50 Cent proved he could make hits and stars with Candy Shop
After Get Rich or Die Tryin’, 50 Cent was the most-beloved rapper in the game. Everyone loves a good come-up story, as 50 took down Ja Rule and Murder Inc., replacing him as the top rapper in the game. Along with that, G-Unit replaced Murder Inc. as the top rap label. 50 Cent did what any star would do, he made a play for more money, getting his own label from Interscope, following his own debut run. He used that deal to drop a G-Unit album, setting up Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, The Game, and Tony Yayo.
50 Cent made logical plays and the G-Unit artists all dropped solo albums. Quickly, The Game became the biggest star on G-Unit, surpassing 50 in terms of popularity. Originally, 50 was supposed to release his second album in 2004, but he kept facing delays. Early in 2005, he decided to title it the Valentine’s Day Massacre, and would release it on Valentine’s Day. Instead, there was another delay, and 50 dropped a month later, after engaging in beefs with Fat Joe, Jadakiss, and even The Game.
Soon, 50 Cent found himself in a position similar to Ja Rule’s, only two years prior. Add to that, Rule was back with radio hits, while 50 was showing signs of struggle. Quickly, all of that ended, as 50 Cent released his single, “Candy Shop,” and it took over the radio. Before this, he signed Olivia, a singer who had struggled to gain recognition. He led her to her only number one single of her career, proving his 2003 run was no fluke, and that he could develop stars.
