From Pieces to Weight: Once Upon a Time in Southside Queens

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From Pieces to Weight: Once Upon a Time in Southside Queens

by 50 Cent, Kris Ex

3.69 · rating details · 194 ratings · 60 reviews

"GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN' That's what this book is about--the good times and the bad times. I wrote this book to explain the world I come from. To a lot of people, I may be too young to reflect on life. And they may be right. But I'd be wasting my blessings if I didn't use the attention I'm getting to shed light on the experiences that have caused me to say the things I...more"GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN' That's what this book is about--the good times and the bad times. I wrote this book to explain the world I come from. To a lot of people, I may be too young to reflect on life. And they may be right. But I'd be wasting my blessings if I didn't use the attention I'm getting to shed light on the experiences that have caused me to say the things I say and make the kind of music I make. I want to explain my environment to those who don't come any closer to it than the records they buy or the images they see on television. People want the truth. Even if they can't handle it, they want it. I let you know that I survived nine bullets not to sell records, but because it's the truth. Every time I sit down for an interview, I'm asked, ""Well, 50, how did it feel to get shot nine times?"" But those stories don't hold the weight, the pain, or the hope of my experience. It just can't. This is my mindset and these are the things that go on. This is why I say the rhymes that I say. This is what happened when I was trying to get rich before I died in Southside Queens. So begins From Pieces to Weight: Once Upon a Time in Southside Queens, a violent and introspective memoir that reveals not only 50's story but the story of a generation of youth faced with hard choices and very little options. A tale of sacrifice, transformation and redemption, but it is also one of hope, determination and the power of self. Told in 50's own unique voice, the narrative drips with the raw insight, street wisdom, and his struggle to survive at all costs...and behold the riches of the American Dream. 50 Cent has sold over 20 million records worldwide. His record-breaking debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin' has sold over 12 million units worldwide, with the largest debut in SoundScan history. While his sophomore effort, The Massacre, sold over 1.14 million copies in its fi rst four days of release, he has since become the fi rst artist to have four songs in the top ten of Billboard's Hot 100 since The Beatles in 1964. His business empire includes: a record label (G-Unit Records, a division of Interscope Records), apparel/footwear ventures (G-Unit Clothing and footwear, joint ventures through the Ecko Clothing Company and Reebok, respectively), vitamin water (Formula 50, through Glacéau's Vitamin Water), watch line (G-Unit Watches, through Jacob & Co), and a video game (50 Cent: Bulletproof, through Vivendi Games). His future plans are to dominate the film and television worlds through two new G-Unit ventures in film and television...and his most prized project: the nonprofit organization The G-Unity Foundation, which aims to better the life of urban youth. "(less)

Paperback, 240 pages

Published August 9th 2005 by MTV

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Oct 22, 2010

Conwaym rated it

I choice this book because I like biography books and it fun to learn where famous people came from. THe setting is in downtown in the geto. The main character is 50 cent and him growing up with his grandma. Because his mom die when 50 was young.There are a lot of probly he goes through. One of the main one is that he becomes a dealer at a really young age.Ever problem mostly gits resolved because he wants to live better and he has a son.I think it a really good book and if you like learn about ...more

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Feb 17, 2009

Jacob Gloria added it

I recommend this book to everyone who likes 50 cent the author who wrote this book or to anyone who likes rap and action this is a very interesting book. I usually don’t like reading but this book wouldn’t let me stop reading and I wanted to know what he did next. This book is about 50 cent when he was a young boy how his mother died but when she was alive she was a drug dealer and when he was young she bought him whatever he wanted. So when she passed away he as a 10 year old boy started drug d...moreI recommend this book to everyone who likes 50 cent the author who wrote this book or to anyone who likes rap and action this is a very interesting book. I usually don’t like reading but this book wouldn’t let me stop reading and I wanted to know what he did next. This book is about 50 cent when he was a young boy how his mother died but when she was alive she was a drug dealer and when he was young she bought him whatever he wanted. So when she passed away he as a 10 year old boy started drug dealing and making fast money to buy what a young teen age kid would usually buy shoes, walkmans , bikes, clothes, jewelry,. As he gets older he starts buying new cars, and he starts up his drug dealing gang and they sell drugs for him and he pays them. Then 50 cent and his crew start having problems with the Cubans because the cut there drug supply off and the start having drug wars and killing each other. The Cubans have cops working for them and they start trying to get him in a lot of trouble the Cubans want 50cent off the streets. So the cops go to his house and kick down the door and start searching and they found a bunch of cocaine and he goes to jail. So when he gets in there he sees more Cubans he knew off the street and the try to jump him while he’s in the shower and this other black guy know as melve helps him fight back. From then on in jail they were friends and 50cent started makings songs while he was serving his time. He always wanted to be a rap star he was good. So melve wants to be his manager to his label so when they get out of jail they become best friends. Then they get back on the streets and sale more drugs to pay for their record label and he starts dissing all the Cubans and cops that were against him. They got mad and tried looking for him, He saw this girl he went out with middle school and they meet up for lunch the next day. They start going out and eventually have a little boy. He changes his life around he stop’s selling drugs and just rap’s. Then some people from back in the days who wanted all his money because they knew he had it shot him nine times and he died. But the paramedics’ brought him back to life. On the day he died his son was born but they brought him back to life.(less)

