Later 50 Cent said that he will release his album in November 2011 and it has also been confirmed that "Black Magic" will not be the album's title. 50 Cent has already confirmed that Eminem will appear on the album, but he also confirmed that he has been working with new producers such as Boi-1da and Alex da Kid. Cardiak, who produced Lloyd Banks' “Start It Up”, also confirmed that he had produced a song for the upcoming album.

DJ Whoo Kid confirmed in an interview that 50 Cent was filming a new movie with Robert DeNiro in New Orleans.

50 Cent released the first song from his fifth studio album, titled "Outlaw", to the Internet on June 16, 2011.

The single was produced by Cardiak.

It was released to iTunes on July 19, 2011, although 50 Cent confirmed through his Twitter account that the song was not the album's first single.

50 Cent is set to release a book titled ''Playground''.

Unlike his previous literary efforts — which focus on his life story and the rules of power — this time he's aiming at a teen audience with a semi-autobiographical novel about bullying. According to a statement from the book's publisher, the first-person novel is slated for release in January 2012 and will tell the story of a 13-year-old schoolyard bully "who finds redemption as he faces what he's done."

50 Cent has promised to deliver his fifth studio album album over the past few years, but the LP may be delayed until 2012. In a series of tweets, 50 Cent explained that him and his label Interscope Records aren’t on the same page on how to roll out the album and that he’s delaying its release until they see eye to eye.

50 Cent later suggested that his album will be releasing in November 2011, along with his headphone line ''SMS by 50''.

50 Cent spoke to MTV in relation to the possibility of leaving Interscope Records. "I don't know," 50 told MTV News when asked if he would ink back with Interscope once his five-album deal was fulfilled. "It will all be clear in the negotiations following me turning this actual album in. And, of course, the performance and how they actually treat the work will determine whether you still want to stay in that position or not."

On June 20, 2011, 50 Cent announced that he will release an LP titled ''Before I Self Destruct II''. The announced sequel to his 2009 LP is suggested to be released after his fifth studio album.

On June 26, 2011, 50 Cent planned to shoot a music video for the lead single from his fifth studio album titled ''I'm On It''. However, the music video never surfaced.

50 Cent spoke to Shade45 in relation guest appearances for his fifth studio album. "I did four songs in Detroit with Eminem. I did two with Just Blaze, a Boi-1da joint, and I did something with Alex da Kid. We made two that are definite singles and the other two are the kinds of records that we been making, more aimed at my core audience, more aggressive, more of a different kind of energy to it."

In September 2011, 50 Cent released a song titled "Street King Energy Track #7" in attempt to promote his charitable energy drink ''Street King''.

On September 28, 2011, it was confirmed that 50 Cent is shooting a music video for his lead single from his fifth studio album titled "Girls Go Wild", which features Jeremih.

On October 26, 2011, 50 Cent announced that his fifth studio album will be released in December 2011. However, the album was delayed, and it was announced that the album will now be released on July 2, 2012.

Other ventures

Jackson has established himself in a variety of fields. In November 2003, he signed a five-year deal with Reebok to distribute a "G-Unit Sneakers" line as part of his G-Unit Clothing Company. He provided the voice-over as the protagonist in the video game ''50 Cent: Bulletproof'', which was released for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and the PlayStation Portable.

Its sequel, ''50 Cent: Blood on the Sand'', was released in early 2009. He worked with Glacéau to create a vitamin water drink called Formula 50. In 2007, Coca-Cola purchased Glacéau for US$4.1 billion. ''Forbes'' estimated Jackson, who owns a stake in the company, earned $100 million from the deal after taxes. He has teamed up with Right Guard to launch a body spray called Pure 50 RGX Body Spray and a condom line called Magic Stick Condoms, in which he planned to donate part of the proceeds to HIV awareness.

Jackson has signed a multi-year deal with Steiner Sports to sell his memorabilia.

