50 Cent has finally set a release date for his fifth album.

The "Candy Shop" star will release the long delayed Five (Murder By Numbers) on July 3.

The rapper said part of the reason for the long delay - almost three years since his last album Before I Self Destruct - is because he has taken time to perfect each track: "I said I was gonna put a record out that was completely up to album standard, and I'm gonna do that. I worked on this album for a long time. It's been three years."

50 - real name Curtis Jackson - added his turbulent relationship with Interscope records has been part of delays to the record, which was originally to be titled Black Magic. 50 threatened to leak the entire album in full in January, and shortly afterward one song "Girls Go Wild," appeared on the internet, but 50 has since made up with his record company.

"Labels, at different points, they drop the ball. It's not visible when the momentum is feverish. For me, with Interscope, all the success I've had in music has been with them," he added.

50 has also recently recovered after being hospitalized with a stomach virus.