From art form to ring tone – no more rap superstars

50 cent iPhone50 Cent says he’s the last “superstar rapper” because the record industry won’t be able to support another hip-hop superstar.

After releasing his mixtape compilation Guess Who’s Back? in 2002, 50 Cent was discovered by Eminem and signed to Interscope Records. A one million U.S. dollar record deal later, 50 Cent’s commercial debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 872,000 copies in the first four days. He became one of the highest selling rap artists in the world.

He says, “The music business is going to change. It’s going to be less marketing dollars. They (executives) gonna start doing single deals, because they make the money with ring tones, as opposed to doing full albums.

“If it keeps going the way that it’s going, there won’t be another 50 Cent. There won’t be another person that makes it.”

In 2006, 50 Cent was recognized for his wealth by Rolling Stone, placing him second behind Diddy in the rap industry.

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