- published: 30 Jun 2016
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Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, entrepreneur, investor, record, film, and television producer. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of the borough of Queens, Jackson began selling drugs at age twelve during the 1980s crack epidemic. Although he left drug-dealing to pursue a musical career, he was struck by nine bullets in a 2000 shooting. After Jackson released the compilation album Guess Who's Back? in 2002, he was discovered by Eminem and signed by Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records.
With the aid of Eminem and Dr. Dre (who produced his first major-label album, Get Rich or Die Tryin'), Jackson became one of the world's best selling rappers and rose to prominence with East Coast hip hop group G-Unit (which he leads de facto). In 2003 he founded G-Unit Records, signing his G-Unit associates Young Buck, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo. Jackson had similar commercial and critical success with his second album, The Massacre, which was released in 2005. He released his fifth studio album, Animal Ambition, in 2014 and is working on his sixth studio album: Street King Immortal, scheduled for release in 2016.
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Robert Rihmeek Williams (born May 6, 1987), better known by his stage name Meek Mill, is an American hip hop recording artist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was briefly signed to Atlanta-based record label Grand Hustle, owned by record executive and fellow American rapper T.I.. In February 2011, after leaving Grand Hustle, Mill signed a record deal with fellow American rapper Rick Ross' Miami-based Maybach Music Group (MMG) imprint.
Mill's debut studio album, Dreams and Nightmares, was released in 2012, under MMG and Warner Bros. Records. The album, preceded by the single "Young & Gettin' It", debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200. He has also appeared on MMG's Self Made compilation series, with his debut single "Tupac Back" and second single "Ima Boss", being included on volume one.
In October 2012, Meek Mill announced the launching of his own imprint, Dream Chasers Records, named after his popular mixtape series. He also revealed having already signed several fellow Philadelphia-based rappers in 2012.