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50 Cent
Self proclaimed 'biggest' rapper, his previous set 'The Massacre' sent four singles into the billboard top 10. He's been struggling a little so far on the singles front for the 'Curtis' campaign, with neither 'Amusement Park' or 'Straight to the Bank' setting the world alight, although 'Ayo Technology' at the time of writing has breached the top twenty. Has 50 Cent passed his commercial peak? Well, the previous few albums have sold multiple millions, and even though 'Curtis' is competing directly with Kayne West's new effort, 50 Cent is unlikely to be back on the streets anytime soon. Doing my little bit of research for this review, I discover 50 Cent has never seemingly been held in particular high regard by the rap purists, but especially not after turning pop/rap with his more recent efforts. Rap is now very much a commercial form, one of the biggest next to rock music. You either stay outside the business, don't make enough ripples to cause anybody to fall over, or you try and play the game and see what you can acheive from within the machine. Of course, 50 Cent was an Eminem 'sponsered' artist, Eminem discovered him and signed him. I don't know why he's so particularly disliked, especially when he's sold so many records. Will anybody admit to actually liking him, these days? You know, I dislike Phil Collins not because he sold loads of records, but more the man and his music. 50 Cent is as real a deal as many a rapper, so I don't have a problem there. He picks up a bunch of producers to work on different songs, every area covered. True, the beats on this set are fairly safe, commercial affairs. His own performance combines clever couplets, a few boasts and angry swipes and his laid-back delivery suits the mood of the record.
50 Cent
Albums
Related Artists - Eminem, Kanye West, Black Eyed Peas
Related Genres - Hip-Hop
Curtis 7 ( 2007 )
Intro / My Gun Go Off / Man Down / I'll Still Kill / I Get Money / Come & Go / Ayo Technology / Follow My Lead / Movin' on Up / Straight to the Bank / Amusement Park / Fully Loaded / Peep Show / Fire / All of Me / Curtis 187 / Touch the Sky
Guest appearances include Akon and Justin Timberlake. 'Ayo Technology' features Timberlake and Timbaland so really it's no surprise that this song is getting up the charts, either one of those two alone would be enough to ensure this tune fills the dancefloors. The song is absolutely nothing new, but in the latter part of the 'noughties', it's tunes like 'Ayo Technology' that sell. You may be a rock fan or an alternative fan, but 50 cent and the like have pop, hip hop and rnb covered. This is what 'the kids' are into. 'Amusement Park' which was also a single singularly fails to impress me. It's ok, but nowhere near enough to stand-out. Could be anybody, really. Better is the Akon collaboration, 'I'll Still Kill' with slicing, hypnotic beats and fine lyrics/flow. In a similar, harding hitter vein is second tune here and possible standout, 'My Gun'. Another highlight arrives with 'I Got Money', at least the guy isn't hiding, you know? Dr.Dre covers 'Come & Go' with his distinctive beats, 'Eminem' produces 'Peep Show' and it sounds like it. We need a touch of class then to pick things back up again. It arrives with a classy guest spot from Mary J Blige on 'All Of Me'. So, 50 Cent only has one more studio album after this left on his contract and then the inevitable 'Greatest Hits'. He'll be around til then, this album has already sold in excess of 600,000 copies in the US alone since it was release four/five days ago. What happens after then will be down to 50 cent and whether he still has the drive and ambition. So, pop/rap? Yeah, it is, apart from a couple of things, but the highlights here are enough for me.
Add A Comment? Readers Comments
CJ New Orleans
fiftys d best raper dere'l ever be. so ya'l stop hating on d kid, mater of fact fuck lil wayne dis nigaz got peps writing 4 em but 50 he a lyrical beast. shout out to d whole unit. am rydin 4 ya no mater who ever.
this page last updated 13/07/08
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