In 2005, Jackson made a cameo appearance on ''The Simpsons'' episode "Pranksta Rap", in which he makes light of his legal troubles. The same year, he starred alongside Terrence Howard in the semi-autobiographical film ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'''. He starred in the 2006 film ''Home of the Brave'', as a soldier returning home from the Iraq War, traumatized after killing an Iraqi woman.

Jackson is working on a role as a fighter in an Angola State Prison in ''Spectacular Regret'' alongside Nicolas Cage, and starred opposite Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in 2008's ''Righteous Kill'', a movie regarding a police death.

He also started the film production companies G-Unit Films in 2007 and Cheetah Vision in 2008.

In August 2007, Jackson announced plans to launch a dietary supplement company in conjunction with his movie ''Spectacular Regret''.

In August 2005, shortly before appearing in ''Get Rich or Die Tryin''', Jackson published an autobiography entitled ''From Pieces to Weight: Once upon a Time in Southside Queens''. In it, Jackson explores the cultural and economic forces that led him to sell cocaine and crack, details his entrepreneurship as a drug-dealer and then as a rapper, and reflects on his own ethos and on society.

On January 4, 2007, Jackson launched his G-Unit Books imprint at the Time Warner Building. He also co-wrote ''The Ski Mask Way'', a novel about a small-time drug dealer who attempts to rob his employers, which is to be turned into a film. Jackson said he read Robert Greene's ''The 33 Strategies of War'' and worked with the author on a book titled ''The 50th Law'', an urban take on ''The 48 Laws of Power''. In May 2008, Jackson met billionaire Patrice Motsepe to forge a joint venture selling 50 Cent-branded platinum.

In 2008, Jackson started a reality television show on MTV titled ''50 Cent: The Money and the Power''; the winning contestant, Ryan Mayberry, won a $100,000 investment from Jackson.

On September 8, 2009, he published his book ''The 50th Law''.

In 2010, Jackson's film company Cheetah Vision landed $200 million in funding.

In July 2011, 50 Cent revealed his initiative to provide food for millions of people in Africa by 2016. 50 Cent teamed up with Pure Growth Partners to launch a charitable energy drink called ''Street King'' that will help aid in combating world hunger. For every purchase of Street King, a portion of the sales will go to providing a daily meal to an underprivileged child around the world. The partnership coincides with Fiddy’s mission statement of feeding a billion people in Africa over the next five years.

“50 Cent and I share a common vision: To address the world’s problems through smart and sustainable business models,” said Chris Clark, the founder and CEO of Pure Growth Partners. “With the rampant starvation in Africa and hunger afflicting children worldwide, we need socially responsible businesses that affect real change now more than ever.”

50 concurs, stating, “I’m inspired by Clarke’s vision and innovative approaches to tackling serious issues. It’s our mission with Street King to really change children’s lives around the world.”

Jackson founded SMS Audio, selling headphones with the name Street by 50. He has pledged to donate a portion of the sales to charity.

Personal life

Jackson has a tattoo of "Marquise" with an axe on his right biceps. "The axe is 'cause I'm a warrior. I don't want him to be one, though," he explains. He also has "50", "Southside", and "Cold World" inscribed on his back because "I'm a product of that environment. It's on my back, though, so it's all behind me."

Family

On October 13, 1997, Jackson's then-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins gave birth to a son, Marquise Jackson.

The birth of his son changed Jackson's outlook on life: "When my son came into my life, my priorities changed, because I wanted to have the relationship with him, that I didn't have with my father." He credited his son for inspiring his career and being "motivation to go in a different direction".

Politics

In 2005, Jackson expressed support for President George Walker Bush after rapper Kanye West criticized him for the slow response in assisting the Hurricane Katrina victims.

If his felony convictions did not prevent him from voting, he claimed he would have voted for Bush.

He later stated that Bush "has less compassion than the average human. By all means, I don't aspire to be like George Bush."

