Hip-Hop's Forum

By: Matias Manriquez (Editor & Writer: Hip-Hop’s Forum)

50 Cent delivers the prequel to Get Rich or Die Tryin'.

If you’re reading this I’m assuming you either are or aren’t a fan of Curtis Jackson aka 50 cent. There never seems to be much of an “indifferent” crowd.Like him or not, he manages to stay at the center of the game with his business, beefs, and beats. Some feel as though his recent music has failed to live up to the enormous success of his 2003 release, Get Rich Or Die Tryin’. He tackles those expectations with Before I Self Destruct.

What’s impressing about the Jamaica-Queens rapper is that he’s never compared to any other rapper. He is always measured against himself in terms of success. While this is Jackson’s fourth release, it’s set as the prequel to Get Rich or Die Tryin’. The production is flawless featuring beats from Dr. Dre, Scott Storch, Tha Bizness, Timbaland, and Polow Tha Don. They all work seamlessly with Jackson’s vocals, and delivery.

The album reminds me of his early work. He goes back to being the loud mouthed, tough-talking, Queens rapper who takes no bullshit. Sonically, Before I Self Destruct is about 80% aggressive and 20% mellow. He reignites his gangsta-rap bravado on the mic with cuts like, “Death To My Enemies” , “Stretch”, “Strong Enough”, and “Ok, You’re Right”.

When “Death to my Enemies” came on I thought it was a 2Pac song. The Dr.Dre beat goes perfect with Jackson’s near screaming delivery. “Ok, You’re Right” , one of my favorite tracks on the album, focuses on doubt, criticism, and success. The beat is epic and features 50 bragging about his power and wealth. He raps:

I blew a hundred G’s on my bitches in Miami
They think I’m the sweetest thing invented since candy
Me I catch amnesia when you ask me ’bout the shotty
I don’t even know my name, switchin lanes in my Bugatti
Nigga I ain’t crazy, bitches like me cause I’m paid
They want me, LeBron, Kobe or Dwyane Wade
When I say I’m ballin I’m not talkin ’bout a ball
I’m talkin ’bout Tiffany & Co. stones out the mall
Niggaz they can hate all they want but they know they like this
Me I’m like that paintin on the wall, baby I’m priceless
You could come and work me over baby on the night shift
Catch me on the night shift, see how freaky I get

In my opinion 50 has always had a good ear for picking beats. BISD is no exception. “Psycho”, produced by Dr. Dre, pairs Jackson with his Shady-Aftermath lyrical counter-punch, Eminem. I’ll never get sick of hearing these two go back and forth. Even though Shady runs circles around most rappers 50 never sounds over-matched. Add “Psycho” to classics like “Never Enough”and  “Patiently Waiting”. Here the rappers go back and forth:

50 cent]
its operation time to gut em
hooked up to wires,
squeeze em, he bleeding, wheezing, breathing he half dead,
he must not know but now he now how Shady Aftermath is,
even murderous tactics get better with practice,
lyrics courtesy of killerhiphop.com
lead showers, gun powder, feel the talons burn burn,
truly ours Juliard, you better learn learn,

[Eminem]
Chris Reeves in his grave,
yeah homie turn turn,
Im debating, mutilating the lady,
youve been waiting for shady and fif,
ain’t no duplicating it baby,
theres a baby in the drier,
theres a torso in the washer,
I think it might even belong to Portia when I tossed her,
arms and legs in the garbage cos the rest of her,
I lost her,
her head is in the disposal with Jessica’s I squashed her,
and put her through the ringer and hung her over the wash tub

Of course it wouldn’t be a Curtis Jackson project without some drama. Lyrical jabs are a 50 Cent signature. “So Disrespectful” gives him a melodic platform from which to launch verbal assaults on former G-Unit members Young Buck and Game. 50 goes accuses Young Buck of being a junkie and Game for being a two-faced hater. Harsh.

It’s not all verbal jabs. “Baby by Me” features a beat built on a 50 vocal sample from “I Get Money”. The song also features R&B “gentleman” Ne-Yo. I’ve read mixed reviews, but for me this is a vintage 50 ballad. [see "21 Questions" "Build You Up"]. “Do You Think About Me” is the one of the more interesting songs on the album because it doesn’t sound like a beat 50 would get on. Its one of my favorite cuts because of its originality. He raps about the women in his life, and how he changed their lives.

Whether you have opinion A or B, I suggest you attempt to listen objectively. Judge the music and not the man.BISD is one of the better albums this year. Jackson brings back the aggression he came up with all while keeping the club and the ladies in mind. It’s a good piece of work that’s notably lacking features. It’s mostly 50. He doesn’t rely on Hip-Hop’s best to fill up verses, but instead bears the lyrical weight, which is something to be admired.

Props, Curtis.