Musician and businessman 50 Cent has announced his partnership with STARZ, one that produced shows like “Power,” “PowerBook II: Ghost,” “PowerBook III: Raising Kanan,” and “Powerbook IV: Force and BMF,” has come to an end.
The game-changing business collection revolutionized storytelling in the 21st century from an authentic hip-hop purview, and put the once-fledging cable network on the radars of millions.
On Friday, Sept. 16, the “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” rapper posted a gif of him counting stacks of money in a tailored blue suit with the caption, “Shout out to BET, I won Hustler of the year. No one from music culture has had success in Television production. I have 25 shows now and I’ve made some big deals away from TV. I’m out of my deal at STARZ tomorrow.”
He followed that post with another social media alert, on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 17.
“09-17-22 official day of really owning my content and deciding where and how I do it moving forward,” he wrote on Instagram.
The entrepreneur relishing his newfound freedom, captioned in one post, “i’m out, gotta go, see ya later! LOL.”
What Happened and What’s Next
He later announced that his company, G-Unit Film and Television, is currently slated to produce and distribute 25 television shows that have been sold to 10 different networks.
The artist, who experienced substantial financial liberation through this partnership, was allowed to enjoy a net worth of $40 million to $50 million. In 2015, he filed for Chapter 11 reorganization, totaling his debt at $36 million and his assets being less than $20 million. However, his rebirth came not just through his career as a musician but also as a television and film producer.
According to Variety, 50 Cent and STARZ originally started a four-year deal with Lionsgate, the company that owns the cable network.
In 2014, their series “Power” premiered and stayed on for six seasons before dropping in 2020.
Three aforementioned spin-offs were developed from the title. Afterward, the collaboration yielded another series, based on the real life of the drug family Black Mafia Family from Detroit, referred to as “BMF.”
Despite the fruitfulness of the business relationship, 50 Cent often has complained about his frustration with the deal.
While some people are sad about the STARZ deals coming to a close, there are others excited to see the next moves of the artist, whose real name is Curtis Jackson.
Trademark attorney Josh Gerben posted on his Twitter account that, according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, days before his deal ended the chart topper filed for a trademark for his new company: NYC Vibe, LLC.
NYC Vibe is an umbrella entity that will accomplish a few things: allow for the artist to produce and distribute television shows, documentaries, and movies; organize competitive sports and athletic events; offer online gaming services in the nature of casino gambling, card games, computer game tournaments, and augmented reality games; and open a number of bars and restaurants.
While it is not shocking that this year’s BET’s “Hustler of the Year” is planning to do more television and film, many might be surprised at his interest in commercial and virtual sports.
Hustler of the Year
However, in 2022, under his company Sire Spirits, he landed several NBA franchise deals. Securing a multi-year deal contract with the Houston Rockets in March 2022 was his first venture into partnerships with the NBA.
According to NBA.com, This multi-year partnership will mark the first official partnership between Jackson and an NBA franchise. The deal “will highlight Jackson’s award-winning Branson Cognac and Le Chemin du Roi Champagne brands to Houston Rockets games and Toyota Center events with multiple themed bars, a branded luxury suite, and a courtside loge box.”
His second deal was with the Sacramento Kings and was inked four months later.
In a statement, according to AfroTech, he said, “I did this deal after meeting with Vivek Ranadivé and learning how he and the entire Kings organization genuinely shares my philosophy of promoting conscious capitalism. I very much look forward to meeting the Kings fans and expanding the reach of my G-Unity Foundation and spirits brands in and around the city of Sacramento.”
His foray into the adult beverage space with his two spirit brands, Le Chemin du Roi and Branson Cognac, and his distribution company, Sire Spirits, has been the mechanism for his NBA deals.
