Born in Queens and schooled on the street, 50 Cent's incredible death-defying story of survival and success does not just begin with him. Like all African Americans, he is the product of a greater journey, one that began thousands of miles away and hundreds of years ago – in slavery.

The birthplace of noted segregationist Strom Thurmond, "Bloody Edgefield," as the town was known, bears the scars of a violent and racist past. This is the town where 50 Cent – born Curtis Jackson III – sets out to track his roots. With help from local genealogists and census data, 50 manages to find his great-great-great grandmother Jane Jenkins, who lived and worked as a slave in the mid-1800's.

Along the way, 50 also learns that in the years following the Civil War, his ancestors faced the infamous 'REDSHIRTS', the precursors to the KKK, giving him a new perspective on the violence he encountered as a young man in Queens. As America commemorates the 150th anniversary of that war this spring, the film provides a moving testament to the lines that still divide us.

"50 Cent: The Origin of Me" is the newest film in the Emmy Award winning VH1 Rock Doc franchise. VH1 Rock Docs are feature-length documentaries that tell unique stories of artists and music from a wide range of genres, styles and musical perspectives.

"50 Cent: The Origin of Me" is a production of VH1, in association with Roadside Entertainment. Brad Abramson, Shelly Tatro and Jeff Olde were executive producers for VH1. Mark Anstendig was a supervising producer for VH1. Ron Yassen directed and executive produced for Roadside Entertainment. Sacha Jenkins executive produced for Roadside Entertainment. David Kamp is a writer and consulting producer on the documentary.