Wealth

In 2007, Jackson was the second wealthiest performer in the rap industry, behind Jay-Z. He resides in Farmington, Connecticut, in the former mansion of ex-boxer Mike Tyson.He is consistently ranked among the richest figures in the American hip hop scene. In 2011, Jackson was ranked the fifth richest figure in American hip hop with a net worth estimated at $100 million.

He put the mansion for sale at $18.5 million to move closer to his son who lives in Long Island with his ex-girlfriend. On October 12, 2007, the Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut declared it "50 Cent Curtis Jackson Day". He was honored with a key to the city and an official proclamation.

One of his homes in New York purchased for 2.4 million dollars in January 2007 and at the center of a lawsuit between Jackson and ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins caught fire on May 30, 2008 while he was out of town filming for a movie in Louisiana.

In December 2008 Jackson told the Canadian press that he had been affected by the recession, losing several million dollars in the stock market as an investor. He also went on to say that he had been unable to sell his Connecticut mansion and pushed ''Before I Self-Destruct'' back because of the recent economic downturn.

Legal issues

On June 29, 1994, Jackson was arrested for helping to sell four vials of cocaine to an undercover police officer. He was arrested again three weeks later when police searched his home and found heroin, ten ounces of crack cocaine, and a starter gun.

He was sentenced to three to nine years in prison, but managed to serve six months in a shock incarceration boot camp where he earned his GED. Jackson said that he did not use cocaine himself, he only sold it.

His ex-girlfriend Shaniqua Tompkins sued Jackson for $50 million, claiming that he said that he would take care of her for life; the suit, which includes 15 claims was later dismissed by a judge, calling it "an unfortunate tale of a love relationship gone sour."

50 Cent was sentenced to two years probation on July 22, 2005 from an incident in May 2004 when 50 Cent jumped into the audience after being hit with a water bottle. He was charged with three counts of assault and battery.

Lawsuits

On July 21, 2007, Jackson filed a $1 million lawsuit against advertising company Traffix Inc. of Pearl River, New York for using his image in a promotion which he claims threatens his safety.

He became aware of the internet ad after one of his staff members saw it on a MySpace page. According to court documents, the ad features a cartoon image of the rapper and the message: "shoot the rapper and you will win $5000 or five ring tones guaranteed".

Though the ad did not use his name, the image allegedly intended to resemble him, suggesting he endorsed the ad.

The lawsuit calls it a "vile, tasteless and despicable" use of 50 Cent's image that "quite literally calls for violence against him". The lawsuit seeks for unspecified punitive damages and a permanent injunction against the use of his image without permission.

In November 2009, 50 Cent won in a lawsuit against Taco Bell over the fast food chain using his name to promote the brand without his permission.

Feuds

How to Rob

50 Cent said that he intended the single to be a joke, and not meant to disrespect anybody. Nevertheless, a number of rappers mentioned on the song responded on record.

The comments made towards the Wu-Tang Clan were responded to on the Ghostface Killah album ''Supreme Clientele'' on a track called "Ghost Deini" and even more directly on a skit called "Clyde Smith" which included one of the Wu-Tang Clan members talking about how they intended to harm the rapper, which is identifiable as Raekwon when the track is sped up. A supposed diss song, "Who the Fuck Is 50 Cent", which circulated the web in the beginning of 2001 was rumored to be by the Clan, but was proven to be recorded by Polite of American Cream Team (Raekwon's then-side project).

Jay-Z also reacted to the comments in the track called "It's Hot (Some Like It Hot)", off the album ''Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter'':

"Go against Jigga yo' ass is dense I'm about a dollar, what the fuck is 50 Cents?"

Sticky Fingaz responded to the diss with the track "Jackin' for Beats."

"The real 50 from Brooklyn god bless he got outed You just a fake clown who front and rout about it."

Big Pun responds to this track on his album ''Yeeeah Baby'', in the song "My Turn."

