NEW YORK, NY — Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has never hesitated to speak his truth, whether through music, business, or his highly successful work in film and television.

But in a recent candid reflection on his early career, the rap mogul revealed there is one seminal track from his catalogue he has chosen to retire permanently from his live performances.

“That record was my anger, not my art,” he said, explaining that he no longer identifies with the mindset that created the song decades ago.

While Jackson did not explicitly name the track, fans immediately began speculating that he was referring to “Many Men (Wish Death),” a defining, raw song from his 2003 debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin’.

The track, fueled by pain and survival instinct following a near-fatal shooting, became an anthem for resilience—but also for vengeance.

“It Was All Pain — No Peace”

 

50 Cent reflected on that highly volatile time in his life with measured honesty.

“It came from a real place,” he acknowledged. “But it was all pain—no peace. And I’m not that man anymore.”

He explained that the intense lyrics were a direct, trauma-driven response to betrayal and danger during a time when his life felt constantly at risk.

The song was a survival mechanism rather than a creative choice.

From Survival to Legacy

 

Now a father, entrepreneur, and prolific producer with acclaimed television franchises like Power and BMF under his belt, Jackson says his evolution has profoundly changed the way he views his past work.

“When I wrote that, I was surviving,” he said. “Every line was about fear and revenge.

Now I’m living—I’ve got nothing to prove.”

He believes that continuing to revisit the song would tether him to a past version of himself he has worked tirelessly to outgrow.

“If I keep performing that record, I’m dragging the past into the present,” he explained.

“And I’ve worked too hard to leave that behind.”

Growth as the New Definition of Strength

 

Fans have reacted overwhelmingly positively to his decision, calling it one of the star’s most introspective moments yet.

For an artist whose entire public image was once built on defiance and raw power, choosing peace over performance signals a profound shift—not in authenticity, but in purpose.

“I still respect what that song did for me,” he concluded. “It told the truth of who I was.

But I don’t need to live there anymore. My story’s bigger than anger now.”

With this move, 50 Cent delivers a powerful reminder that legacy isn’t solely defined by what you create, but by the maturity and courage to know when to let go.