Curtis James Jackson III, aka 50 Cent, is a renowned American rapper, actor, and entrepreneur. Despite cultivating a bad boy image in his early career, 50 Cent now likes to sell himself as a model father to his kids.
Born in Queens, New York, 50 Cent grew up amidst drug trafficking and gang violence, experiences that profoundly mark his songwriting. The rapper rose to stardom in the early 2000s after the release of his debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, which sold over 12 million copies worldwide.
50 Cent used his new fame and money to start his record company, G-Unit Records. The hip-hop celebrity also pursued a career as an actor, starring in multiple movies, including the semiautobiographical Get Rich or Die Tryin’. But how many kids does the rapper have? And how does he fare as a family man?
Who are 50 Cent’s kids?
50 Cent has two sons, Marquise Jackson and Sire Jackson. Born in 1997, Marquise followed in his father’s footsteps to become a rapper and an actor. However, the similarities stop there, as Marquise and 50 Cent have been entangled in a vicious feud for over a decade.
The father-son conflict began after 50 Cent decided to split with Marquise’s mother, Shaniqua Thompkins, in 2008. The separation was a horror show, with both parties fighting for the money they thought they were due. The battle between 50 Cent and Shaniqua also revolved around a $4 million Long Island Mansion, which she was supposedly due. The house caught fire while the couple lived there, which Shaniqua blamed on 50 Cent. The rapper was cleared of any suspicions during the investigation, but by them, things had already gone sour between the two.
Marquise took his mother’s side during the separation, going on record to say how his father was rarely around and didn’t play the role of a family man while he was growing up. Marquise and 50 Cent keep stranded, trading blows through the media occasionally.
50 Cent’s second kid, Sire, has an opposite relationship with his father. Born in 2012, Sire is the son of model Daphne Joy, 50 Cent’s girlfriend at the time. The rapper is often seen in red carpet events pouring his unconditional love over Sire. 50 Cent’s love for Sire is so strong that he is currently fighting to win sole custody over Sire after Joy was named in a lawsuit against the rapper’s rival, Sean “Diddy” Combs. Diddy had his house raided on March 25, 2024, following allegations of his involvement with human trafficking. While it’s unknown why Joy’s name was dropped in Diddy’s case, it did give 50 Cent the ammunition he needed to go after Sire’s sole custody.
Between his unending love for Sire and a grudge against Marquise, 50 Cent has a complicated relationship with his two kids. Until a possible third child shows up, the verdict is still open on whether 50 Cent is a good father.
