It has been 20 years since “The Massacre” hit the shelves, and 50 Cent is reminding fans just how massive his second album really was.
Fifty reflected on the moment that defined the next phase of his career, writing on his social media:
20 years ago today, I released my second studio album, ‘THE MASSACRE.’ The album featured the hit songs, ‘Candy Shop,’ ‘Lil Bit,’ ‘Disco Inferno’ + More! The album went on to sell 1.1 million copies in its first 4 days 🔥
20 years ago today, I released my second studio album, ‘THE MASSACRE’ . The album featured the hit songs, ‘Candy Shop,’ ‘Lil Bit,’ ‘Disco Inferno’ + More! The album went on to sell 1.1 million copies in its first 4 days 🔥
To celebrate the anniversary, take 20% OFF All Massacre… pic.twitter.com/tCYuVhJHUz
— 50cent (@50cent) March 3, 2025
Released on March 3, 2005, “The Massacre” followed the massive success of “Get Rich or Die Tryin’”, proving that 50 was not a one-album wonder. With production from Dr. Dre, Eminem, Scott Storch, and Sha Money XL, and features from Eminem, Tony Yayo, Olivia, and Jamie Foxx, the album was a heavyweight from the start.
It debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 and stayed there for six weeks, becoming the best-selling album of 2005. But it was not all smooth sailing. The album was initially called “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” after the 1929 Chicago gang murder spree and was meant to drop on February 15, but Interscope was not on board. Not one to sit back and wait, Fifty took matters into his own hands, leaking “Disco Inferno” to force the label’s hand. By the time “The Massacre” finally hit the shelves, the hype was through the roof, and the sales reflected it.
It was the third-biggest first-week sales for a hip hop album ever, only behind Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP” (1.76 million) and “The Eminem Show” (1.32 million) — and no release has challenged its position since. In 2020, the album was certified 6× Platinum, with over 11 million copies sold worldwide. Two decades later, “The Massacre” still stands as one of the defining albums of its time, a reminder of when 50 Cent ruled the charts and had the entire industry moving at his pace.
Listen to the album below:
