As 50 Cent continues to bask in the glory of the 20th anniversary of his monumental debut album, “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” during his colossal world tour, he received a truly exhilarating piece of news on Wednesday (Nov. 1) – his colossal hit, “In Da Club,” has officially attained diamond certification from the RIAA.
“In Da Club” emerged as the breakout sensation from 50 Cent’s inaugural 2003 release, catapulting the Queens-based MC to stratospheric stardom. This record soared to the very summit of the Billboard Hot 100, etching its place in history as his inaugural single to conquer this coveted peak.
Reflecting on his journey, 50 shared in an interview for Billboard’s Feb. 9 digital cover story this year, “My run was so uncomfortable that everyone would like to forget that it happened. That’s just the way it is with the artist community. I didn’t come in being friendly because I had to find a way into it — not find a way to be good enough to work in the community. The biggest compliment in the early stages was that artists felt like they’d made it when they got the deal. You had to earn the right to have the deal. “
In a recent conversation with the esteemed podcast “My Expert Opinion,” EPMD lyricist Erick Sermon delved into his rare opportunity to ink a deal with the G-Unit luminary.
“Well, Cory [Rooney, then senior vice president of Sony] lived next door to me,” he began. “And Cory was with Sony and [producers] Trackmasters. So he [brought] 50 to the crib. And you know, this is early 50. 50 used to come to the house all the time, and we’d do records. So, he was Def Squad. Cory just felt that it was best for him to be over here.”
Sermon would go on to produce “Da Heatwave” for 50 Cent featuring NORE before the infamous shooting incident in May 2000. “That was the first single that I did after ‘How to Rob.’ That was his first single before he got shot up [in May 2000]. As far as the barking — whoever he was dissing, I didn’t care. If you roll with me, it was cool. I wasn’t tripping on that. If you are with me, then they’re gonna have to say something to me, too.”
Ultimately, 50 would go on to ink a deal with Interscope Records, aligning himself with the powerhouse labels of Dr. Dre’s Aftermath and Eminem’s Shady Records in 2002. This marked a pivotal moment in his illustrious career, solidifying his position as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.