50 Cent has been athletic for years, so lovers were shocked when photos of the G-Unit chief looking shockingly skinny hit the Internet on Wednesday.
The text related to the photos, which appear in the new Us Magazine and on ThisIs50.com, say that the rapper lost weight to 160 pounds (from 214) for "Things Fall Apart," a movie he penned himself and stars in, about a cancer-stricken football player.
He said he accomplished the dramatic weight down loss via a liquid diet and a daily regimen that included three-hour treadmill sessions.
The report noted that 50 has been putting his weight back on in anticipation of his tour kicking off Friday, and on Thursday (May 27), a photo showing that appeared in South Carolina's a photo of a not-as-skinny Fif appeared in South Carolina's Aiken Standard. 50 visited the area to research his background for "50's Roots," an installment of VH1's "Rock Docs."
He appears the picture of good health in the photo, taken Wednesday, with a smile to boot.
The MC is apparently taking his bulking up seriously, ordering a "cheeseburger all the way" and French fries in a restaurant where he stopped for lunch, according to the paper. "He was a real gentleman," the manager said.
G-Unit's Tony Yayo told MTV News earlier this month that he admires his boss' resolve when it comes to acting.