By Jane Prendergast
The Cincinnati Enquirer

A former crack dealer turned rapper whose debut CD shattered sales records last week performs tonight at an Over-the-Rhine club that police have been trying to shut down because of violence.

50 Cent, an Eminem protege who brags about being shot nine times, is a national smash. His Get Rich or Die Tryin' sold more than 872,000 copies in its first four days of release. That's the best showing by a new artist since the music industry started keeping track 12 years ago.

The Queens, N.Y., native, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, is scheduled to appear tonight at The Next Level, a West 12th Street bar with a capacity of 1,250. Doors open at 9 p.m. for the $35 show, but patrons are expected to arrive earlier to line up for tickets. 50 Cent is expected to perform about midnight.

Police are increasing staffing in case of trouble. Officers have been watching the club off and on for months after several calls for shots fired outside, and they've talked with the owner, Waleia Jackson, who also works in public services for the city.

Bar managers hope this will be the show that turns around the club's reputation for danger, which they say is undeserved.

"A lot of the things occurred down the street and around the corner,'' said Jimmy Cool, a manager. "But we just decided that if we're the bad club, we wanted the baddest guy around."

Lt. Kurt Byrd, police department spokesman, declined to be specific about how many extra officers would be assigned to watch the club tonight.

"Any event that draws a large amount of people to a small area, we're going to be prepared for that,'' he said.

Farrah Jackson, another club manager, welcomed the police presence.

"It's going to be a good night. No one's looking for any trouble," she said.

E-mail jprendergast@enquirer.com