When They Were Broke: G-Unit's Glory Days

A look back at 50 Cent and crew's best moments.

When They Were Broke: G-Unit's Glory Days - Maybe money really doesn't solve everything. Or so says G Unit solider Tony Yayo. "You know what's crazy? It's like when we didn't have any money, things were better," Tony  recently told MTV News when asked about the possibility of G Unit reuniting. Tony's reminiscing got us thinking back to G Unit's early days, when 50 Cent, Tony, Lloyd Banks and even later members Young Buck and Game were hungry, talented rappers with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove. Take a trip down memory lane with us as we look at G Unit's greatest moments, the glory days before money, fame and ego brought down an empire. —Alex Gale (Photo: Courtesy of G-Unit Records)

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When They Were Broke: G-Unit's Glory Days - Maybe money really doesn't solve everything. Or so says G Unit solider Tony Yayo. "You know what's crazy? It's like when we didn't have any money, things were better," Tony  recently told MTV News when asked about the possibility of G Unit reuniting. Tony's reminiscing got us thinking back to G Unit's early days, when 50 Cent, Tony, Lloyd Banks and even later members Young Buck and Game were hungry, talented rappers with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove. Take a trip down memory lane with us as we look at G Unit's greatest moments, the glory days before money, fame and ego brought down an empire. —Alex Gale (Photo: Courtesy of G-Unit Records)

50 Cent Is the Future - This is the first official mixtape from 50 Cent, and he's already repping G Unit hard, placing Yayo and Banks on the cover.  Widely considered one of the best mixtapes of all time, 50 Cent Is the Future was the beginning of 50's post-shooting comeback in 2002. (Photo: Street Dance)

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50 Cent Is the Future - This is the first official mixtape from 50 Cent, and he's already repping G Unit hard, placing Yayo and Banks on the cover.  Widely considered one of the best mixtapes of all time, 50 Cent Is the Future was the beginning of 50's post-shooting comeback in 2002. (Photo: Street Dance)

No Mercy, No Fear - Shortly after 50 Cent signed a $1 million deal with Shady and Aftermath in 2002, he dropped another classic mixtape with his G Unit brethren. No Mercy, No Fear features 50's breakthrough hit "Wanksta." (Photo: Dana Edelson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

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No Mercy, No Fear - Shortly after 50 Cent signed a $1 million deal with Shady and Aftermath in 2002, he dropped another classic mixtape with his G Unit brethren. No Mercy, No Fear features 50's breakthrough hit "Wanksta." (Photo: Dana Edelson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin' - Critics are quick to point out that 50 Cent has never been able to recapture the magic of his debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin’. And that is partially true. There was something about Fif’s energy, his stories, the way he told them, and the production that he rapped over that ensures this one should be left alone. (Photo: Courtesy of Interscope Records)

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50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin' - The Unit officially graduated to the big leagues with 50 Cent's classic 2003 debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. An undeniable classic, the album launched Fif to superstardom, selling more than 8 million copies in the U.S. alone. (Photo: Courtesy of Interscope Records)

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G Unit Records Launches - 50 Cent's officially started G Unit Records in 2003, one of the earliest signs that he was just as much a businessman as he was a rapper. (Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images)

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G Unit Clothing Explodes - 50 Cent and crew teamed up with clothier Marc Ecko to launch G Unit clothing in 2003. Two years later, 50 boasted that the line had $55 million in sales, more than Rocawear or Sean John. (Photo: Courtesy of G Unit Clothing Company)

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G Unit Clothing Explodes - 50 Cent and crew teamed up with clothier Marc Ecko to launch G Unit clothing in 2003. Two years later, 50 boasted that the line had $55 million in sales, more than Rocawear or Sean John. (Photo: Courtesy of G Unit Clothing Company)

G Unit Sneakers Steps Up - 50 Cent and crew landed another coup when he signed a five-year deal to have Reebok distribute G Unit Sneakers.  (Photo: Robert Wallace/ WENN)

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G Unit Sneakers Steps Up - 50 Cent and crew landed another coup when he signed a five-year deal to have Reebok distribute G Unit Sneakers.  (Photo: Robert Wallace/ WENN)

Photo By Photo: Robert Wallace/ WENN

G-Unit, Beg for Mercy - Fif chose Friday, Nov. 14, 2003, to unleash G-Unit's Beg For Mercy and to try and get a jump on the bootleggers. Also originally scheduled to drop the following Tuesday, the album debuted at No. 3 on Billboard, selling over 377,000 units. A week later it was gold and eventually moved nearly 3 million copies.(Photo: G-Unit/Interscope)

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Beg for Mercy - Just 10 months after his own debut smash, 50 Cent introduced his crew officially. G Unit's debut album, which featured new member Young Buck and several shout outs to the then incarcerated Tony Yayo, sold 6 million units worldwide. (Photo: G-Unit/Interscope)

Lloyd Banks, The Hunger For More - Lloyd Banks, long considered the G Unit member most likely to follow in 50 Cent's superstar footsteps, released his solo debut, The Hunger for More, in July 2004. The acclaimed album peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, selling almost half a million copies its first week out.  (Photo: G-Unit)

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Lloyd Banks, The Hunger For More - Lloyd Banks, long considered the G Unit member most likely to follow in 50 Cent's superstar footsteps, released his solo debut, The Hunger for More, in July 2004. The acclaimed album peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, selling almost half a million copies its first week out.  (Photo: G-Unit)

Young Buck, Straight Outta Cashville - Four months after Lloyd Banks launched his solo career, Young Buck made his own move with slept-on (but platinum-selling) debut album Straight Outta Cashville. (Photo: G-Unit/Interscope Records)

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Young Buck, Straight Outta Cashville - Four months after Lloyd Banks launched his solo career, Young Buck made his own move with slept-on (but platinum-selling) debut album Straight Outta Cashville. (Photo: G-Unit/Interscope Records)

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Tony Yayo, Thoughts of a Predicate Felon - After the Unit kept his name alive during his time in prison, Yayo debuted with the much-delayed Thoughts of a Predicate Felon in 2005, led by the hit single "So Seductive."(Photo: G-Unit)

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Tony Yayo, Thoughts of a Predicate Felon - After the Unit kept his name alive during his time in prison, Yayo debuted with the much-delayed Thoughts of a Predicate Felon in 2005, led by the hit single "So Seductive."(Photo: G-Unit)

The Game, The Documentary  - The Documentary came at a perfect time for Game. G-Unit was riding high, and fans were hungry for an artist from the West to ride for — and Dr. Dre’s beats didn’t hurt. Though each of his follow up efforts have been strong in their own right, Game’s ability to truly make his debut a musical documentary of his life up to that point when it dropped in 2005 makes it territory that should go untouched.  (Photo: Courtesy of Interscope Records)

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The Game, The Documentary - G Unit expanded its empire to the West Coast with the addition of The Game [now known as Game], who released his debut album The Documentary in 2005, topping the charts and eventually selling 5 million copies worldwide. Can it be that it was all so simple then? (Photo: G-Unit/Interscope Records)