If there was ever any doubt that 50 Cent's Get Rich Or Die Tryin was anything other than timeless, look no further than its ninth platinum certification. Originally released on February 6th, 2003, executive produced by both Dr. Dre and Eminem at the height of Shady/Aftermath's reign, Fif's debut featured smash hip-hop hits like "In Da Club," "21 Questions," and "P.I.M.P." Singles that still go off today, with "In Da Club" remaining one of the most widely-recognized mainstream rap singles of all time.
Get Rich sold 872,000 copies in its first week -- remember that this was an era where people actually went out and bought albums. By the end of the year, the project had moved a staggering 12 million copies, with six million stemming from the United States; as such, Fif's debut was certified 6x Platinum by the RIAA in 2003, an accomplishment that has only now been updated.
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A quick perusal of the RIAA's "Gold And Platinum" section finds updated statistics devised as of February 24th. As of now, 50 Cent's Get Rich Or Die Tryin has upgraded to nine-times platinum, a number his fans have come to develop a strong association. Following this latest milestone, Fif is only one million short of the coveted diamond status, an accomplishment that only a handful of fellow rappers have achieved.
As it happens, his friend and former labelmate Eminem has a few Diamond certifications under his belt, earned via The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show.. OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, also released in 2003, holds the prestigious honor. Nelly's Country Grammar has it locked, as does 2Pac's classic All Eyez On Me and Notorious B.I.G.'s Life After Death. Should he find himself moving one million album-equivalent units, 50 Cent seems all but destined to join the ranks. And let's be honest -- the accomplishment would be well-deserved.
