G-Unit: That and 50 Cent will get you a deal

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

When 50 Cent was riding the wave of his explosive debut last year, Get Rich or Die Tryin', he was never seen without his G-Unit group, which included Lloyd Banks, Young Buck and Tony Yayo. But they weren't there just to be part of the typical rapper's entourage; they were in training for their own turns in the spotlight.

G-Unit's members, signed to 50 Cent's G-Unit label, are rapidly becoming hip-hop's most potent crew. They are not the first rapper's crew to spin off soloists - Busta Rhymes, Nelly, Ludacris and others have tried - but few had G-Unit's success.

• Last fall's G-Unit album, Beg for Mercy, sold 2.3 million.

• Banks' The Hunger for More album entered the Billboard chart at No. 1 three weeks ago, selling 433,000 copies. It has sold nearly 800,000 copies so far, propelled by the Eminem (news - web sites)-produced single On Fire.

• Young Buck's hit Let Me In is building expectation for his Straight Outta Cashville album, whose release has been moved up two weeks to Aug. 17.

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