"And to the 50 Cent Rapper, very funny – get your nut off, 'cuz in real life, we all know I'd blow your motherfucking head off...If I'm gonna write a song, it'll be about how I had to beat your mothafuckin' ass. And that'll be the name of the motherfucker: 'That's Why I Had To Beat Your Motherfucking Ass', featuring Tony Sunshine."

Kurupt responded on the diss track "Callin' Out Names."

"Now it's 50 mc's that ain't worth shit Get ya ass kicked 50 times, beat to 10 cent"

Wyclef Jean responded on the song "Low Income", from his 2000 album, ''The Ecleftic''.

"I stay so hungry that if 50 Cent came to rob me he'd be part of my charity."

The Inc.

Before signing with Interscope, Jackson engaged in a well-publicized dispute with rapper Ja Rule and his label The Inc.. Jackson claims that a friend robbed Ja Rule of his jewelry and that Ja Rule accused him of setting it up. However, Ja Rule claimed the conflict stemmed from a video shoot in Queens because Jackson did not like seeing him "getting so much love" from the neighborhood. In March 2000, while at The Hit Factory studio in New York, Jackson had an altercation with Murder Inc. associates. He was treated for three stitches after receiving a stab wound. Rapper Black Child claimed responsibility for the stabbing, saying he acted in self-defense because he thought someone reached for a gun.

An affidavit by an IRS agent suggested that Murder Inc. had ties to Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, a New York drug lord who was suspected of being involved in the murder of Jam Master Jay and the shooting of Jackson. An excerpt of the affidavit read:

In an interview with MTV, Ja Rule acknowledged his defeat against 50 Cent and stated that his new album, The Mirror, will not be continuing any past feuds that he has engaged in. He said: There was a lot of things I wanted to say, and I didn't want there to be any bitter records on the album. Because I'm not bitter about anything that happened [in the past few years].

Fat Joe, Nas & Jadakiss

Before releasing ''The Massacre'', Jackson recorded a song "Piggy Bank", a response to Ja Rule's song "New York", which was leaked before the album's release. The song takes aim at rappers including Fat Joe, Nas, and Jadakiss. Fat Joe responded with a song, "My Fofo", accusing Jackson of taking steroids, hiding in his home, and being jealous of The Game. Jadakiss also responded with a song, "Checkmate", and said that Jackson was trying to "create a buzz for his new album". The "Piggy Bank" music video portrays animated caricatures of Jadakiss (as a Ninja turtle), Fat Joe (as King Hippo from ''Mike Tyson's Punch-Out''), Nas (as a kid chasing a "milkshake" truck in a Superman costume), and The Game (as Mr. Potato Head). He also disses all of them on the beef version of his single "Window Shopper" Kelis, Nas's then-wife, responded to the song on her single "Bossy". Nas later responded with "Don't Body Ya Self (MC Burial)." Nas later dissed 50 on the song "Street Ridaz" on Game's mixtape "Brake Lights".

Sean Combs

Jackson spoke negatively about Bad Boy Entertainment mogul Sean Combs and recorded a song, "Hip-Hop", revealing the reasons behind his negative feelings: primarily, a contract dispute over Mase. In the song, he implied that Diddy knew about The Notorious B.I.G.'s murder and threatened to expose him through former associates. The feud was resolved, with both rappers appearing on MTV's ''TRL'' and ''Sucker Free'', respectively, stating that there were no longer problems. The feud reignited in 2010 with 50 Cent dissing Diddy, saying his music "sucks".

Cam'ron

On February 1, 2007, Cam'ron and Jackson had a live argument on ''The Angie Martinez Show'' on Hot 97 radio. Jackson commented that Koch Entertainment was a "graveyard", meaning major record labels would not work with their artists. Cam'ron then ridiculed the record sales of G-Unit members Lloyd Banks and Mobb Deep by stating that Jim Jones outsold their albums despite being signed to an independent label and that his group, The Diplomats, had a distribution deal from several labels. Both rappers released "diss" songs with videos on YouTube. Jackson suggested in "Funeral Music" that Cam'ron is no longer able to lead The Diplomats and that Jim Jones should take his place. Cam'ron responded with "Curtis" and "Curtis Pt. II", in which he makes fun of Jackson's appearance, calling him "a gorilla, with rabbit teeth". Jackson responded by releasing "Hold On" with Young Buck.

