Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson

Curtis James Jackson III, known professionally as 50 Cent, is the founder of Sire Spirits, G-Unit Films and Television Inc., G-Unit Records, G-Unit Clothing Company and Cheetah Vision. Mr. Jackson is an award-winning musician, entrepreneur, actor and producer.

Personal Attributes and Interests

• Mr. Jackson has 2 children, Marquise Jackson and Sire Jackson.

Work Experience / Career

Mr. Jackson invested his earnings from music and celebrity endorsements in an array of privately controlled companies, real estate, and stocks and bonds. He has a highly diversified portfolio of companies in a variety of industries, including real estate, financial market investments, mining, boxing promotion, vodka, fragrances, consumer electronics and fashion. 

• Mr. Jackson is the owner of Sire-Spirits, the marketer of the Champagne and Cognac brands “Le Chemin Du Roi” and “Branson Cognac”.
• In 2015, he formed a partnership with the Holland-based Effen vodka, taking a minority stake in the company.
• In December 2014, Mr. Jackson signed a $78 million deal with FRIGO Revolution Wear, a luxury underwear brand. The joint venture is partnered between Mr. Jackson, basketball player Carmelo Anthony, baseball player Derek Jeter and Mathias Ingvarsson, the former president of mattress company Tempur-Pedic. Jackson became the chief fashion designer for the brand's single pair of Frigo boxers.
• In 2014, Mr. Jackson became a minority shareholder in Effen Vodka, a brand of vodka produced in the Netherlands, when he invested an undisclosed amount in the company Sire Spirits LLC.
• In 2012, Mr. Jackson became a licensed boxing promoter when he formed his new company, SMS Promotions, a boxing promotions company.
• In 2011, He founded SMS Audio. SMS stands for "Studio Mastered Sound". Mr. Jackson acquired KonoAudio that August for an undisclosed sum.
• In 2010, Mr. Jackson revived his G-Unit Films, renaming the company to G-Unit Films and Television Inc.
• Cheetah Vision, founded in 2009 by Mr.  Jackson and Randall Emmett. The company produces low budget action thrillers for foreign film markets across the world. In early 2011, 50 Cent landed a $200,000,000 deal for the company, which will fund a 10-picture deal. Grindstone/Lionsgate will distribute the films. Under the deal, the films will have a budget of around $20 million each.
• G-Unit Books, was an American book publishing imprint started in partnership with MTV/Pocketbooks on January 4, 2007 following a prior relationship with the company dating back to the publication of his memoir in 2005.
• Glacéau’s Formula 50, a variant of VitaminWater, launched in October 2004. Mr.  Jackson became an investor when he was given a minority share in the company in exchange for becoming a spokesperson for the beverage company. In 2007, Coca-Cola purchased Glacéau for $4.1 billion and, according to Forbes, Mr. Jackson, who was a minority shareholder, earned $100 million from the deal after taxes.
• G-Unit Films, founded in 2003.
• G-Unit Sneakers, in 2003 he signed a 5 year distribution deal with Reebok his sneakers line.
• G-Unit Clothing Company, clothing retailer established in 2003 when 50 Cent teamed up with Marc Ecko, the founder of Ecko Unltd.
• G-Unit Records, founded in 2003, is a record label now owned by Universal Music Group. For the first eleven years of operation, G-Unit ran in conjunction with, and was distributed by, UMG's Interscope Records. 

Accolades

Mr. Jackson is a GRAMMY Award® winner who has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and has been awarded numerous accolades including: 

• 13 Billboard Music Awards, 
• 6 World Music Awards, 
• 3 American Music Awards 
• 4 BET Awards
• He was ranked as the No. 1 rap artist and most successful Hot 100 Artist of the 2000s by Billboard Magazine, as well as that decade's sixth-best artist and fourth top male artist.

Philanthropy, Community Service and Memberships

Mr. Jackson founded the G-Unity Foundation in 2003 and has spent nearly two decades helping young people and communities in need thrive.

In September 2011, Mr. Jackson publicly committed to donating one billion meals to the World Food Program over five years. If he reaches this goal, he would become the 20th largest donor to the organization.