Editing G-Unit (section)

===Debut album and success (2002–03)===
[[File:G-Unit offcial original logo.png|thumb|Original G-Unit logo]]
Shortly after the unsolved murder of [[Jam Master Jay]], 50 Cent, an artist with JMJ Records since the mid-1990s. 50 Cent received a call from Eminem who signed him to [[Shady Records]], under the aegis of [[Dr. Dre]]'s [[Aftermath Entertainment]] and [[Interscope Records]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2591521.stm|title=50 Cent: The $1m rapper|date=December 23, 2002|access-date=November 24, 2018|via=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> After signing to Interscope, he was granted his own record label, which led to the creation of [[G-Unit Records]].<ref name="Allmusic">[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p555598|pure_url=yes}} G Unit biography]. Allmusic. Retrieved July 16, 2007.</ref> 50 Cent immediately signed both [[Lloyd Banks]] and [[Tony Yayo]] to the label. They began working on G-Unit's debut album. However, Tony Yayo was incarcerated at the time and was unable to record any new material for the album. This led to 50 Cent signing Tennessee-based rapper [[Young Buck]] to G-Unit Records; subsequently Young Buck was added to the group.<ref>Jeffries, David. [http://music.aol.com/artist/tony-yayo/555596/biography Tony Yayo biography] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312112623/http://music.aol.com/artist/tony-yayo/555596/biography |date=March 12, 2007 }}. AOL. Retrieved July 22, 2007.</ref> After the signing of Young Buck, G-Unit made their first major label appearance as a group on the remix to 50 Cent's single "[[P.I.M.P.]]", which featured [[Snoop Dogg]], Banks and Young Buck.

Later in November 2003, the group released their debut studio album, ''[[Beg for Mercy (G-Unit album)|Beg for Mercy]]''. The album featured [[guest appearance]]s from R&B singers [[Joe (singer)|Joe]] and [[Butch Cassidy (singer)|Butch Cassidy]], and [[Hip hop production|production]] was handled by high-profile producers such as [[Hi-Tek]], [[Dr. Dre]] and [[Scott Storch]], among several others. 50 Cent also served as the album's executive producer.<ref name="50 Cent Bio">Ed. Angela M. Pilchak. (2006). [http://arts.enotes.com/contemporary-musicians/50-cent-biography 50 Cent biography at eNotes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070527013252/http://arts.enotes.com/contemporary-musicians/50-cent-biography |date=May 27, 2007 }}. Arts.enotes.com. Retrieved July 20, 2007.</ref> Due to Tony Yayo's incarceration, he only made two appearances on the album, both of which used pre-recorded material. His face is seen on the brick wall of the album cover because he could not be photographed on account of his jail sentence. ''Beg for Mercy'' went on to sell over 3.9 million units in the U.S.,<ref>Crosley, Hillary (April 24, 2008). [http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045760/g-unit-the-game-push-back-new-albums G-Unit, The Game Push Back New Albums]. ''Billboard''. Accessed May 10, 2008.</ref> 5.8 million copies worldwide,<ref>[http://www.nypost.com/seven/06292008/entertainment/music/return_of_the_rap_pack_117691.htm New York Post, Return of the Rap Pack] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080904054524/http://www.nypost.com/seven/06292008/entertainment/music/return_of_the_rap_pack_117691.htm |date=September 4, 2008 }}. ''NYPost''. Accessed June 30, 2008</ref><ref>Jeffery-Coker, Mesai. [https://web.archive.org/web/20051030163921/http://www.rapfanatic.com/issue5/yayofeature Featured Interview: Tony Yayo]. ''Rap Fanatic'' magazine. Accessed August 31, 2007.</ref> and has since been certified [[RIAA certification|quadruple Platinum]] by the [[RIAA]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150924151856/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=G-Unit&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 RIAA Searchable Database - "G-Unit"]. RIAA. Accessed May 10, 2008.</ref>