[2] Raised in Phoenix, Arizona, until the age of 24, Hot Rod worked as mortgage broker until spotted by the G-Unit boss 50 Cent, who signed him to his label in 2006.

[3] Hot Rod would send his homemade demo CD to 50 Cent's G-Unit office's in hope the record label would sign him.

It was December 2005 when the 24-year-old rapper received a call at his day job as a mortgage broker, and it wasn't from any random G-Unit associate but 50 Cent himself.

[5] Hot Rod released his first single in August 2006, called "Be Easy" which featured R&B singer Mary J. Blige under the labels G-Unit / Interscope.

[10] Hot Rod had been recording music for his debut album, which was previously called Fast Lane, since he signed with G-Unit in 2006.