50 Cent has been a superstar ever since his 2003 debut album Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ sold 872,000 copies in its first four days, but his latest post sees him take things back to before his gargantuan rise to fame.

On Monday (November 6), the rapper took to Instagram to share an old photo of his much-younger self in deep concentration, sitting in front of what appears to be a piece of music equipment.

“This is what it looks like when you have nothing and you fall in love with something,” he wrote. “Music is magic people don’t agree on anything but when the right music comes on they agree to have a good time.”

50 Cent’s throwback pic got responses from a number of his Hip Hop peers, including Swizz Beatz who commented: “Congrats on everything King you did it,” while DJ Premier added: “Yes indeed.”

Author and entertainment branding specialist Thembisa Mshaka recalled working with a young 50 around the time he was signed to Columbia Records — which the rapper was famously dropped from after getting shot in May 2000.

“I cherish our conversations in my office at Sony. A teenager with the eye of the tiger and lyrics to go. So proud of you, family!” Mshaka wrote.