Curtis Jackson receives star on Walk of Fame

HOLLYWOOD — A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was unveiled Jan. 30 honoring rapper-actor-producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, 10 days before the finale of the Starz crime drama he produces and appears in, “Power.”

Rappers Dr. Dre and Eminem were among the notables who joined Jackson at the event in front of The W Hollywood Hotel and Hollywood Hamburger at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street.

Jackson said Mary J. Blige called him earlier to congratulate him for the honor.

“I told her I was nervous, and she was like, ‘What are you nervous about?’ I said just because it’s starting to feel really important because of who’s coming,” he said. “This is a different experience. I’ve been to awards shows, and when you win at the awards shows there’s some people there, they feel like they should have won. … But you know, this one is different because everybody is in the same space, everybody feels the same way about it. I just want to say thank you, thanks for supporting me.”

Born Curtis James Jackson III in the New York City borough of Queens on July 6, 1975, Jackson rose to fame with his 2003 debut studio album “Get Rich or Die Tryin,’” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and was the best-selling album of 2003, selling 12 million copies worldwide.

“Get Rich or Die Tryin’” brought Jackson three Grammy nominations for best rap album and best male rap solo performance for “In Da Club,” which also brought him a best rap song nomination.

Jackson received two other Grammy nominations in 2003 — for best new artist, losing to the rock band Evanescence, and for best rap performance by a duo or group for his featured role on Lil’ Kim’s “Magic Stick.”

Jackson received six Grammy nominations in 2005 — best rap performance by a duo or group and best rap song for “Hate It Or Love It”; best rap performance by a duo or group for “Encore”; best rap song for “Candy Shop”; best rap album for “The Massacre”; and best rap solo performance for “Disco Inferno.”

After receiving two more Grammy nominations in 2007 — best rap solo performance for “I Get Money” and best rap song “Ayo Technology” — Jackson won his lone Grammy at the 2010 ceremony for best rap performance by a duo or group for “Crack A Bottle.”

Jackson is also a music, film and television producer. He is CEO of G-Unit Records, which he founded in 2003. He founded G-Unit Film & Television, Inc. in 2005. He is among the executive producers of “For Life,” a serialized legal and family drama premiering on ABC Feb. 11.

Jackson’s other acting credits include the films “Den of Thieves,” “Southpaw” and “Spy.”

Independent Wire Services