Game

Although he was close with The Game, before The Game released his debut album ''The Documentary'', they soon became at odds. After its release, Jackson felt The Game was disloyal for saying he did not want to participate in G-Unit's feuds with other rappers and even wanting to work with artists they were feuding with. He also claimed that he wrote six songs on the album and was not receiving proper credit for his work, which The Game denied.

Jackson later dismissed The Game from G-Unit on Hot 97 radio. After the announcement, The Game, who was a guest earlier in the evening, attempted to enter the building with his entourage. After being denied entry, one of his associates was shot in the leg during a confrontation with a group of men leaving the building. When the situation escalated, both rappers held a press conference to announce their reconciliation. Fans had mixed feelings as to whether the rappers created a publicity stunt to boost the sales of the albums they had just released. Nevertheless, even after the situation deflated, G-Unit criticized The Game's street credibility. The group denounced The Game and announced that they will not be featured on his albums. During a Summer Jam performance, The Game launched a boycott of G-Unit called "G-Unot".

After the performance at Summer Jam, The Game responded with "300 Bars and Runnin'", an extended "diss" aimed at G-Unit as well as members of Roc-A-Fella Records on the mixtape ''You Know What It Is Vol. 3''. Jackson responded through his "Piggy Bank" music video, which features The Game as a Mr. Potato Head doll and also parodies other rivals. Since then both groups continued to attack each other. The Game released two more mixtapes, ''Ghost Unit'' and a mixtape/DVD called ''Stop Snitchin, Stop Lyin''.

Jackson posted a cover of The Game's head on the body of a male stripper for "Hate It or Love It (G-Unit Radio Part 21)" mixtape, as a response to The Game displaying pictures of G-Unit dressed as Village People. Although he was signed to Aftermath Entertainment, The Game left the label and signed with Geffen Records to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit (although others claim Jackson pressured Dr. Dre to kick him off). G-Unit member Spider Loc had also began to insult The Game on various songs. In addition, The Game released "240 Bars (Spider Joke)" and "100 Bars (The Funeral)" both attacking G-Unit, Spider Loc and others. Jackson's response was "Not Rich, Still Lyin'" where he mocks The Game. Lloyd Banks replied to the Game on a Rap City freestyle booth session. The Game quickly released a "diss" record called "SoundScan" where The Game pokes fun at Lloyd Banks' album ''Rotten Apple'' falling thirteen spots on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart and disappointing second week sales. Lloyd Banks replied on his mixtape ''Mo' Money In The Bank Pt. 5: Gang Green Season Continues'' with a song called "Showtime (The Game's Over)". Lloyd Banks states that Jackson wrote half of The Game's first album ''The Documentary'' and pokes fun at The Game's suicidal thoughts.

In October 2006, The Game extended a peace treaty to Jackson, which was not immediately replied to. However, a couple days later, on Power 106, he stated that the treaty was only offered for one day. On The Game's album, ''Doctor's Advocate'', he claims that the feud is over on a few of the songs.

In July 2009, The Game stated the beef was squashed with help from Michael Jackson and Diddy, and he apologized for his actions during the beef. Tony Yayo said that neither Jackson (50 Cent) or G-Unit would accept his apology. Since then, The Game continued his old "G-Unot" ways at live concerts. Jackson released "So Disrespectful" a diss song on ''Before I Self Destruct'' targeting Jay-Z, The Game and Young Buck. Game later responded with the song "Shake", poking fun of the music video for 50's single "Candy Shop", quote, "Me and 50 aint agreeing on shit so I had to (Shake) Aint no telling what he putting in that protein (Shake) Seen the candy shop video look at this nigga (Shake) And thats the same shit that made the nigga Young Buck (Shake)". He also takes shots at Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, in which he says, "I'm surprised that Lloyd Banks and Yayo didn't (Shake) Wasn't selling no records Jimmy Iovine said (Shake)". Game also dissed G-Unit several times on the song "400 Bars".

