Jay Midnyte

Hate him or love him, Curtis "Interscope" Jackson a.k.a. "50 Cent," is a bread-winner. Fresh off a $100 million dollar profit from the sale of Glaceau's Vitamin Water to Coca Cola for $4.1 billion, 50 Cent has rocketed into a new "financial space," and plans to leverage his worth in his next multi-million dollar power play.

Back in 2002, Eminem signed 50 Cent to a 7 figure deal which contractually obligated 50 to release four albums and a greatest hits disc, totaling five solo albums to be released under Interscope Records.

In 2003, 50 Cent's debut album, "Get Rich Or Die Tryin'," was a massive success and sold over 11 million records and catapulted Curtis into hip hop history.

50 followed up with "The Massacre" in 2005, scoring another hit record that sold over 9 million copies.

This time around, 50 Cent utilized a media frenzy between him and Kanye West to promote his album "Curtis," which is the third album of his four album contract, plus one greatest hits record.

Curtis has realized his enormous negotiating power now because he IS the sole bread-winner of Interscope, and if he decides to not re-sign with them, he is eligible to receive MASSIVE offers from other labels, most importantly, Warner Music Group. Lyor Cohen (CEO of WMG), has expressed interest in 50 Cent and has as much marketing power as Interscope Records CEO, Jimmy Iovine.

This is why 50 Cent is taking shots at Jimmy Iovine on Smile (I'm Leavin), because this is terribly nerve-wrecking for Jimmy, considering 50 has made him hundreds of millions of dollars. Jimmy's weekends on the islands are all of a sudden worry filled because 50 is seriously considering leaving Interscope, and has been publicly making statements blaming Interscope for his not as successful launch of "Curtis."

The departure of 50 Cent from Interscope would almost totally shut down Interscope's ability to get songs played on radio. Why? Because when you have a 50 Cent on your label, you can also get the other wack rappers on your label easy radio spins! People get it twisted, 50 Cent is a music powerhouse.

"Curtis Jackson is about to pull off the ultimate, music industry stick-up, to be hot on his fifth and last album!" (Funk Master Flex)

This brings us back to Lyor Cohen, CEO of Warner Music Group. Chris Lighty, 50 Cent's manager, is head of the marketing department at WMG, which means it only makes sense for 50 to head there, knowing he will receive full marketing and promotion for his projects. This places Interscope in a terrible position because the only way they can keep 50 Cent is to offer him a historic, record-breaking, music deal!

This historic event will happen very soon because 50 Cent is planning to release his fourth album, "Before I Self Destruct," December of THIS YEAR.

50 has stated he has already completed 80% of the album.

His fifth and final album under Interscope would require him to almost do nothing simply because it is a greatest hits CD.

You might be wondering, "what happens to the rest of G-Unit if 50 does leave Interscope?"

They leave too.