Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has certainly been in the wars over the years, at least financially anyway. Battling bankruptcy and various corporate failures has recently put him back in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. But, it seems that his bank balance is due to get a welcome boost from an unpredicted source, as a series of forgotten Bitcoin transaction is set to boost 50 Cent’s coffers by a cool $8 million.
An unlikely pairing
It’s news that certainly bemused many, as 50 Cent and Bitcoin probably aren’t two things that people would expect to be mentioned in the same sentence. The story has it that Jackson was given a stash of Bitcoin 4 years ago, when he became the first rapper to accept Bitcoin as a payment method for his music. Part of a marketing tactic at the time for critical and commercial flop Animal Ambition, it appears that those poor sales might just be worth a lot more than anyone could have ever imagined. The total crypto sales of Animal Ambition equates to 700 Bitcoins, which were worth around $400,000 back in 2014. Not exactly a small figure, but not enough to turn around the performance of Animal Ambition. Fast-forward to 2018 and those 700 Bitcoins represent far more than just a cheap marketing tactic.
In accordance with the current exchange rate, Jackson’s Bitcoin stash is worth a staggering $8 million. According to reports, the rapper kept hold of his Bitcoin over the years, only revealing is holding tactic now, with Bitcoin’s value standing at $11,000. Confirming the news on Twitter, Jackson said, “A little bitcoin anyone? LOL. l know l make you sick but excuse me… I’m getting to the bag #denofthieves – @50Cent”. TMZ is currently reporting that Jackson is now evaluating his position in the wake of Bitcoin’s recent price drop.
Unlucky Lily!
Jackson – while massively unexpected – is now a true Bitcoin success story. But, some other celebrities haven’t fared so well when it comes to Bitcoin, with one lady in particular missing the boat entirely when it comes to the cryptocurrency charge. Not just standing to become a millionaire, Lily Allen could have become a Bitcoin billionaire, if she had just taken the deal of a lifetime that is. During 2009, Allen was by all accounts offered hundreds of thousands of Bitcoins to play a gig on popular social platform Second Life. If Allen’s claims are to be believed, and she would have accepted an offer of 200,000 BTC, she would have a fortune worth an approximate £1.68 billion, thus making her the richest artist in history.
While it’s commiserations for Lily Allen, our hats are off to 50 Cent, as he’s now not only $8 million richer, but also he’s a true Bitcoin hero – albeit unintentionally!