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Apr 30, 2010

Roberto rated it

this book is about 50 cents life here he talks about how he grew up in his town. 50 cent got shot 9 times and he survied it 8 bullets went through his body and one hit his jaw he has a hole in his gums because of that bullet. 50 cents mom was always selling drugs to give him a good life allthough she was barely with him she always went to see him at his grandmas house and his mom took him money and so0me times bought him good stuff. one day his mom came to see him and she had a present for him i...more

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Nov 04, 2009

Trey Gershon rated it

"Get rich or die tryin" this line from the book is why i kept reading and why he is so successful today. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes 50 cent and would want to know what his life was and is like. my favorite character would have to be 50, because he made it through alot of hard times. my least favorite character would be the big kid that beat him up when he was 8 and the big kid was 11 because that is very mean and is also bullying. He wrote this book to show the rea...more

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Nov 03, 2009

Jordyn Blatt rated it

Anybody who is looking for a thrilling good read should read 50 cents new book, ‘From Pieces to Weight’! Also somebody who wants to explore the ‘American Dream’ through the eyes of mister Curtis Jackson Jr. also known as 50 Cent. He is an infamous rapper who grew up in the ghetto town of Bronx, New York. You will learn that he will almost do anything to survive and make money along the way. I couldn’t set this book down because you never know what he will do next to make some money! He goes anyw...moreAnybody who is looking for a thrilling good read should read 50 cents new book, ‘From Pieces to Weight’! Also somebody who wants to explore the ‘American Dream’ through the eyes of mister Curtis Jackson Jr. also known as 50 Cent. He is an infamous rapper who grew up in the ghetto town of Bronx, New York. You will learn that he will almost do anything to survive and make money along the way. I couldn’t set this book down because you never know what he will do next to make some money! He goes anywhere from selling crack cocaine off of a pocket bike at age 13 to doing hits on people. He is a true gangster and really learns some great life lessons throughout this book. My favorite character would have to be 50 cents lesbian mother, she really just tells it like it is and treats Curtis like he is a grown man when he is seven! Curtis James Jackson Jr. wrote this book really just to tell people about his life story and inform people about where he grew up and how he got from living in the ghetto of New York to being an extremely successful rapper millionaire. My least favorite character is probably the kid that lives on James’ street in the beginning of the book; he always picks on 50 cent because he is younger than himself. I was so happy when James knocks him out with a blow of a rock to the back of his head. I was not able to predict the ending to this book because he jumps from place to place and you never know what will happen in his life next. I really liked that. If this book was made into a book I would chose 50 Cent to play himself, Oprah Winfrey to play his mother, Bill Cosby to play his grandfather, and Felisha Reashard to play his grandmother. This book caused me to feel anywhere from sympathetic for him to laughing so hard I almost peed my pants. My favorite line from this book would have to be “I went back out there, picked up a rock I could barely hold in my hand, and knocked the fuck out of that kid with it.” All in all, this was a great book and I would recommend it to anybody mature enough to read it.(less)

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Nov 02, 2009

Sarah Freeman added it

If I could recommend this book to anybody it would be anybody who likes biographies or drug related books. If this book was made into a movie, I would choose the same characters to play the same people. Like how 50 cent is his own character in the book. The author wrote this book to tell about his life to people, his name is Curtis Jackson aka 50 cent. The emotions I felt while reading this book was excitement because of all the intense things that were going on. The main thing that kept me read...more

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Oct 30, 2009

Blake Orona added it

My favorite character is 50 Cent as a kid because he had a hard child hood with his mom dyeing when he was a little kid he took it like a g. Why did this author write this book? I thank it was a great story to write about. My least favorite character was his Cynthia because she killed his dog. Which portion of the book captivated my attention was when he would lose a fight and his mom said get your ass back out there and beat some ass before I beat yours. I was not able to predict the end of t...more

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Oct 02, 2009

Brandon Villarreal added it

Curtis Jackson as a kid had a rough life his mom would leave him at places, his mom even left him at his grandparents house for a long period of time and his mom would visit during holidays like Christmas. As a teenager he would do bad things like steals things from stores, deal drugs and do drugs, and he was in gangs and gang fights. When he was 5 years old he was playing marbles with some kids for money and one kid made a wrong move, so Curtis started laughing at the kid, and then the kid an...more

