50 Cent — Get Rich Or Die Tryin’
Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ is an album most rappers can only dream about having in their discography. On his debut album, 50 Cent was able to have both the radio and the streets on lock.
“50 Cent is coming”
“50 Cent is coming”, this was the warning that Jay-Z gave to the Roc-A-Fella camp before 50 Cent came out with his smash hit “In Da Club”. That just shows how big the hype was around 50 Cent, to the point that one of the biggest rappers at the time is pre-warning one of the biggest hip-hop labels at the time, that one artist is about to shake up the rap game. Jay-Z was right to provide this warning. “In Da Club” was the number one record in America for nine weeks straight and remained on the chart for 30 weeks. Not only that, but it also broke a Billboard record as the most listened to song in radio history within one week. 50 Cent not only took the spotlight within Hip-Hop, but he also took the spotlight within the music industry. There was a reason for the hype, there was this aura around the name “50 Cent”. 50 brilliantly built a buzz for himself by releasing mixtapes under his own name, something that was unheard of at the time. Additionally, he made headlines as he was shot nine times and lived to tell the tale and because of this, record labels were petrified to associate with him. Until his mixtape landed in the hands of Eminem and in the end 50 Cent signed to both Eminem and Dr. Dre’s labels, respectively. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ was the highest selling album of 2003, going diamond, and two decades on from its release it is still 50 Cent’s highest selling album.
With the sound of a coin being placed on what seems to be a table, the album kicks off and what follows the “Intro” is arguably one of hardest hitting first songs on any rap album. “What Up Gangsta” sets the tone of the whole album and it is a perfect way to start the project, 50’s ability to create a great chorus is remarkable, even with an album cut he makes such an infectious song. “What Up Gangsta” could easily have been another single off the album, and it’s an essential song within 50’s catalogue. As mentioned before, 50 was able to keep both the mainstream and Hip-Hop fans satisfied. Records such as “P.I.M.P.”, “21 Questions” and the already mentioned “In da Club” got huge amounts of radio spins, and all three are great singles. On the other hand, there are some album cuts that deserve high praise as well. Album cuts such as “Blood Hound” featuring Young Buck and “Heat” are beautifully aggressive and menacing, whilst still possessing infectious and catchy choruses. For all that said, they are still nothing compared to the album’s tenth track, “Back Down”. A diss track to 50 Cent’s arch nemesis, Ja Rule, it’s one of the greatest diss tracks ever recorded. Produced by Dr. Dre, it’s a three verse onslaught filled with humorous lines and scathing lyrics about his rival. From a lyrical standpoint, “Back Down” is 50 Cent at his best and the way he flows throughout the song is great.
When we think of 50 Cent’s music there is one song that stands out from the rest, more than the hit singles, that being “Many Men (Wish Death)”. The track is autobiographical as it touches upon when 50 was shot nine times, it’s also a haunting track that takes aim on those who wish harm on him. Though I love the song, it’s not my favourite from the Queens native, however I cannot argue with the fact that it’s the best song he has ever recorded. Twenty years on, it’s one of the most impactful songs put out in the last two decades, as it’s been interpolated and sampled by multiple rappers.
If I had one critique, I think the album does need some small trimming, as records such as “Like My Style” featuring Tony Yayo and “Gotta Make It To Heaven” aren’t as strong as the other tracks. Nonetheless, it’s a classic blockbuster album, Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ is a moment in time and is one of the most impactful albums of the 2000s. It’s filled with enjoyable crossover singles that can still fill out a dancefloor to this day and great album cuts that are also still enjoyable two decades on. Barring the two songs mentioned prior, I can throw it on now and pretty much enjoy it the whole way through.