Learn more at Clicks Media

50 Cent (real name: Curtis Jackson) was approached by Glacéau, the parent company of Vitamin Water, in 2004 to endorse their product. Instead of just accepting a typical endorsement deal, 50 Cent asked for an equity stake in the company, which was agreed to by Glacéau's co-founder, Mike Repole.The deal was structured in such a way that 50 Cent would receive a minority stake in the company in exchange for his endorsement and assistance with marketing the product. The exact percentage of the stake he received is unknown, but it has been reported to be somewhere between 2.5% and 10%. Additionally, 50 Cent was given the opportunity to create his own flavor of Vitamin Water, which he called "Formula 50".When Coca-Cola purchased Glacéau for $4.1 billion in 2007, it was reported that 50 Cent's stake in the company was worth between $60 million and $100 million. However, the exact amount he made off of the deal has never been disclosed, and some estimates suggest that it may have been lower than originally reported due to various factors such as taxes and fees. Nonetheless, the Vitamin Water deal is widely considered to be one of the most successful business ventures for a musician.