On May 24, 2000, 50 Cent, real name Curtis Jackson, was attacked outside his grandmother’s former home in the South Jamaica neighbourhood of Queens, New York. According to public records, a gunman fired a 9 mm handgun at close range, and 50 Cent was shot nine times.
The wounds included his hand, arm, hip, chest, left cheek, and both of his legs were broken in multiple places.
His associate, Curtis Brown, didn’t wait for emergency medical technicians but drove directly to Jamaica Hospital.
The rapper told Oprah about the shooting in 2012:
“It doesn’t hurt as much as people imagine it hurts, because of the adrenaline. But it hurts after.”
He spent 13 days in the hospital and another five months recovering from his injuries.
April, 2003 in Beverly Hills – @Getty
“I lost something in life that I didn’t find until after I was shot,” the rapper later said. “Initially, I was conditioned to believe in God. My grandparents took me to church every Sunday. I lost that along the way, but after taking nine, it was like, ‘How was that possible?’”
The bullet that pierced his jaw left him with a distinct slur in his voice.
Drug Lord Plotted To Kill 50 Cent
According to federal investigators, there was a possible conspiracy between some employees of the music label Murder Inc. and the NY drug lord Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff to kill Jackson.
50 Cent was selling crack on the streets by the time he was 12.
Attends the Power Series Finale Episode Screening at Paley Center on February 07, 2020 in New York City – @Getty
The alleged attacker, Darryl Hommo Baum, died about three weeks later in a retaliation shooting. “I know who did it shortly after,” Curtis said.
Interestingly, Hommo was a security guard for Mike Tyson.
Get Rich or Die Tryin’
50 Cent survived but was dropped from his label, Columbia Records.
He told Fox News:
“As soon as you feel fine, the doctors are telling you you’re fine, you’re going to recover, and you look and you go, ‘Whoa, what am I going to do?’ The record company is not answering the phone anymore, everything is changing, and then it’s like you got to figure out how to do it on your own.”
Fortunately, he was discovered by Eminem and signed to Shady Records for $1 million back in 2002.
Curtis performs during 50 Cent: The Final Lap Tour at Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood on August 17, 2023 in Atlanta – @Getty
On February 6, 2003, Jackson released his debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, via Eminem‘s Shady Records in a joint venture with Dr. Dre‘s Aftermath. It was ranked number one on the Billboard Year-End 2003.
The song Many Men (Wish Death on Me) is an ode to his survival from the shooting incident.
50 Cent Calls Speculation He Was Shot ‘Fake News’
In March 2025, Jackson shut down a rumour claiming that he was the victim of an alleged shooting in LA.
50 Cent during Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez and 50 Cent Leave MTV’s TRL – January 19, 2005 at MTV Studios in New York City – @Getty
“Don’t worry, I’m gonna make it, because this is fake news,” he wrote on Instagram.
“Don’t they know shots don’t kill you,” one individual commented on his Instagram.
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I am Bulgarea Candin Stefan, and I founded FamousPeopleToday.com in 2018. I’m using my bachelor’s degree in economics and 9 years of experience in blogging to guide millions of people through the incredibly complex world of celebrity net worths.