In September 2011, 50 Cent dissed Game on the song "Love, Hate, Love", in which Game responded to on his twitter, saying he was going to diss him back after his tour was finished, quote:

Rick Ross

In January 2009, Rick Ross started a feud with 50 Cent because he supposedly looked at him the wrong way at the BET Awards. However, Jackson told news sources that he did not even remember seeing Rick Ross there. In late January, a track entitled "Mafia Music" by Rick Ross, leaked onto the Internet. There were several lines that seem to diss Jackson. Days later, Jackson released "Officer Ricky (Go Head, Try Me)" in response to Rick Ross's disparaging remarks on his "Mafia Music" song. The next day Rick Ross appeared on Shade 45, and told Jackson to come up with something better in 24 hours.

Before going to Venezuela, Jackson uploaded a video entitled "Warning Shot", where he warns Rick Ross: ''"I'ma fuck your life up for fun"''. In addition, Jackson released the first of a series of "Officer Ricky" cartoons. Early February, Jackson once again made a video which he uploaded to YouTube where he interviews "Tia", the mother of one of Rick Ross's children. She verifies his being a correctional officer and claims his whole persona is fake and fraudulent. On Thursday, February 5, 2009, The Game, who Jackson has a long-standing "beef" with, called up Seattle's KUBE 93 Radio Station. When asked about the beef between Jackson and Rick Ross, The Game sided with Jackson and said that things are not looking good for Rick Ross. However, he offered to help Rick Ross get out of this situation, stating ''"Rick Ross, holla at your boy, man,"'' and ''"50 eating you'', boy."

On his album ''Deeper Than Rap'', Ross references Jackson in the song "In Cold Blood". A video for the song was released that portrayed Jackson's mock funeral. Upon release, Ross stated that he has ended Jackson's career.

In an interview, Jackson said: "Rick Ross is Albert From CB4. You ever seen the movie? He's Albert," he added. "It never gets worse than this. You get a guy that was a correctional officer come out and base his entire career on writing material from a drug dealer's perspective such as "Freeway" Ricky Ross."

Lil Wayne

After hearing word that Lil Wayne had prepared a song for him after 50 made some unkind remarks, 50 lashed out at Wayne first on August 17, 2007 with the song "Part Time Lover". Wayne never really responded to the song, although a 50 Cent diss track called "Louisianimal" did leak much later on November 17, 2008. Jackson responded to Lil Wayne in January 2009 in a song entitled "Play This On The Radio". As of August 14, 2009, the controversy between Jackson and Lil Wayne seems to have ended after Jackson appeared and performed at Lil Wayne's America's Most Wanted Musical Festival stop in Anaheim, California.

Young Buck

''Main article: 50 Cent vs. Young Buck''

After numerous rumors of a "beef" within G-Unit, Jackson officially dismissed Young Buck from the group, in 2008. He later assured that he was still signed with the label. Numerous slander songs then arose on the internet from both camps, with Young Buck appearing in a music video of former rival The Game. Jackson then leaked a taped phone conversation between himself and Young Buck, which showed one of the true reasons for the falling out; Jackson was owed money by the Southern rapper. Young Buck later stated the conversation took place over a year before the leak. The two camps have since released a multitude of songs against each other, with the feud settling down by 2009, with Young Buck stating he's been working on his latest album, which is still to be released under the G-Unit label.