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Nov 02, 2011

Chris Maatouk rated it

Curtis James Jackson is a 34 year old Hip Hop artist known as 50 Cent. In the novel, he talks about his life as a child, as a teenager and as an adult also, his decision to switch from his dangerous life of selling drugs to becoming one of today’s best hip hop artist, and the struggle to do so. 50 Cent was raised by his grandparents in New York because his mom had died when he was eight years old. Influenced by the people around him, he decided to become a drug dealer. After being arrested two t...more

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Feb 17, 2009

Dominique Stith rated it

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes 50 Cent. 50 cent is my favorite character because he is tell is life and how hard it is to live in the hood. I really don't have a least favorite character. 50 wanted to write this book because he want other people to feel what he has been though. I haven't read the whole book yet so I would say so far that the 1st chapter is really catching my attention. What kept me reading this book is the 50 explians his life very well. I haven't got to the end...more

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Sep 26, 2010

Guy James rated it

Last year I read "From Pieces to Weight: Once Upon a Time in South Side Queens" This was my favorite and from what I think, the best book i've read my freshmen year of high school. The book is mostly about Curtis "50 Cent" Jacksons' past. The struggles and hardships he went through to get to where he is now. I think its an amazing story of rags to riches. I would recommend this book to many others. The book can be used for motivation, inspiration and just something good to re...more

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Feb 18, 2009

Drew is currently reading it

1- Someone who wants to be famous rap artist.
2- 50 cent.
3- The guy that shot him 9 times who is still unknown.
4- 50 cent wrote this biography to tell his story about his life and how he got where he is now.
5- His perspective of life and death captivated my attention because I have similar believes
6- Because I always wanted to now the whole big deal with him.
7- Yes
8- The actual people that were written about because it is an biography.
9- Dr...more

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Nov 18, 2008

Briana2012 rated it

Recommends it for: anyone.

Recommended to Briana2012 by: nobody. the part on the back of book pulled me in.

"50 cent can't right a good book." "Why can't he?" "He's not capable of doing so." "You're wrong, take this book." "Wow! You're right, I just couldn't put the book down. I love this book now." "Told you. So, what made you like it so much?" "Um... 5O Cent. He was extremely funny and things that he said, felt so real to me. The setting. I understood how the surroundings made a total difference. And... How the book began and ended. St...more"50 cent can't right a good book." "Why can't he?" "He's not capable of doing so." "You're wrong, take this book." "Wow! You're right, I just couldn't put the book down. I love this book now." "Told you. So, what made you like it so much?" "Um... 5O Cent. He was extremely funny and things that he said, felt so real to me. The setting. I understood how the surroundings made a total difference. And... How the book began and ended. Step-by-step I read how 50 felt and how and why he switched the game up."

The main character of From Pieces to Weight, really made a difference to the story. 50 Cent was crazy and out-spoken about different things; people, drugs, and just his life. 50 Cent spoke about him living with his grandparents along with older cousins, and how he had to hide his secret from them. He wasn't interested in school to much, so he dropped out and had his mind set to sell drugs. This came about when people came around his area with expense items, clothes and cars, because they sold drugs. So he began to hustle. It was exciting for me to read every detail that he explained about, selling purple and green tops, how his cousin stole his work and it could have cost him his life on the streets.

The surrounding was not-something that myself would have been used to. In the book, Pieces to Weight, in Southside Queens in NYC, the streets were filled with plenty of drug dealers working on every block. One time in the story, 50 Cent was going over one girl's project home to do a little something but it got too dangerous for him to stay. It was dark and men crowded around at the entrance planning to rob him and everything. He left off the ground with at least a couple of gun shots fired.

The beginning till the end of From Pieces to Weight, didn't relate too much and couldn't have been expected. At the beginning of the story, 50 cent started out in school, living with his grandparents. At this moment 50 knew that his mother was selling her body to get money. He cared but at the same time, she had to do what she had to. Besides he wanted to continue to get the gifts that his mother brought over to his grandparents house that were just for him, like the dirt bike. He then decided to drop out of school and began to work, he decided to sell drugs. He saw so many people around his way become success because they sold drugs and stayed on their grind. So he did the same. In his spare time, since 50 was in to music so much, he wrote raps. 50 Cent got discovered by his demos on the street and gave up selling drugs because him and his manger made a deal.

"I wouldn't believe that 50 Cent could write such a great book called Fro Pieces to Weight." "See, 50's stories can be interesting to read." "50 Cent's personality is so interesting in the story. The setting was really different then what I would have actually guessed. And the way the story ended from the beginning, wasn't something I could have predicted." So if you never thought of reading a 50 Cent's novel, why not go pick one up?

(less)

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Oct 11, 2007

Julio Flores rated it

EII
Julio C. Flores
pg. 150-200
period 2

Jackson, Curtis. From Pieces To Weight. New York: Pocket
Books, 2005.

