50 Cent

He's got the tats, the scars, and the skills: 50 Cent is the quintessential East Coast gangsta rap icon, the crown prince in the kingdom of Eminem and Dr. Dre, the star of movies and video games . . . all in all, the complete post-millennial entertainer. Our thumping playlist takes you straight to the hard-core of the living street legend.

By the time of the release of his long-awaited debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', 50 had been stabbed, shot, jailed, and investigated by the FBI, which all made a handy promotional platform for his introduction to the mainstream. But would the goods match the hype? Of course: cue up "What Up Gangsta" and believe.

The follow-up to Get Rich or Die Tryin', The Massacre, clocks in at a few seconds shy of 80 minutes, which makes for outstanding value, and there's plenty of room for 50 to flex his creative muscle. A couple of highlights from the album's darkest corners include "I'm Supposed to Die Tonight" and the nightmare junkie tale, "A Baltimore Love Thing".

Any rapper who can survive nine gunshots, including one to the face, must feel he has something going for him: 50 Cent's output to date is a potent brew of confidence and adrenaline, but there's more to it than that, namely his cheeky delivery, and a smidgen of vulnerability ("Build You Up", featuring actor Jamie Foxx, is a sweet love song). Born Curtis Jackson, 50 took the hustler's route to the top and is currently at the peak of his game. Here's why.