50 Cent Once Said He Was 'Thinking Like A Harvard Guy' When Building His Headphone Brand — But Whatever Happened To The Ambitious Startup, SMS Audio

13 years ago, during an interview, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson jokingly said that he was "thinking like a Harvard guy" when building his headphone brand, SMS Audio — but despite the hype, the company quietly disappeared in 2016. So what happened?

What Happened: Jackson launched SMS Audio in 2011, aiming to compete in the premium headphone market alongside industry heavyweights like Beats by Dre. 

"I don't want to just put my likeness on products that I don't actually stand behind," he said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. "It's important to be part of the development process."

Rather than settle for a licensing deal, the rapper acquired KonoAudio and brought its founder, Brian Nohe, on as president. "You see me, I'm thinking like a Harvard guy — smart enough to go get him," 50 said about his decision.

See Also: Steve Jobs Warned 34 Years Ago About America Being ‘Hollowed Out’ By Foreign Manufacturing — A Concern Trump Now Echoes

The brand gained early momentum with celebrity endorsements from DJ Pauly D, Timbaland, and NBA star Carmelo Anthony. It even positioned itself as a "conscious capitalism" company, pledging meals to hungry children with each headphone sale through partnerships with Feeding America and the World Food Program.

However, despite the strong start, SMS Audio couldn't keep up with the competition. By 2016, its website went offline, and operations ceased.

Why It's Important: Just one year before SMS Audio disappeared, Jackson filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2015 — a move many saw as strategic.

At the time, he was facing more than $22 million in legal judgments, including a $5 million lawsuit related to the unauthorized release of a sex tape and a $17.5 million trademark infringement case connected to a different headphone venture.

50 Cent has a track record of smart business moves, including his stake in Vitamin Water, which reportedly netted him $100–$150 million when Coca-Cola acquired Glacéau.

He later made headlines for deals with Effen Vodka and Starz, showing he could leverage his brand across industries.

He currently has a reported net worth of $60 million and multiple ventures under his belt.

Photo via Shutterstock

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.