Curtis Jackson, the rapper-actor-television and film producer better known as 50 Cent dominated radio waves for a swath of the Aughts beginning with the bouncy earworm, “Wanksta,” a track on the Eminem-led 8 Mile Original Motion Picture soundtrack. A meteoric rise would follow with the release of his debut studio album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’; an effort backed by the venerable Dr. Dre, among others.
Talent, charisma, and production aside, another significant factor propelling the Queens, New York rapper to superstardom was his street cred: shot nine times at close range by a known rival in front of his Grandmother’s porch and lived to tell the tale.
Jackson’s wounds, his hand, arm, hip, legs, chest, and cheek saw him hospitalized for nearly two weeks under the care of physician Dr. Moses deGraft-Johnson. Dr. deGraft-Johnson was the surgeon credited with saving Fifty from dire straits in May 2000 in a New York Trauma facility.
50 Cent – Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ ★★★½
— The Extreme Music Enthusiast (@TheExtremeMusi1) August 20, 2020
“You shouldn’t throw stones if you live in a glass house
And if you got a glass jaw, you should watch your mouth”
It’s crazy to think people used to compare the talent of Fiddy to Kanye.
Best Track: In Da Club
Worst Track: Poor Lil Rich pic.twitter.com/gbdrLeJNZe
Some 20 years later, Dr. deGraft-Johnson has now pleaded guilty to 56 counts of health care fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit fraud, a spree that allegedly allowed him to pocket an additional $29,000,000 according to newspaper The Tallahassee Democrat.
Dr. deGraft-Johnson faces up to 10 years for the fraud and conspiracy charges and additional two related to identity theft in addition to substantial financial penalties.
Media outlets were savvy enough to link the doctor back to Curtis and he was not happy.
In an Instagram post capturing side-by-side photos of the two men, 50 Cent wrote, “Got Damn Doc! WTF, you got my name in this bs for a scammer. The f— wrong with you. LOL.” Jackson ended the caption with hashtags for two of his business ventures: Branson Cognac and Lecheminduroi.

In fact, back in September, 50 made an Instagram post with a text overlay that read, “50 CENT FACT: When 50 Cent was shot in 2000, the Orthopedic Surgeon sued 50, After he skipped the $32,000 bill.
