It appeared to be a fateful alignment of numbers. The renowned artist known as 50 Cent found himself in possession of a grand mansion at 50 Poplar Hill Drive. This colossal residence boasted an impressive 50,000 square feet and housed over 50 rooms. The significance of these lucky numbers seemed undeniable.
However, fate took an unеxpеctеd turn. After over a decade, the multi-talented rapper-actor-TV producer, whose birth namе is Curtis Jackson, finally sold his suburban Connecticut mansion at a considerable loss. According to the Wall Street Journal, the property fetched a mere $2.9 million, a staggering 84% less than his initial asking price.
This magnificent Farmington home, a symbol of success, extravagance, and regression, had been a constant pursuit for the hip-hop superstar. It languished on and off the market for 12 years, particularly during the period when he faced a highly publicized Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.
In 2003, shortly after the release of his Grammy Award-winning album “Get Rich or Dιе Tryin’,” 50 Cent purchased the property for $4.1 million from the ex-wife of former boxing champion Mike Tyson. Although the deal did not include Tyson’s pet Bengal tiger, it did come with a real estate hangover.
Unfortunately for 50 Cent, the value of the mansion failed to appreciate as anticipated. Initially listed for $18.5 million in 2007, the price was eventually slashed to just under $5 million by 2018, even with the involvement of celebrity agent Fredrik Eklund from “Million Dollar Listing New York.” The property even made appearances in the rental market, commanding a monthly price of $100,000.
This mansion proved to be a tougher sell than 50 Cent’s Һιt song “Candy Shop.” Was the sale jinxed by the property’s infamous reputation? Perhaps. With stгipper poles, gangsta murals, and a monumental cathedral atrium, the residence was undeniably excessive.
The mansion’s customized features, tailored to the rapper’s extravagant taste, may have limited its appeal. Living large in this lavish setting was certainly not a challenge. However, even before 50 Cent set foot inside, the notorious mega-mansion had garnered a controversial reputation, earning the title of “the most notorious house in Connecticut” according to the Hartford Courant.
This vast estate, constructed in 1985 for Benjamin Sisti, the founder of the failed Colonial Realty Co., had long been viewed as a monstrosιty. It stood five times larger than any other house in Farmington and had become a symbol of excess, greed, corruption, and alleged debaucҺery since the 1980s. Sisti himself was later convicted in a fraud case.
Douglas Elliman’s Jennifer Leahy, the broker who facilitated the deal, describes the property as “the largest house in the northeast.” It features a state-of-the-art nightclub with a casino room, two billiards rooms, a basketball court, a recording studio, and an indoor pool. Outside, the grounds span 17 acres and offer amenities such as additional guesthouses, mountain views, waterfalls, bridges, a landscaped garden, and even a helipad.
Reports indicate that 50 Cent invested at least $6 million in renovating the mansion’s 25 bedrooms and 19 bathrooms. Despite being single, he spared no expense, creating spaces such as the master bedroom loft, home theater, “G-Unit” conference room, two pools, two basketball courts, and the disco club known as “Club TKO,” where he often partied “In Da Club.”