| "My Life" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by50 Cent featuringEminem andAdam Levine | ||||
| from the albumStreet King Immortal (shelved) | ||||
| Released | November 26, 2012 | |||
| Recorded | 2010[1]–2012 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:59 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Symbolyc One | |||
| 50 Cent singles chronology | ||||
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| Eminem singles chronology | ||||
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| Adam Levine singles chronology | ||||
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"My Life" is a song by American rapper50 Cent featuring fellow American rapperEminem and American singerAdam Levine ofMaroon 5. It was originally released as the second official single of 50 Cent's scrapped studio albumStreet King Immortal, but was later removed from the project.[2] The single wasproduced by American music producerSymbolyc One. The song premiered on American radio stationHot 97, and was made available for digital download oniTunes Store on November 26, 2012.[3]
Although without a confirmed name, the single was announced on September 30, 2012, by 50 Cent himself in an interview with the radio stationChannel 4 FM, with host Chris Birks. He stated that he wants to top his most-successful single so far,In da Club, before retiring. 50 Cent also talked about his performance in the Atelier festival inDubai, which he will be performing songs from his recent projects, such asThe Big 10 (2011),The Lost Tape and5 (Murder by Numbers) (2012).[4]
While confirming the name of the single, 50 Cent has revealed, during an interview while he was inFrance, that the beat of "My Life" was taken fromDr. Dre's long-awaited (but now cancelled) albumDetox. It marks the third song off Detox for his albumStreet King Immortal, along with "New Day" and "The Psycho".[5]
The track was produced and written by Symbolyc One, 50 Cent, Eminem, Adam Levine and Herb Rooney. Recorded in 2010, it finds the two rappers spitting about the pressures of fame, in contrast with Eminem and 50's past collaborations, which focused on menacing wordplay. 50 Cent raps about pressures of fame, rifting on his meteoric 2003 rise and formerG-Unit artistsGame andYoung Buck, who he feels took advantage of his creative generosity. He professes "My Life" to be his version of Eminem'sRecovery and to be his "comeback hit." Eminem on the other hand raps about his dedication and hard work, and talks about getting revenge, and questions his decision to recordRecovery.[6]
The song samples Melvin Bliss'Synthetic Substitution in its instrumental, produced by Symbolyc One.[7]
Jason Lipshutz, from the website of American magazineBillboard, reviewed the song comparing it to Eminem's single "Not Afraid": "'My Life' successfully mirrors Eminem's comeback single 'Not Afraid' by pairing pseudo-introspective lyrics with a chorus full of vague yet decisive statements." He also said: "Maroon 5's Adam Levine provides the pop backbone to a trio of surly verses from 50 Cent and Eminem, with the latter thrusting himself full force into lines". At the end of it, Lipshutz stated that the single "is not nearly as dangerous as its exhilarating early output, but should serve its purpose of givingStreet King Immortal its crowning pop single".[8]
In the first verse of the song, 50 Cent dissed former members ofG-Unit,Game andYoung Buck.
I tried to help niggas get on, they turned around and spit
Right in my face, so Game and Buck both can suck a dick
Now when you hear 'em it may sound like they on some other shit
'Cause I'm not writing anymore, they not making hits— 50 Cent
Game responded to 50 Cent's comments in an interview with American radio stationPower 106, saying he might have to make a sequel to "300 Bars and Runnin", finally killing 50 Cent and G-Unit. 50 Cent later said the song was recorded two years ago and he no longer had any ill will towards Game.[9]
A video for it was shot with 50 Cent, Eminem and Adam Levine inCorktown Historic District,Detroit and directed byRichard "Rich" Lee, who previously directed videos for Eminem's single "Not Afraid" andBad Meets Evil's single "Lighters".[10] It features cameo appearances from affiliated boxerAndre Dirrell.[11][12] On November 26, 2012, the officialtrailer of themusic video was released.[13] The video was premiered on November 27, 2012, onMTV and was added to 50 Cent's channel onVEVO on the same day.[14]
50 Cent and Eminem spoke toMTV News about the video, describing it as a perfect illustration of the difficulties they face day by day.
The video is kind of abstract; it's kind of metaphoric in a sense, like the paranoia of feeling like we're being chased. Whether it's true or not, it's kind of how we feel. It's kind of a metaphor for us running for our lives. Personal lives and from fame, everything that goes with the game.[14]
— Eminem
The video begins with a helicopter illuminating a building which 50 Cent and Adam Levine are inside. While singing the first chorus, theMaroon 5's front-man is sitting down behind of a wall what the helicopter lights up. 50 Cent raps his first verse, walking inside the building illuminated by the chopper, going to find boxer Andre Dirrell. When he does, both men get into aChrysler 300 John Varvatos Special Edition. On the second chorus, Adam appears walking inside the building, again, and Eminem makes his first appearance in it walking on a dark road. Eminem appears running from the chopper sometimes in the video. He also appears rapping his verse on a park, under the helicopter's spotlight, as does Adam. During the song's third verse, 50 Cent appears in aRazer's laptop screen, used to locate him. Driving a car, he continues rapping his verse, with Andre Dirrell on its passenger seat, while pursued by the helicopter. The video finishes with all artists stopping from running from the helicopter.
Website Fuse reviewed the video, discussing and explaining certain parts of it.[15]
The music video onYouTube has received over 95 million views as of March 2024.[16]
The song was debuted on Americanrealitytalent showThe Voice, with a performance by 50 Cent and Adam Levine on November 26, 2012.[17] The second live performance of the song took place on December 8, 2012, when 50 Cent performed the song during his fighter Gamboa's entrance to the ring.[18]
The song debuted on theBillboardHot 100 on the week of December 6, 2012 at #27, selling 140,000 units in its first week. It also debuted onBillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at #6 and at #5 onRap Songs. It also charted outside the U.S. onCanadian Hot 100 at #14, onMega Single Top 100 at #89,Schweizer Hitparade at #36, onUltratip Flanders at #9 and on others charts. The song reached number 9 on the Belgium Ultratip chart, which is the Belgian equivalent of the Billboard bubbling under chart.[19] It has also debuted at #2 on the UK Singles chart after being released in January.[20]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "My Life" (featuringEminem andAdam Levine) | Symbolyc One | 3:59 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "My Life" (album version) (feat.Eminem andAdam Levine) | Symbolyc One | 3:59 | |
| 2. | "My Life" (edited version) (feat. Eminem and Adam Levine) |
| Symbolyc One | 3:59 |
| Total length: | 7:58 | |||
Weekly charts[edit]
|
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[41] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[42] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[43] | Gold | 7,500* |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[44] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[45] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Country | Date | Format | Label | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | November 26, 2012 | Digital download | [3] | |
| France | November 27, 2012 | [46] | ||
| Germany | [47] | |||
| Italy | [48] | |||
| Spain | [49] | |||
| United Kingdom | January 13, 2013 | [50] | ||
| United States | December 4, 2012 | Rhythmic contemporary radio | [51] | |
| December 11, 2012 | Contemporary hit radio | [52] |
