Music Stars Who Blew Up After Turning 25

These artists took their time getting to the spotlight.

Music Stars Who Blew Up After Turning 25 - Today, as he turns 38, Rick Ross is one of the biggest rappers in the game. He didn’t get there overnight, though. Not only did it take Rozay a few albums to jockey his way into the upper echelon of artists, but also, he was already a grown man when he dropped his debut, Port of Miami, at age 30. But the Bawse isn’t the only one to blow up after the age of 25. Artists like Eminem and Macy Gray found their spotlight in their mid-20s. Read on to see who else.(Photos from left to right: Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET, Christopher Polk/Getty Images, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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Music Stars Who Blew Up After Turning 25 - Today, as he turns 38, Rick Ross is one of the biggest rappers in the game. He didn’t get there overnight, though. Not only did it take Rozay a few albums to jockey his way into the upper echelon of artists, but also, he was already a grown man when he dropped his debut, Port of Miami, at age 30. But the Bawse isn’t the only one to blow up after the age of 25. Artists like Eminem and Macy Gray found their spotlight in their mid-20s. Read on to see who else.(Photos from left to right: Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET, Christopher Polk/Getty Images, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

"Drug Dealer's Dream" - The wealth talk continues here, as an automated bank-teller voice tells Ross his account balance is more than $92 million before the rapper puffs out his chest and kicks that range from recalling his days "eatin' out of the trash" to shouting out a few strip clubs. (Photo: Chris McKay/WireImage/Getty Images)

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Rick Ross - Rick Ross's immense popularity is a bit of a surprise for a number of reasons. Not only did it take multiple albums for the Bawse to earn the critical acclaim and fanbase that he now boasts, but he also was 30 years old when he dropped his debut, Port of Miami.(Photo: Chris McKay/WireImage)

Photo By Chris McKay/WireImage/Getty Images

Lyricist of the Year: Jay-Z - Once again, Jay-Z had minds blown and tongues wagging when he released his latest LP Magna Carta Holy Grail via the latest tech treasure, the Samsung Galaxy S4. Ask, what more can he say? Hov delved into topics that ranged from classic art to Miley Cyrus twerking.(Photo: Ron Smits/London Ent/Splash News)

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Jay Z - There are many reasons that Jay Z's debut album, Reasonable Doubt, is viewed as a classic. Included among them is the fact that Hov had a wealth life experience to draw from, since he dropped the disc at the age of 26.(Photo: Ron Smits/London Ent/Splash News)

Kanye West @kanyewest - Tweet: The doors may be heavier, but I promise you WE WILL BREAK THEM. (Photo: Ronin 47 / Splash News)

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Kanye West - Kanye West isn't hesitant to tell you that the odds were against him to make it as a rapper. As he was coming up, making his mark as a producer, it was hard for him to get taken seriously by peers and execs. When he finally did get a chance to leave his mark as a rapper — dropping his debut album, The College Dropout, at 26 — what we got was the first of numerous classics.(Photo: Ronin 47 / Splash News)

G-Unit Is an Army - 50 Cent didn't take over the game alone — he was backed by his G-Unit crew-cum-record-label. With Fif at the helm, G-Unit helped launch the careers of Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck and Game, and later signed vets including Mobb Deep and M.O.P.   (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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50 Cent - After a false start earlier in his career following a signing to Columbia Records in 1999, 50 Cent came back with a vengeance in 2003. With the backing of Shady/Aftermath/Interscope, Fif dropped his seminal debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', at the age of 27.(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Nicki Minaj, TBD - Nicki Minaj has given us all sorts of characters in rhyme (Roman, Rosa, Martha...), so there's no telling who will show up to man her next LP (that's part of the fun), especially since she's now a Hollywood actress with a credit in her first big screen film, The Other Woman, which also releases this year.(Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Clear Channel)

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Nicki Minaj - Like many MCs before her, Nicki Minaj earned her stripes by releasing mixtapes early in her career. When Lil Wayne took notice of the up-and-comer he signed her to Young Money, her career took off and she dropped her debut album, Pink Friday, just weeks shy of her 28th birthday.(Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Clear Channel)

Young Jeezy, 'It's a Cold World' - Young Jeezy paid tribute to the teen in the song "It's a Cold World." Expressing that he is "in no way, shape, form or fashion" trying to capitalize off of the Trayvon Martin case, Jeezy also incorporated some of his own personal experiences into the lyrics.I'm losin' homies everyday, I'm like please somebody else If nothin' else n**, I'ma do it for Trayvon That's on a stack of Bibles, least 2 or 3 Qurans(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for BET)

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Jeezy - After spending his early years trapping, Jeezy aligned with Def Jam to bring his street sound to the masses. At 27, he dropped his debut album, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101.(Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for BET)

