50 Cent brought back the memories at Spark Arena. Photo / Tom Grut Photography

OPINION

When it comes to the rap game, 50 Cent has been playing for far longer than most in it today.

In his impressive 27-year-long music career, the rapper initially used mixes to share the challenges and experiences of growing up in Queens and transitioning into adulthood, demonstrating his talent from the age of 21.

And the huge turnout at Auckland’s Spark Arena on Thursday night was a testament to his international success, as fans packed the arena for the hip-hop star’s The Final Lap Tour.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of Get Rich or Die Tryin’, the Auckland entertainment hotspot became the perfect place to revisit the glory days of the 2000s for “Fiddy’s” Kiwi fans.

Jeremih, a fellow RnB artist with similar celebrity appeal, opened the show. The Chicago-born singer had fans standing and singing along to throwback bangers such as Oui, Don’t Tell ‘em, and The Fix.

But when it came to the main show, no one seemed to be more prepared for the spectacle than 50 Cent himself.

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson took over the mainstream hip-hop scene in 2003 with his first major-label debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’. Hit singles such as 21 Questions and In Da Club made waves globally and it became the top-selling album of the year in the US, launching 50 Cent to stardom.

So when Fiddy announced his worldwide anniversary tour would reach our shores, his fans were quick not to let the opportunity slide. Herds of people from every age group buzzed outside and in the stadium, as they prepared for a night of pure nostalgia.

At his first New Zealand performance since Auckland’s Friday Jams in 2019, the lights dimmed and the lively crowd cheered as Fiddy emerged wearing a classic navy T-shirt and jeans fit, topped off with a New York Yankees baseball cap and decked out in some of the finest of the rapper’s extensive jewellery collection.

Although Auckland marked the second-last stop on the tour (initially the last until Jackson added a show in Thailand on December 19), the energy felt like the first leg had just begun.

Opening with I’m On Some Sh*t, the star greeted the crowd with a simple “wassup” as he graced the stage. Supported by two backup singers and a live band on stage who kept the dancing, singing, and music turning all night long, 50 churned out banger after banger with ease.

50 Cent was ready to put on a memorable show. The crowd was captivated by the extravagant display of pyrotechnics, visuals, and the rapper’s effortless stage presence, with Hate It or Love It and How We Do drawing special attention.

Joined by an entourage of eight female dancers who maintained the momentum with their fast-paced choreography, the performance reached its first crescendo as Candy Shop sent the crowd into a frenzy. This came as no surprise - it’s one of his most well-known tunes of the Noughties, which hit No 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked in the top 10 of charts worldwide, including Aotearoa.

Fiddy moved swiftly through his extensive discography, never staying on one song for too long. Given the tendency for his melodies to get a bit repetitive, this seemed like a good choice. It kept his fans engaged and hanging on to his words in the hope of guessing what would come next.

The rapper made good use of his time to steer the crowd’s mood between pensive and ecstatic. Following an energetic performance of Best Friend, the stage went quiet while 50 took a costume break and the crowd became entranced by an elegant display of live music and slow-moving interpretive dance.

This created the perfect storm for his next few tracks. Little Bit comes on and Fiddy picks up right where he left off, this time dripped in an all-white fit and another Yankees cap (I respect the pride on display for his home city). Despite interacting minimally with the crowd, 50 didn’t need to say much to keep the energy going.

Jackson didn’t stray far from his more personal side on stage either.

“I just want to say rest in peace to my brother Pop,” 50 exclaimed as he performed The Woo in a fitting ode to the late rapper and his friend Bashar Barakah Jackson, known professionally as Pop Smoke.

Jeremih returned to the stage as the hip-hop pair belted their 2010 hit single Down on Me. The RnB legend pulled the crowd back into submission as he teased us on a grand piano with a sole performance of his racy hit Birthday Sex in a way that was almost moving.

Yet 50 Cent saved the best till the end. Surprising the crowd with I’m The Man, topping it off with In Da Club, and streams of confetti pouring from the skies, you’d be forgiven for partying like it was 2003 and Fiddy was in the heydays of his 20s.

“Thanks for coming to the show, I love the support. It’s your boy 50 Cent, it’s the final night but it’s forever!”

The encore was not one for die-hard fans to leave early from though, as Fiddy soon returned to the stage in double denim to delve into covers and some of his lesser-known tracks.

In a shift to more of an underground vibe, the 20-minute encore allowed 50 Cent to showcase his raw talent and skills in a uniquely different fashion.

Although 50 owes much of his success to his Y2K triumphs, the enduring nature of his iconic music and the rapper’s lasting fame guaranteed that the concert would transcend mere reminiscence and showed that Jackson still knows how to bring the Heat to the stage.