Why did 50 Cent always have on a bulletproof vest?
50 Cent is one of the wealthiest men in hip-hop, and similar to his musical peers Diddy and Dre, the former G-unit rapper has achieved a lot of success outside of the hip-hop genre and is enjoying a fruitful career as a producer, filmmaker, and actor, making him a rapper turned media mogul. However, he will forever be known primarily as a legendary emcee.
The musician’s explosion was sensational, and the rapper’s 2003 debut album Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ went straight to number one on the Billboard 200, selling 12million copies worldwide by the end of the year. The album’s lead single, ‘In Da Club’, was certified Gold by the RIAA but went three times platinum in the UK.
Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ was the kind of debut album everyone dreams of having. One that goes straight to the top and turns heads is precisely what this 2003 album did. With Eminem and Dr Dre credited as the album’s executive producers, Get Rich, Or Die Tryin’ sold 872,000 copies in its first week. By the end of 2003, the album had already been certified six times platinum.
That said, the inside cover of the CD features various images of Fifty in a bulletproof vest, which would go on to be a running theme in his aesthetic. On the flipside of his sophomore album, The Massacre, the ‘Ryder Music’ rhymer can be seen wearing a bulletproof vest, and in various photoshoots for posters, magazines, tours and more, the Queens native chose to wear a bulletproof vest during his G-unit days.
In an interview with British television host Jonathan Ross, the ‘21 Questions’ entertainer gave a bit of insight into why he wore a bulletproof vest, stating, “Because I’ve been shot myself and I saw 2Pac and Biggie Smalls situation. All their wounds were inflicted in areas that it would have prevented their deaths if they had a bulletproof vest on.”
50 Cent has also unveiled that he didn’t just wear a bulletproof vest due to the fact he was shot nine times but also chose to wear one when the legendary Queens drug lord and gangster, Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff, became partners with Irv Gotti. During the early 2000s, the Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ creator battled Irv Gotti, Ja Rule and the entire Murder Inc. crew.
However, despite his fiery aggression, Fifty knew that attempting to begin a war with McGriff would put himself on the line, so he chose to prevent any damage and was right to do so. In March 2000, Fifty went to Manhattan’s The Hit Factory, and while he was there, Murder Inc. affiliates ambushed him.
The incident resulted in a stabbing. Still, due to his vest, the Curtis creator only needed three stitches afterwards. During an interview with Men’s Health, 50 Cent revealed why he stopped wearing a bulletproof vest.
When asked about the date, he stated, “I don’t have a specific timeline for that. Do you know what happened? I had got other things like vehicles. Like full-blown level six [security cars]. The same stuff Obama’s riding around in so it didn’t make sense to have to wear it everyday. [My bulletproof vest] was almost a hallmark. At the beginning of my career, I was seen more often with it than without it!”
50 Cent wore a bulletproof vest for the simple reason that he had narrowly escaped an attempted murder and, after success, having acquired money, he knew there was a price on his head, so he chose to prepare himself with a bulletproof vest in case another attempt was made on his life. The legend even had a video game made in his name called Bulletproof.