G Unit (short for
Guerilla Unit) is an American
hip hop group originating from
South Jamaica, Queens,
New York, formed by longtime friends and
East Coast rappers 50 Cent,
Tony Yayo and
Lloyd Banks. The group released their debut album
Beg for Mercy, in 2003 went on to sell over 2,000,000 copies in the US and was certified
double platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album, which followed the success of 50 Cent's major-label debut
Get Rich or Die Tryin', served as a platform for Banks, Buck and Yayo to release their respective solo debut albums,
The Hunger for More (2004),
Straight Outta Cashville (2004),
Thoughts of a Predicate Felon (2005) and
The Documentary (2005). In 2008, the group released their second album
T·O·S (Terminate on Sight). During Tony Yayo's imprisonment, the group recruited Tennessee-based rapper
Young Buck, who was featured throughout the
Beg for Mercy album. In late 2004, California-based rapper
The Game was also added to the group, a proposition made by
Dr. Dre and
Jimmy Iovine, to promote the
Aftermath/
Interscope newcomer. However, due to The Game's "disloyalty" in the eyes of 50 Cent, he was soon removed from the group. In April 2008, 50 Cent revealed Young Buck was no longer a part of the group due to his "excessive spending" and "inconsistent behavior". In early 2014, after Yayo and 50 Cent separately stated G Unit was no more, the original members of the group reconciled and reunited at Summer Jam 2014, along with Young Buck after his six-year departure from the group.
G Unit Records rapper
Kidd Kidd, was also added to the group upon its reformation.