50 Cent
Quick Background:
Curtis Jackson, also known as 50 Cent, is a rapper from Queens, New York City. He’s released five solo albums and has multiple mixtapes under his belt. Additionally, he has collaborative albums and mixtapes with his group, G-Unit. Making his major label debut in 2003, with Get Rich or Die Tryin’, 50 Cent arguably had one of the biggest debuts in music history going diamond with his first album. Two decades on from his debut, the album is a certified classic. 50 Cent has gone on to become a successful businessman, mogul and since 2014 he has successfully transitioned into the world of producing television series from the likes of Power and BMF.
Penmanship — 6.5 :
When it comes to his penmanship, I've always thought 50 was generally fine. I don't think his rhymes schemes or patterns are insane or intricate. It tends to be two bars consisting of a rhyme and then the next two having a rhyme and so forth. Though he has produced great verses on songs such as “Back Down” and “Many Men”, there are other rappers who can produce a better 16 than he can. On the other hand, where 50 shines the most is with his song writing. He makes it seem so easy to make a great and catchy chorus, hence why he has made countless hit songs, from the likes of "In da Club" and "Candy Shop". Two decades on from these songs, they continue to get the crowd excited no matter what generation or country they are from.
Flow — 8 :
I've always enjoyed 50's flow, he’s flowed well on the beats that he has rapped on. Whether it’s production from Dr. Dre or Scott Storch, he never flows off beat or ruins the beat that is given to him. Even on mixtapes, such as 50 Cent is the Future, he flows really well on other rapper's beats. For example on DJ Kayslay’s The Streepsweeper Vol. 1, he raps over the instrumental for LL Cool J's "I Shot Ya", which is a classic cut off of LL’s 1995 album Mr. Smith. However, 50 was able to take that beat and create a phenomenal track for himself, naming that track “50 Shot Ya”.
Delivery — 9 :
If you listen to 50's music before and after he got shot, you can tell the impact that it had on his voice. If I'm being honest, I prefer his voice now. 50's voice is a huge reason as to why he became a household name. His voice post getting shot became more menacing and aggressive. He once said that this voice sold millions of records and everything happens for a reason, and I agree with him on this. In addition, he is able to be both laidback and aggressive, plus he knows which song requires the right delivery.
Beat Selection — 8 :
50 is one of those artists that is blessed, in the fact that he usually fits well with the beats that he chooses. Whether it's production for a single or a beat that is more grimy, 50 fits well on either side. He has rapped on production from Dr. Dre, Eminem, Timbaland and even Griselda’s very own Daringer. 50 tends to pick the right beat for the type of music that he wants to make, selecting the appropriate beat that matches the content and topic he wants to right about. There have been instances where the beat selection has been questionable and some of the music hasn’t aged so well, from the likes of “Fire” from his Curtis album or “Baby By Me”, which was the lead single from his fifth album Before I Self Destruct. However overall and judging his whole career, his beat selection has been solid, especially during his peak years.
Versatility — 5 :
For the most part I wouldn’t consider 50 Cent the most versatile rapper. Though he has rapped on various beats, there are rappers out there who have been way more experimental and have gone out of their comfort zone when it comes to production. For example, Jay-Z has rapped on damn near every type of beat you can think of. Additionally, 50 hasn't been very versatile with his content, his career has mostly been centred around stereotypical topics that are associated with rap music, especially during his era; that being money, girls and being a gangster.
Originality — 5 :
I don’t think 50 Cent has ever bitten off of anyone’s style nor do I think he mimics any other rapper. However, I also don’t think he came out with any new styles in terms of his rapping or the music he created. 50’s rise to fame wasn’t about how he was so weird or out of the ordinary, when compared to other rappers. For the most part, he followed the formula that was heavily popular during the late 90s and 2000s, a formula that was used by the likes of Biggie. The formula was essentially a rap artist having two to three songs that were more for the radio and the rest of the album consisted of what was deemed as records for the “streets”. Furthermore, as mentioned above the content of his music wasn’t anything new either.
StoryTelling — 7 :
Before, I mentioned that 50’s lyricism isn’t the most technical or complex, however his storytelling abilities within his songs can be a definite highlight. During the beginning of his career, in the first half of the 2000s, 50 showed examples of his ability to tell compelling stories. This was shown on records such as “Ghetto Quran” and “A Baltimore Love Thing”. On the latter, the song sounds like a love song, however when you listen closely 50 is actually writing from the perspective of heroin and how he is trying to latch on to his user. With the two songs mentioned, they are two of the best songs 50 has ever written; and I find “A Baltimore Love Thing” one of the most under appreciated songs in 50’s catalogue. Speaking of catalogue…
Catalogue — 6.5 :
This was definitely the hardest category to grade, because 50 has made some great music over the years, however he’s also made some duds. When it comes to his albums, the general consensus seems that 50 only has one good album, that being Get Rich Or Die Tryin’. Even with his debut, I’ve noticed in recent years some critics don’t think it’s aged well and it’s overrated. I disagree with both viewpoints, firstly Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is a fantastic album and it still sounds great twenty years on. I also don’t believe it’s the only good album in his catalogue. One unpopular opinion that I have is that I find his second LP, The Massacre, to be another great album and I think it’s one of the best sophomore rap albums in the last two decades. Similar to his first album, the album consists of great singles such as “Just A Lil Bit” and great album cuts, such as “Ski Mask Way” and as mentioned before, “A Baltimore Love Thing”. In addition, people need to look at his mixtapes such as Guess Who’s Back and 50 Cent is the Future with G-Unit, the latter is one of the best mixtapes ever released.
However, 50 Cent’s peak finished after 2005’s The Massacre and the album’s he put out after just didn’t hit the same. By the time of his third album, Curtis, Hip-Hop was moving into a new direction and thanks to Kanye West’s Graduation, Gangsta rap was diminishing as a commercial phenomenon. Curtis does have some highlights with “I Get Money” and “Man Down”, however it just doesn’t live up to his first two albums and the follow ups, Before I Self Destruct and Animal Ambition are completely forgetable.
Top three Projects
50 Cent’s top three projects: 50 Cent is the Future as G-Unit (2002), Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003) and The Massacre (2005)
Impact — 8.5 :
50 Cent with G-Unit members Tony Yayo (back right) and Lloyd Banks (back left)
No one can deny the impact that 50 Cent made during his run. He revolutionised the mixtape game, by creating and self-releasing his own mixtapes, making enough buzz to sign with Dr. Dre and Eminem. The blueprint that he created with his mixtapes, led to other rappers from the likes of T.I., Lil Wayne and Jeezy doing the same thing. The hype for his debut album was immense and it went on to be one of best selling rap albums of all time. Jay-Z once said that he gave a warning to Roc-A-Fella artists, about the impact of 50 Cent before he came out. With one album 50 became a massive superstar, gaining deals with Reebok and Vitamin Water. During the early to mid-2000s, G-Unit was one of the most popular Hip-Hop groups. Along with Dipset, they helped New York City continue to shine, as the South was becoming the focal point of Hip-Hop during that time.
Total — 63.5 :
In the end, 50 garnered a total of 63.5 points and gained a 7.1 average, gaining a B—. Overall, I think 50 is a good rapper and I think some critics have been harsh on him. I do agree that post 2007, 50's music was generally not great, but prior to that he released some good projects. Though he peaked quite quickly and didn’t release material that was on par with his earlier works, he pretty much stopped and didn’t continue to produce mediocre material. I think the good outweighs the bad when it comes to 50’s music, plus his delivery, flow and impact are examples as to why I believe he should be classed as a good rapper.