G-UNIT

G-Unit – American hip-hop group

G-Unit is a popular hip-hop group. It was formed in Queens, New York by 3 rappers, Tony Yayo, Lloyd Bank, and 50 Cent. The latter is also the executive producer of the band.

The original name of the group is an abbreviation of Gangsta Unit. However, some fans believe that G-Unit’s definition is Guerilla Unit. Guerilla Unit is used to market a fashion line, which became popular due to the success of the band. Marc Ecko and Reebok use the name for their sports clothing and sneaker collections.

G-Unit’s story began in 1999. All the original members of the band grew up in one New York neighborhood. The idea to create a group came when the members released several independent mixtapes. Between 1999 and 2002, the rappers were immersed in creative exploration. They presented such popular songs as “Is the Future”, “Automatic Gunfire”, “No Mercy”, “God's Plan”, “No Fear,” and more. At that time, many fans wanted to book G-Unit for their private parties.

In 2003, the group saw the beginning of a new era. The members signed a contract with Interscope Records. Thanks to the smart production efforts, the group released its debut album Beg for Mercy. Many songs from the album became popular, including “G-Unit”, “Footprints”, “Smile”, “Lay You Down”, “I Smell Pussy”, and “Stunt 101”, which climbed to high spots on the chart.

At about the same time, Tony Yayo left the group. He was replaced by another rapper, Young Ten, who later became a permanent member of G-Unit. Tony Yayo was sent to prison for illegal weapon possession. That’s why when the debut LP came out, Tony’s face was masked by a brick wall. The album was very successful. It sold more than 2.3 million copies in the USA only.

The success of the first album inspired 50 Cent to create his own label G-Unit Records, which closely worked with Aftermath Entertainment. The band’s lineup was expanding. The new member was another rapper Game. However, he had to leave the band in just a short while due to some disagreements with the executive producer.

In 2009, 50 Cent and Young Ten started having problems. The latter was publicly announcing his dissatisfaction with the salary. The former was immediately reacting to these words by doing everything to force Ten to leave the project. The new LP T · O · S: Terminate on Sight came out without the problem member. He was replaced by another rapper, Mavado. The album sold over 185 thousand copies and reached the 4th spot on Billboard 200.

In 2014, the group members were going through turbulent times due to some disagreements. Tony Yayo announced that he is leaving the music industry. However, at the 21st hip-hop festival Summer Jam, the band members reunited once again. They were joined by another member, Kidd Kidd.

Right after the festival, G-Unit came up with three hits, "Grindin My Whole Life", "They Talked About Jesus,”, and "Nah I'm Talkin' Bout". In one of the interviews, the members promised to release a new album by the end of the year. However, an EP came out much sooner. In July, G-Unit presented The Beauty of Independence, which climbed to the third spot of Top Rap Albums. The Next EP, The Beast Is G-Unit, came out in January 2015.

In April 2018, Kidd Kidd left the band to pursue a solo career. Lloyd Banks did the same in June. Nevertheless, the group continues recording new music and performs live.