50 Cent Cashes In

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2005 – The Massacre, 50 Cent's eagerly anticipated follow-up to his blockbuster 2003 debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', quickly dispelled any thoughts of a sophomore slump when it was certified quadruple Platinum in little more than a month, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

With sales already in excess of four million albums, The Massacre is the best selling album, thus far, of 2005 and has nearly matched the mark set by 50 Cent’s debut which is currently certified six times Platinum. The rapper born Curtis Jackson has also received four awards under the RIAA’s digital awards program with three songs certified Gold (“Candy Shop,” “P.I.M.P.,” and “In Da Club”) and one certified both Gold and Platinum (“Disco Inferno”) after being downloaded more than 200,000 times.

The Beatles earned an unprecedented sixth Diamond award when their 2000 hits disc, 1, crossed the ten million sales mark. With five other titles having sold more than 10 million copies each (Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Abbey Road, The Beatles, The Beatles 1962-1966 and The Beatles 1967-1970 ), their cumulative U.S. sales are a staggering 168.5 million

Las Vegas’ The Killers earned their first ever RIAA multi-Platinum award for their debut, Hot Fuss, which has now sold more than two million copies.

Ciara also received her first multi-Platinum honors for her debut, Goodies, which has been certified double Platinum. She also picked up a multi-Platinum digital award for more than 400,000 downloads for “One, Two Step,” her collaboration with Missy Elliott.

Legendary alternative rockers The Pixies picked up their second Gold record for 4AD’s Surfer Rosa, which has sold more than half a million copies.

Senegalese R&B sensation Aliaune Thiam, better known as Universal Motown artist Akon, earned his first Platinum award just four months after earning Gold honors for his major label debut, Trouble.

Atlanta’s Ying Yang Twins received their first Platinum album award for Me and My Brother, their TVT Records debut while Pitbull, another TVT artist, received his first Gold record for his 2004 debut, M.I.A.M.I. (Money Is A Major Issue) after it reached the 500,000 sales mark.

The RIAA awarded a total of seven multi-Platinum, six Platinum and 11Gold albums in April. All certifications are calculated by Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman. Complete lists of all album, single and video awards for April 2005 can accessed at on this site.

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The Recording Industry Association of America is the trade group that represents the U.S. recording industry. Its mission is to foster a business and legal climate that supports and promotes our members' creative and financial vitality. Its members are the record companies that comprise the most vibrant national music industry in the world. RIAA® members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 90% of all legitimate sound recordings produced and sold in the United States. In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect intellectual property rights worldwide and the First Amendment rights of artists; conducts consumer, industry and technical research; and monitors and reviews state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA® also certifies Gold®, Platinum®, Multi-Platinum™, and Diamond sales awards, as well as Los Premios De Oro y Platino™, an award celebrating Latin music sales.

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