In April 2012, after being ousted from the crew back in 2008, Young Buck has entered talks to work with the label. Days after indicating that he would be open to re-teaming with his old crew at G-Unit Records, Young Buck now confirms that he has begun negotiations with the label about making his return. Buck provided the update in a recent interview stating "I'ma be honest with you," he said, "Finally we're at a point where we're having some kind of negotiations with what they're going to be able to do for us at G-Unit." The Nashville, Tennessee native said he was ready to make his return to music, whether as a part of G-Unit or not. "Y’all are gonna be hearing from me," he said. "I don't want to put a timing on it, but the wait is absolutely over, and we're just trying to figure out what's the best situation for us, where I'm gonna go." Buck stated in an interview after a concert in California April 4, 2012. Young Buck's last album was the 2010 independent release ''The Rehab''. It’s been a rough go for Buck since he was expelled from 50’s crew in 2008, he has run into financial troubles and he recently escaped an attempted drive-by shooting in his hometown. Although it doesn’t look like the rapper has straightened out his relationship with 50 Cent, but he says the label has finally agreed to negotiate. The negotiations may not lead to a new deal between Young Buck and G-Unit, but the rapper remains optimistic and explained that it’s only a matter of time before he ends up finding a place to take his talent.

Discography

''Get Rich or Die Tryin''' (2003)

''The Massacre'' (2005)

''Curtis'' (2007)

''Before I Self Destruct'' (2009)

''Fifth studio album'' (2012)

Awards and nominations

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2003	''50 Cent: The New Breed''	Himself	Documentary DVD
2005		Marcus	Film debut
2006		Jamal Aiken	Supporting Role
	''Righteous Kill''	Spider	Supporting Role
	Clarence	Supporting Role
''50 Cent: The Money and the Power''	Himself	TV series (one episode: "Choose Your Crew Wisely")
	''Streets of Blood''	Stan Johnson
	Himself	TV series (Season 6, Episode 3: "One Car, Two Car, Red Car, Blue Car")
	Thigo
''Caught in the Crossfire''	Tino	Executive producer
		Jimmy
	Rich
	Lionel	Supporting Role
	Himself
		Black	Post-production
''Blood Out''	Hardwick
	Sonny
	''All Things Fall Apart''	Deon
	Malo
	–	Producer
	Shamus Cocobolo
		Pre-production
2013

Voice work

Year	Title	Role	Notes
	''The Simpsons''	Himself	TV series (one episode: "Pranksta Rap")
''50 Cent: Bulletproof''	Himself	Video game, voice only
	''50 Cent: Blood on the Sand''	Himself	Video game, voice only
''Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2''		Video game, voice only

References

External links

50 Cent at AOL Sessions

* Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:Actors from New York City Category:African-American businesspeople Category:African American film actors Category:African-American film producers Category:African American rappers Category:African American record producers Category:Aftermath Entertainment artists Category:American investors Category:American music industry executives Category:American shooting survivors Category:American stock traders Category:American video game actors Category:Brit Award winners Category:Echo winners Category:Businesspeople from New York City Category:Grammy Award winners Category:G-Unit members Category:Hip hop singers Category:People convicted of drug offenses Category:People from Queens Category:Pseudonymous rappers Category:Rappers from New York City Category:Shady Records artists Category:Survivors of stabbing Category:Sony/ATV Music Publishing artists Category:World Music Awards winners

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Coordinates	°′″N°′″N
name	Mark Reed Levin
birth date	September 21, 1957
birth place	Pennsylvania
show	The Mark Levin Show
network	Citadel Media
timeslot	6-9 p.m. EST
style	Talk radio
country	United States
religion	Judaism
web	http://marklevinshow.com }}

Mark Reed Levin (born September 21, 1957) was appointed to the Reagan administration and is a lawyer, author and the host of American syndicated radio show ''The Mark Levin Show.'' He is president of the Landmark Legal Foundation, has authored bestselling books and contributes commentary to various media outlets such as ''National Review Online'' where he is a currently credited author.

Biography

Mark R. Levin grew up in Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Levin graduated from Cheltenham High School and holds a bachelor of arts from Temple University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude. Levin also earned a juris doctorate from Temple University Beasley School of Law.