R-5

Curtis Jackson i would like to invite you for dinner at my house. I invite you instead of the other people because your 50 cent and you seem to be a real cool guy. Also i am a loyal fan of your cds to movies to video games to clothes to your book, which i enjoyed really the book and there's not a lot of books i read anymore s...more

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Oct 27, 2010

Gregg Strock rated it

Surprisingly, this was a good book. I read it before the 50 movie came out, and the story is generally the same. His mother dies, he get into drug dealing at a young age, and life is rough. But, it's got more than that. Each chapter ends in suspense, which had me coming back to read daily, which is not something I usually do. Whether its true or not, the book uses truth to further pull the reader into believing the story, which is an important thing to do.

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Nov 07, 2008

Laura rated it

Recommends it for: older teens/librarians/teachers

This biography, written by well-known rapper 50 Cent, is not so much about the music industry as it is about the street drug industry. 50 Cent makes no apologies for the life he has lead as a drug dealer from the time he was nine years old. He does, however, explain in an eye-opening manner how a child's view of the world around him is formed. His absent mother gave birth to him at 15, sold drugs, and was murdered at 22. The boy, however, only saw the wonderful gifts he received from her dru...more

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Feb 24, 2009

Helen rated it

I have a ton of respect for this book. He is extremely honest and details both the positive and negative things he has learned. He gives a detailed view into his life, experiences, and conclusions and it's very compelling! There is a lot of interesting information, a good story and extremely interesting perspectives. Very honest, very strong, both qualities I admire and appreciate -- very, very good!!

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Jun 10, 2009

Ives rated it

Shelves: 11th-grade

Honestly, I have no idea why I read this book - perhaps it's because of my interest in Hip-Hop/Rap. I grew up listening to rap, and I'm kind of drifted towards it more than any type of music. Back in the day, 50 used to be a huge thing in elementary/middle school for me and I figured that it might be interesting to learn about the lives of rappers and.. it's not easy, I tell you. Haha.

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Jan 08, 2009

Blake rated it

· review of another edition

Its way better than the movie. With this book I learned that the streets does not give a shit about you. Now i know why he doesn't try to be friendly with people in the industry. Their his competition...so his mentality is like "fxxK you". You cant blame him for being that way. In this world you cant be too friendly.

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Dec 19, 2011

Deaven rated it

50 Cent is a much better spoken man than expected. I chose this book because I knew that he had a rough and interesting past. Known by his family as “Boo-Boo”, Curtis Jackson III had to hustle and carry a gun to survive in Southside Queens. I would recommend this book to anyone from 14-1000 years old. It is inspiring and interesting. 50 is the man.

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Jun 01, 2009

Talia Arnold rated it

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May 11, 2010

Anthony Cartalemi rated it

This is a great book. I recommend this book for an older crowd. It is defiently an R rated book. Theres a lot of violence and drugs in this book.it is a great book becuase it really explains what obstacles he faced throughout his life.

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Jul 21, 2010

D'artagnan rated it

I knew soon after purchasing a bootleg copy of Get Rich or Die Tryin' on BART that 50 was gonna go down in history. I listened to that disc so many times it was ridiculous. This book fleshes it out very well; ate it up.

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Jan 18, 2009

Ken rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: biography-autobiography

I like to read weird stuff so I kind of liked this book. However, it's not for everyone. Curtis Jackson (a.k.a. 50 Cent) tells how he went from the streets to film/music star.

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Nov 04, 2011

Rainelle B added it

I thought this book was interesting and really funny for a Bio of his life. It was really good to read and I plan to read it again soon.

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Apr 08, 2009

Shawn rated it

this is about my favorite rapper 50cent it talks about how he go through life and his mom dying. also him getting into the rap game

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Mar 05, 2010

Demarcus Mullen added it

if some did not read this book i will tell them to read this cuz it is a good book to read I will keep reading this book over in over like 20 time

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Mar 05, 2011

Travis rated it

Listened to the audiobook in one day, and loved it.

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Nov 26, 2007

Jack Huston rated it

ok so the book is roughly 220 pages, and he doesnt mention anything remotely related to music until around page 150. everything up to that point is purple tops, green tops, work work work, purple tops...good insight into that aspect i suppose but it didnt have the things i love about autobiographies/memoirs. there was very little emotion in there, completely just focused on why he wanted to get money, what he did with it when he got it, etc. in summary i would say its as flat as his music, but t...more

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Dec 09, 2010

Akeirah Jordan rated it

This book is better than the movie! Read it !

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“That's when I realized that as long as you don't broadcast your beefs, you can get away cold with murder. It's even better if you don't allow the beef to take place. If someone disrespects you, you can know in your heard that you're going to get him, but you don't have to show him there's a beef. You can just look at it like, Okay, this nigga must not know. And then you fall back and you put it down.” — 6 people liked it

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