50 Cent’s legendary career is filled with memorable moments, but there’s one in particular he would love to relive if he had the chance.
During an interview with Big Boy’s Neighborhood, the G-Unit boss was asked which moment in his Hip Hop journey he wishes he could experience all over again. For 50, there’s a special moment from his Get Rich or Die Tryin’ days that stands out more than others.
“The first time I realized the numbers on Get Rich or Die Tryin’, that was it for me,” he said. “We had a short first week, and it came back, it was like 830,000 something. And then we didn’t have the decrease that you would have, meaning they under-shipped it.”
He continued: “The 60 percent, 30 percent decrease that would be there for every album wasn’t there because the following week, it came in with a whole other 800,000. I was on a bus riding in the back, and I remembered [thinking], ‘This is never going to feel like this again.’”
Released on February 6, 2003, Get Rich oe Die Tryin’ debuted at No. 1 on Billboard 200 with 872,000 copies sold in its first week, followed by an equally impressive 822,000 units in its second week.
Home to hits like “In Da Club,” “21 Questions” and “P.I.M.P.,” 50’s debut LP reigned supreme as the best-selling album in the U.S. in 2003 and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards, losing out to Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.
The blockbuster project was certified 9x platinum in February 2020 and is surely not too far off diamond status. It would mark 50’s first diamond album and only the 12th rap album in history to surpass the 10 million sales mark following the likes of Eminem’s The Eminem Show, 2Pac’s All Eyez On Me and Biggie’s Life After Death.
In November, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ became 50’s longest-charting project of his career. The album re-entered the Billboard 200 at No. 165, bringing its total number of weeks on the chart to 150.
“Take your time and make a classic, they last a long time,” the Queens, New York native wrote on Instagram while celebrating the achievement.
He previously reflected on Get Rich or Die Tryin’ on its 16th anniversary in 2019, writing in an Instagram post: “Feb 6 2003 I released the largest debut hip hop album ever. 13.3 M Sold. Do you remember the time, Billie jean, thriller all #1 hits LOL.”
With next week marking the album’s 20th anniversary, fans can expect 50 Cent to take another victory lap.