Beginning in 1981, Levin served as advisor to several members of President Ronald Reagan's cabinet, eventually becoming Associate Director of Presidential Personnel and ultimately Chief of Staff to Attorney General Edwin Meese; Levin also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education, and Deputy Solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

He practiced law in the private sector and is president of Landmark Legal Foundation, a conservative public interest law firm founded in 1976 and based in Leesburg, Virginia.

Levin is married with two children. He has never revealed the names of his two children, requesting that the public respect their privacy.

Levin has participated in Freedom Concerts, an annual benefit concert to aid families of fallen soldiers, and he uses his radio program to promote same. Levin is also involved with Troopathon, a charity which sends care packages to soldiers serving overseas.

In 2001, the American Conservative Union awarded Levin its Ronald Reagan Award.

Radio broadcasting

Levin began his broadcast career as a guest on conservative talk radio programs. For many years he was a frequent contributor of legal opinions to ''The Rush Limbaugh Show'', where Limbaugh referred to him on-air as "F. Lee Levin," a tongue-in-cheek reference to the famous defense attorney F. Lee Bailey. He was also a contributor to ''The Sean Hannity Show'' and eventually got a radio slot of his own on WABC, following Sean Hannity's program. Hannity has nicknamed Mark Levin "The Great One". Levin and Hannity remain frequent contributors to each other's programs.

Writer

''Men In Black: How The Supreme Court is Destroying America''

Levin authored the bestselling book, ''Men In Black: How The Supreme Court Is Destroying America'' in 2005, in which Levin advanced his thesis that activist judges on the Supreme Court (from all parts of the political spectrum) have "legislated from the bench." In her review of ''Men in Black'', ''Slate'' magazine's legal correspondent and Canadian journalist Dahlia Lithwick wrote that "no serious scholar of the court or the Constitution, on the ideological left or right, is going to waste their time engaging Levin's arguments once they've read this book." In contrast, a review in the ''Defense Counsel Journal'' described ''Men in Black'' as "a forceful indictment of what Levin identifies as an increasingly 'activist' court for amending our national Constitution in the guise of construing it."

''Rescuing Sprite: A Dog Lover's Story of Joy and Anguish''

In 2007, Levin released a book about his dogs, Pepsi and Sprite. Specifically, the book was about Sprite, a Spaniel mix that his wife and son persuaded him to adopt from the local shelter in 2004. The book was titled ''Rescuing Sprite: A Dog Lover's Story of Joy and Anguish''. ''Rescuing Sprite'' chronicles Sprite’s health deterioration in 2006 and how Levin and his family dealt with their loss.

''Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto''

''Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto'' was released on March 24, 2009, and became a No. 1 New York Times best seller for eleven of twelve weeks, as well as No. 1 on Nielsen's BookScan. It comes in at No. 2 on Amazon.com's list of bestselling books of 2009. The book includes discussion of a variety of issues that, according to Levin, need to be addressed in the United States. ''Liberty and Tyranny'' has sold over one million copies according to Threshold Editions, the book's publisher. Former federal prosecutor and fellow National Review Online author Andrew C. McCarthy wrote of ''Liberty and Tyranny'' in ''The New Criterion'':

Taking a contrary view, Steve Almond of ''Salon'' wrote that

References

External links

Mark Levin Show, The Official Mark Levin Website

marklevinshow Twitter feed

The Official Mark Levin Show Audio Rewind

Landmark Legal Foundation

Mark Levin is on the air from NationalReview.com

Category:American broadcast news analysts Category:American columnists Category:American Jews Category:American political pundits Category:Pennsylvania lawyers Category:American political writers Category:The American Spectator people Category:American talk radio hosts Category:Conservatism in the United States Category:National Review people Category:School board members in the United States Category:People from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Category:Radio programs on XM Radio Category:Reagan Administration personnel Category:Temple University alumni Category:Temple University Beasley School of Law alumni Category:United States Department of Education officials Category:1957 births Category:Living people

sh:Mark Levin yi:מארק לעווין