Rapper 50 Cent, born Curtis James Jackson III, revealed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that long before he became one of hip-hop's most recognisable names, he went by a far more unlikely moniker — 'Boo Boo'. The candid exchange gave fans a rare glimpse into the early life of the Grammy Award-winning artist.

The Exchange on Tonight Show

Host Jimmy Fallon opened the conversation by asking the rapper how he preferred to be addressed: 'Do I call you 50 Cent or do I call you Curtis?' The rapper replied plainly, '50's fine, you know. 50's fine, yeah.'

When Fallon pressed further, asking whether there were any other names in contention when he first started out, 50 Cent admitted with characteristic candour: 'It wouldn't work well. My first nickname was Boo Boo.' Fallon swiftly agreed the name was best left behind, quipping, 'No, you don't want to be Boo Boo' — to which the rapper simply replied, 'No, no.'

A Career Defined by Resilience

The lighthearted moment stands in sharp contrast to the turbulent path that shaped 50 Cent's rise to stardom. In May 2000, he was struck by nine bullets in a shooting that derailed his early career — his pending release was cancelled and he was dropped from his label. The near-fatal incident, however, did not end his ambitions.

His 2002 mixtape Guess Who's Back? caught the attention of Detroit rapper Eminem, who signed him to Shady Records that same year. The rest, as the music industry well knows, became history.

Commercial Success and Global Reach

50 Cent's debut studio album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', debuted atop the Billboard 200 and produced two Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles — 'In da Club' and '21 Questions'. The album received multiple platinum certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and was both a critical and commercial landmark.

To date, he has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, earning a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, 13 Billboard Music Awards, 6 World Music Awards, 3 American Music Awards, and 4 BET Awards.

Beyond Music

The rapper has also built a substantial screen presence. He starred in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin', and appeared in the war drama Home of the Brave and the crime thriller Righteous Kill. In 2003, he launched G-Unit Records, the label named after his hip-hop collective, further cementing his influence beyond performance.

From 'Boo Boo' to a global brand, 50 Cent's trajectory remains one of the more remarkable reinventions in modern music history — and his Fallon appearance suggests he hasn't lost his sense of humour about the journey.