G-Unit Studios and Stageworks: 50 Cent's Shreveport expansion is the latest sign that Black creators are taking control

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is doing a lot more than dropping TV hits and trolling on Instagram. He’s building an empire brick by brick, city by city. And now, he’s made Shreveport, Louisiana, a key part of that vision.

After months of negotiations, 50 Cent finally secured a long-term lease to transform the city’s Stageworks facility into a state-of-the-art entertainment venue. “In the short period of time, I've come to like the people of Shreveport in a different way,” the Hip Hop veteran expressed. “It feels like home for me, and eventually it'll be home because I have some work to do.” The decision followed the 2024 launch of G-Unit Studios, a massive 985,000-square-foot production facility in Shreveport that serves as a home for his TV and film projects — both scripted and unscripted.

In addition to creating content, the space is all for creating opportunities, investing in community and redefining ownership for Black creatives. And while 50 Cent’s move is headline-worthy on its own, it’s part of something much bigger: A wave of Black entertainment moguls creating their own spaces.

50 Cent’s G-Unit Studios is official and it’s huge

“I’m beyond excited to introduce the expansion of my G-Unit Film and Television through the launch of G-Unit Studios right here in Shreveport,” 50 Cent stated at the time of the campus unveiling. The compound cemented his status as not just a power player in TV (with shows like "Power," "BMF" and "Power Book III: Raising Kanan"), but also as a serious force in behind-the-scenes infrastructure. He’s creating shows and building the place where they get made.

The city is clearly all-in on the vision. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux called it “a beacon of inspiration and creativity,” and even presented the rapper with a key to the city and his own official day. The message? G-Unit Studios is welcome and wanted. Notably, G-Unit is leasing Stageworks for just $200 a month (plus full maintenance and operations responsibilities). Think of the concerts, MMA matches, basketball leagues, auto shows and more that can take place there. When 50 Cent spoke to the city council, he promised to “over-deliver.” Given his track record, that’s not just talk.

Tyler Perry paved the way for a new generation of Black-owned studios

None of this could’ve happened without Tyler Perry. In 2019, the filmmaker-turned-media mogul opened his 330-acre Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, making history as the first Black person to fully own a major film production studio. The space is legendary: 12 soundstages, fully built-out neighborhoods and even a replica White House. The man behind Madea showed what it looks like to go beyond content and build legacy. Alongside T.D. Jakes, he’s expanding even further with a forthcoming entertainment district and museum in the Atlanta region.

It is clear others have taken notes. While 50 Cent’s studio is just getting started, Donald Glover’s vision is already in full bloom. Out in Ojai, California, the artist-actor launched Gilga, a production compound that doubles as a creative sanctuary. It's got live performance venues, editing suites, a full writers’ retreat and even an avocado-and-tangelo-producing farm.

For Glover, it's about curating quality. “Gilga is the filter,” he told GQ. “We deserve something that isn’t easy for everyone to digest all the time.” His first major move? Mentoring Malia Obama through her debut short film. Titled "The Heart," the emotionally charged piece — centered around a man grieving the death of his mother — scored a premiere during the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

While Perry built a studio city, Glover built a creative utopia that was more about energy and experimentation than sheer size. But both are grounded in the same core idea: Ownership on our own terms.

Comedian Katt Williams is following suit. In late 2024, he purchased Fort McClellan in Alabama with plans to build his own production studio. He admitted the move was directly inspired by Perry. “If I see somebody do a good job, I just want to do a good job. I’m going to follow the example,” Williams explained during a sit-down on “The Tonight Show” earlier this month. “[Perry] got a military base, made it into a movie studio and started making movies.”

It’s still in progress, but Williams made it clear: “It’s just not fair to put all that pressure on Tyler Perry. He can only do so much.” More people have to step up and invest in infrastructure, and the stand-up legend is doing just that.

Are Black-owned entertainment studios the future of film and TV?

What 50 Cent is doing in Shreveport is bigger than one studio or one show. It’s about flipping the industry’s power dynamics. It’s about planting roots in overlooked cities. It’s about putting the keys of culture back in our hands.

G-Unit Studios now joins Tyler Perry Studios and Glover’s Gilga as part of a growing ecosystem of Black-owned production spaces, and more are on the way. This new era is less about waiting for access and more about creating it. Black creators have long defined the sound, the style and the stories. Now, they own the land, the cameras and the distribution — and it is only just the beginning.