Credo: 50 Cent

I believe that Halle Berry is very fine. She was great in X-Men. I don't just mean as an actress. I loved how she looked, but I don't know if I'd ask her out!

I believe that when I was performing for the troops in war-torn Iraq the first thing one of the American soldiers said to me was: "I'm not going to bullshit you, but you could die today." Just then, as he finished speaking, the bombs started going off. We couldn't leave so they had to re-schedule my flight out of the war zone. I was trapped there for five hours. And, after what the soldier had said to me, I was so grateful just to be able to leave on a plane as soon as possible.

I believe that acting is a new challenge for me and with Home of the Brave I hope I can show people that I can act in roles that are nothing to do with rappers. My character in the film shoots an innocent woman and as the director of the film, Irwin Winkler, says, my mental condition forms a big part of the movie.

I believe that making 'Home of the Brave' brought home to me how terrible it must be to have to remain in the war zone. It all blew up even though I was there for only five hours. I had just finished performing some rapping for the guys and we were attacked and we couldn't leave. I didn't see the soldiers who got injured but they were dying every day.

I believe that playing basketball on the set of a video shoot is how I best relax.

I believe that troops these days will fight and kill for their country, but they won't die for their country. If it said on the form when you actually enlist for the military that you have to answer, "Would you die for your country?", then far fewer people would sign up for duty. Look, people just don't sign up to go and die for their country!

What do I believe about Spike Lee's beef with me, when he accused me of just using the "gangsta thing" to sell records? Well, I guess I believe that he doesn't know me personally.

I believe that war changes you for ever inside. I know that like myself, the people who have come back from serving in Iraq after seeing so many people die around them, change as a person inside. Personally, my spirit has changed. And I even heard of soldiers who were trying to get injured to get home. It's just like Vietnam in that respect.

I believe that when I was shot in the face that was the moment I realised that music was my way out. I've been asked what it feels like to get shot and let me tell you: it hurts. Away from the actual physical pain, which is confusing, what was worse for me was not knowing if I'd be well enough to write music again.

I believe that there is also a war out there on the streets I come from. When I think of what I experienced - the violence in the street - the main thing is that when I made mistakes, there were still options open to me like going into making music. However, looking back, it didn't feel like an option at the time. I had to do a lot of research to make the Home of the Brave because I've never actually served for the army in a war. Do I think that the war being fought out in Iraq shares similarities with the one being fought out on the streets of America where I grew up? Well, I now know that the war in Iraq is very, very real.

I believe that in Iraq I can absolutely say that some soldiers are trying to get minor injuries - not losing a limb or anything serious - so they can go home and get out of that war scenario.

I believe that I was just in a cycle of crime in my early years. When I think back I realise that I couldn't see the things that were going on outside of that life ... until I started writing my music.

I believe 'Goodfellas' is one of the greatest films ever made.

I believe that style and class is important and maybe that's why I love hanging out in the south of France as much as I can because you cannot buy that kind of style. I shot the video to the song "Window Shopper" in Cannes and I'm quite familiar with the area after I first went there for the MRJ awards. Now I love it.

'Home of the Brave' is released around Europe on various dates in May. 50 Cent was talking to Andrew Threlfall