Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson brings a studio to Shreveport

On Thursday, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson received a warm welcome in Shreveport, Louisiana, for the opening of G-Unit Studios. This new production facility is bringing TV and film projects to the Southern region. Shreveport officials organized a special event at Government Plaza to greet G-Unit, as reported by KSLA News 12.

At the event, a marching band performed and the Mayor of Shreveport, Tom Arceneaux, announced that Thursday, April 18, 2024, would be recognized as Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson Day in the city.

50 Cent smiled while standing next to local leaders and announced that cameras will start rolling at G-Unit Studios as soon as this summer.

"At the press conference on Thursday, the hip-hop mogul announced that non-scripted projects will begin in July, followed by scripted projects in January."

The rapper and producer told the audience that he believes G-Unit will play a significant role in driving the economy, similar to how Tyler Perry Studios contributes to Atlanta's economy.

“Bringing G-Unit Studios to Shreveport is more than just a business decision. It’s a commitment to foster talent, to create opportunities and to invest in the community itself,” Jackson said. “It’s going to create a lot of jobs.”

The studio is situated in the city center at a production facility owned by the city, which was formerly called Millennium Studios.

According to the Shreveport Times, the mayor and city council disclosed the agreement in November.

50 Cent signed a 30-year lease with the city at a very low price of $2,400 per year. Although the amount is less than the monthly rent for many apartments in New York and Los Angeles, Shreveport leaders are certain that the agreement will be cost-effective in the long term.

Mayor Arceneaux stated that this would save the city approximately $180,000 annually in maintenance and upkeep costs. "I have been asked why the rent is so low, and the reason is that it helps save money for the city."

The city is anticipating that G-Unit will rejuvenate Millennium Studios, bring in entertainment industry professionals to the area, and also attract tourists.

Wade Marshall, former manager of Millennium Studios, stated to KSLA that the new facility will have a significant impact.

“The city is 100 percent behind all of this expansion. I feel like we’re headed toward a new Shreveport that we’ve never seen before,” Marshall said.

In February 2023, Fox TV announced that they had agreed with 50 Cent and his G-Unit Film & Television to create scripted dramas, live-action comedies, and animated series to be shown on the network.

In September 2022, 50 Cent announced that he was leaving Starz, his TV network of many years, following several months of public disagreements. "I'm out," he wrote in a post on Instagram that has since been deleted.

The mogul continues to serve as an executive producer for the popular Power series and the successful crime drama BMF on the cable network.