People’s Champ Award Presented by Verizon: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis F/ Ray Dalton - "Can’t Hold Us" - Here's the dark-horse favorite. This upbeat Macklemore and Ryan Lewis tune caught the ears of many and sold over three million copies. I'm sure those people will have a say in this.  (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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Macklemore - Despite building a bit of a fanbase in Seattle and online in his early- and mid-20s, Macklemore and his career slowed down as he became addicted to lean. After returning with an EP and some touring, he dropped his debut album, The Heist, (along with producer Ryan Lewis) at the age of 30.(Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Erykah Badu's Name Change - As a youth, Erykah Badu changed her name from Erica Wright, which she considered her slave name. Badu is both her favorite scatting sound and a name used by the Akan people in Ghana.  (Photo: Michael Conti/San Jose Mercury News/MCT/LANDOV)

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Erykah Badu - Erykah Badu took the musical world by storm with her 1997 debut, Baduizm. She was just weeks shy of her 26th birthday when she dropped the project, which would go on to win Best R&B Album at the Grammys. (Photo: Michael Conti/San Jose Mercury News/MCT/Landov)

Macy Gray - Though not as prolific of a singer as many would have hoped, Macy Gray’s “I Try” would ensure her 1999 debut album, On How Life Is, triple platinum success. (Photo: Kevin Winter/ImageDirect)

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Macy Gray - Though she was signed to Atlantic Records earlier in the decade, Macy Gray didn’t release her debut album until 1999, when she was newly aligned with Epic Records. The album, On How Life Is, which spawned hits like "I Try," came out just a few months shy of her 30th birthday.(Photo: Kevin Winter/ImageDirect.)

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"So Far" - Eminem starts out by mocking some '90s alt rock before the classic rock guitars lay the backdrop for him to big up the city that he hails from and spit his usual outrageous rhymes, which include insisting that he and race car driver Danica Patrick are a perfect match. ("You're a vacuum, I'm a dirt bag.") (Photo: REUTERS /JUMANA EL HELOUEH /LANDOV)

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Eminem - Years spent earning his stripes in the Detroit battle rap circuit paid off for Eminem when, after signing with Dr. Dre's Aftermath imprint, the 26-year-old released his debut album, The Slim Shady LP. The release would later earn the Grammy for Best Rap Album.(Photo: Jumana ElHeloueh Landov/Reuters)

Babyface - While Babyface did earn credits as a songwriter and musician in his earlier years, it wouldn't be until 1986, at the age of 27, when he released his debut album, Lovers. The debut sold moderately, but his next three releases went multi-platinum.(Photo: Jeff Gentner/Getty Images for Grey Goose)

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Babyface - While Babyface did earn credits as a songwriter and musician in his earlier years, it wouldn't be until 1986, at the age of 27, when he released his debut album, Lovers. The debut sold moderately, but his next three releases went multi-platinum.(Photo: Jeff Gentner/Getty Images for Grey Goose)

BX Bred: The Bronx's Hip Hop Heavyweights - Friday (Feb. 7) marks 14 years since Big Pun, at the young age of 28, died from a heart attack. An immense talent who had only put out one album, Pun was gone far too soon, but still managed to leave a lasting legacy of songs, verses and influence. It's safe to say that he did his native Bronx proud. In his honor, here are some other heavyweights from hip hop's birthplace. (Photo: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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Big Pun - He appeared on Fat Joe's 1995 sophomore disc, Jealous One's Envy, but Big Pun didn’t drop his debut album, Capital Punishment, until three years later, at the age of 26. It scored a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album, and would be the only Pun CD released before his untimely death.  (Photo: Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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Childish Gambino - There's a pretty understandable reason that Childish Gambino didn’t drop his debut, Camp, until he was 28. The Georgia native, born Donald Glover, spent much of his 20s working on his comedy, writing and acting. That's not to say he wasn't focused on his rapping, too. It's just that it took a bit longer for that to catch on.(Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Photo By Ethan Miller/Getty Images

French Montana - October 15, 2013 - The Canadian rapper brought his Bad Boy rhymes to 106.Watch a clip now! (Photo: Moses Robinson/BET/Getty Images for BET)

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French Montana - In some ways it felt like French Montana had been around forever when he finally dropped his debut, Excuse My French, in 2013 at the age of 28. That's probably because, starting a decade prior to the album's release, French launched his street DVD series and began releasing slews of mixtapes.(Photo: Moses Robinson/BET/Getty Images for BET)

Jill Scott - Jill Scott was 28 when she released her celebrated debut, Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1. The album earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album in 2001.(Photo: Greetsia Tent/WireImage)

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Jill Scott - Jill Scott was 28 when she released her celebrated debut, Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1. The album earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album in 2001.(Photo: Greetsia Tent/WireImage)