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50 Cent - Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
- 50 Cent was destined to be a superstar. He survived nine gun shots in 2000, then developed an intimidating mix tape presence by way of New York City, had smash singles circulating over airwaves by 2002, and has stamps of approval from Eminem and Dr. Dre.
Signed for $1 million to his own G-Unit Records, Eminem’s Shady Records, Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment, Violator Management, and Interscope Records, 50’s 2003-debut, “Get Rich Or Die Tryin’,” with executing from form Em and Dre, is an intimidating force in the rap game, and viewed as a hip-hop classic by some. It sold an extraordinary 872,000 copies in its first week of release and about 8 million nationwide as of late.
As a newcomer to the rap industry, 50 Cent comes out swinging. He fears no competition. He is the elephant in the room, one you cannot avoid despite your efforts. You might hate his guts, but he could care less.
His swagger is convincingly one of a kind. The bullet shot that pierced through his cheek gave him a mixture of an aggressive New York voice and laidback southern drawl.
As a rap rookie he comes off as arrogant by speaking so highly of himself, but his delivery alone backs his claim. He sometimes sounds lackadaisical not due to a lack of focus, but because rapping is a breeze to him.
But 50’s seemingly easygoing flow should not be taken lightly. On “High All the Time,” for example, 50 goes from smoking weed in Central Park to sending a warning call to two rap greats. He raps, “If David can go against Goliath with a stone/I can go at Nas and Jigga, both for the throne.” Whether he was high when he wrote that or desperate for celebrity attention, his clever threat is effective in making the listener rewind.
When bragging about himself, 50 Cent makes the listener believe him without realizing it. On “U Not Like Me,” a cut from his 2002 album, “Guess Who’s Back,” he boasts, “They don’t walk around with a 9[mm] like me/They don’t wanna do a 3 to 9 like me/And they ain’t strong enough to take 9 like me.” He is self-confident, feeling no need to overcompensate with loud yelling or whatnot out of insecurity.
“Heat,” produced by Dr. Dre, has background noise of a reloading gun and paints a vivid picture of his dangerous Southside Jamaica, Queens upbringing. He holds his own with lines such as, “I done made myself a millionaire, by myself/Now s**t changed motherfu**er, I can hire some help.” What makes the album captivating is that he became famous yet cannot sever ties from his past. He seems on the edge of throwing his career away and returning to the streets.
He makes his presence felt over hardcore beats to match his macho persona. The producers’ instrumentals generate hype for his lyrics, which are impeccably on beat, typically with a heavy bass. “What Up Gangsta” has well-timed drum thumps throughout, and “Poor Lil Rich” opens with a light, constant synth, generating anticipation before the beat drops.
He has capitalized on his past of crack dealing and a nearly fatal shooting, but he maintains his street mentality and seemingly innate paranoia. He bullies the streets, boasting his gun arsenal and daring anyone to sell dope on his strip on various occasions. On “Many Men,” he recalls when he got shot 9 times back in 2000 over an eerie beat kept afloat by somber piano keys. He warns, “I walk around, gun on my waist, chip on my shoulder/’Till I bust a clip in your face, p***y, this beef ain’t over.” The track is the best example on the album of how 50 shows no fear, even though his life is on the line.
50 Cent can also flow over a range of fast, somber, upbeat, slow, bass-heavy, snare-based beats. He breezes over the speedy pop-record, “Wanksta,” which generated him a great buzz, with witty rags to riches rhymes that belittle his haters. Even over a mainstream single he maintains his blunt, cocky attitude with lines such as, “I get what you get for a brick to talk greezy.” His monster single, “In Da Club,” is head-bob inducing, with triumphant horns and momentous maracas.
Over the steady and serene Nate Dogg-featured “21 Questions,” he takes a break from calling women bitches and hoes. He is charming with lines such as, “I love you like a fat kid love cake/You know my style, I say anything to make you smile.”
And “21 Questions” is the only track that 50 does not make a chorus himself for. He successfully transitions from verse to verse with catchy hooks, sometimes singing. Sometimes bars as simple as, “I know you like my style/You like how I break it down,” works throughout the album.
50 Cent almost died, but that didn’t stop him from trying. After being shot 9 times he lives by the gun, but his violent rhetoric can be overwhelming, and even redundant, at times. He refers to guns well over 50 times, and sometimes it hinders his creativity. But the album is authentic. He speaks on what he knows, not a fabricated lifestyle. And he isn’t going anywhere.
Reviewer: Michael Mandelkern
new
Reviewer's Rating: 9
Reader's Rating: 10.00
Reader's Votes: 1
Added: 21-Jun-2009
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