Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is officially bringing Harlem’s most infamous hustler tale to the small screen. The mogul revealed he’s purchased the rights to the 2002 cult classic Paid in Full and is expanding it into a premium television series.
“I now have the rights to PAID IN FULL, I’m developing it into a premium TV show,” 50 wrote in his September 8 Instagram announcement. “If you like Godfather of Harlem, you’re gonna love this. Cam set to executive produce alongside me. If you want in, get at him—I’m out of the country.”
The news confirms that Cam’ron, who played Rico in the film, will be back on board in an executive producer role. Fans immediately flooded the comments, with rappers Maxo Kream and Conway the Machine even tossing their names in the ring for potential roles.
Directed by Charles Stone III and produced by Dame Dash, Jay-Z, and Brett Ratner, Paid in Full became a street classic when it premiered in 2002. The film starred Wood Harris as Ace, Mekhi Phifer as Mitch, and Cam’ron as Rico—characters loosely based on real-life Harlem figures Azie “AZ” Faison, Rich Porter, and Alberto “Alpo” Martinez.
The gritty drama followed Ace’s reluctant rise from a Harlem dry cleaner’s delivery boy to a drug kingpin in the 1980s, with loyalty, betrayal, and survival at the core of the story. Though it grossed just over $3 million at the box office, the film’s authenticity and Roc-A-Fella-backed soundtrack cemented it as a cultural mainstay.
While 50 Cent is moving full speed ahead with the TV version through G-Unit Film & Television, the project has stirred up tension. Dame Dash, who was instrumental in the original film, voiced his disapproval on social media, sarcastically congratulating Cam’ron on “making 50 [his] new boss.” Cam quickly fired back in Dash’s comments, dismissing him as “chatty” and reminding him that people get cut out of TV series “everyday.”
This isn’t the first time Dash has revisited Paid in Full. In a 2022 interview, he revealed he was already shooting a sequel in Newark, New Jersey, which he described as expanding the story to show multiple perspectives of Harlem’s drug trade.
Meanwhile, 50 Cent stays busy on his side of the industry. Beyond Paid in Full, he’s lined up to play Balrog in the upcoming Street Fighter film and has a role in Deon Taylor’s Free Agents.
As of now, there’s no word on casting or plot details for the series, but one thing’s for sure: Harlem’s most infamous story is about to get a new chapter.