Queens’ 50 Cent is heading down under to Australia next month to celebrate the 15th anniversary of his debut studio album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ with two massive arena shows. 50 Cent first toured Australia in 2003, following it up with 2006 and 2008 shows with G-Unit again, before his most recent Australian performances in 2011.
The classic 8x Platinum Get Rich or Die Tryin’ album notably featured Dr. Dre, Eminem, DJ Quik, Nate Dogg and fellow G-Unit members Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks and Young Buck. The #1 charting album was the first non-Eminem related release on Shady Records / Aftermath Entertainment and was one of the hottest albums of 2003 charting and selling platinum widely worldwide with over 12 million copies sold internationally – almost 2 million of those in the first two weeks alone. The album contained the massive international tracks “In da Club,” P.I.M.P,” “21 Questions,” Wanksta” and “If I Can’t,” providing continuous buzz until the release of 50’s Disco Inferno, the lead single off 2005’s The Massacre.
Supporting 50 Cent at both Melbourne and Sydney shows are local group A.B. Original, who claimed two national ARIA awards for both best Independent and Urban releases in 2017, and the young but rapidly upcoming Baker Boy. A. B. Original, consisting of Briggs and Trials (of The Funkoars), themselves have had a record-breaking past two years which saw the release of their critically acclaimed and award-winning debut album Reclaim Australia featuring King T, Guilty Simpson + more on Golden Era Records x Bad Apples Music and touring with Ice T’s Body Count and Hilltop Hoods.
Baker Boy himself has had a breakthrough 2017, and is poised to have an even bigger year this year with additional supports for Dizzee Rascal, as well as playing the domestic festival circuit announced. The young Indigenous rapper and dancer from Milinginbi North East Arnhem Land has fused his traditional language Yolngu Matha and cultural elements to provide an interesting and much-needed inclusion to the hip-hop landscape in Australia.
