50 Cent made headlines with an announcement regarding his departure from Shady/Aftermath/Interscope today (February 20). HipHopDX has revisited the full-length studio albums that 50 Cent released under the Shady/Aftermath/Interscope umbrella, 2003’s Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, 2005’s The Massacre, 2007’s Curtis and 2009’s Before I Self Destruct.
50 Cent – Get Rich Or Die Tryin’
HipHopDX reviewed Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ February 10, 2003 and awarded the album a 4 out of 5 X rating. “Some don’t feel 50’s marble-mouthed delivery and it can get particularly tiresome on the hooks,” HipHopDX said at the time. “That aside, he does pay a lot of attention to song structure and even though not everything clicks, nothing sounds thrown together as filler material. While 50 lacks the lyrical prowess and mic presence of a Jay-Z or Nas, he has wedged himself into New York’s upper class by keeping it in the gutter.” HipHopDX’s user-rating for Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ was 4.69 out of 5. To view the full Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ review, click here.
50 Cent – The Massacre
Two years after releasing his debut album, 50 Cent released The Massacre. The album was reviewed February 25, 2005 and it earned a 3.5 out of 5. “Unfortunately, this album won’t be judged by most on its merits,” HipHopDX said at the time. “It will be judged by who made it. Either people despise 50, usually because they don’t think he deserves his popularity or because they just think he’s an obnoxious asshole. Or people ride his dick and claim he is the greatest thing since sliced bread. So this album is either a piece of shit or another classic. So another dope album from 50 will never be held in the regard it should be, instead it’s marred in some form controversy. But then again, maybe 50 wouldn’t have it any other way.” HipHopDX’s user rating for the album was a 3.98. To read the full The Massacre review, click here.
50 Cent – Curtis
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50 Cent waited two years before releasing his Curtis album, a project that was reviewed by HipHopDX September 10, 2007. In its review, 50 Cent was given his lowest mark on the site, a 2.5 out of 5 X rating. “Fan reaction will be the same as it ever was; blind nuthuggers calling it a classic and sworn haters calling it the worst thing since cancer,” HipHopDX said at the time. “Really, it is just a very average album from an artist we know is capable of more but rarely interested in giving 100 percent. 50 Cent may be a superstar, but Curtis is pedestrian.” HipHopDX users were more favorable in reviewing this album, as they awarded this collection a 3.23 rating. To read the full Curtis review, click here.
50 Cent – Before I Self Destruct
In 2009, 50 Cent released Before I Self Destruct, his fourth full-length studio album under Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records’ umbrella. On November 9 2009, HipHopDX reviewed the album, which earned a 3.5 out of 5 X rating. “While 50’s sense of humor bleeds through the entire work, it’s more arrogance than anything else. That’s 50 Cent though, and that’s what we’ve come to expect from him. However, for a multi-millionaire like Curtis Jackson, it wouldn’t have hurt to end his four-album stint on Interscope with some grown ass man Rap. Instead we’re given a collection of songs that are more b-sides than hits, with the exception of an obvious few like ‘So Disrespectful’ his usual ‘shit list’ track, the hard-hitting ‘Crime Wave,’ the Eminem-owned ‘Psycho,’ and the super-Poppy ‘Baby By Me’ featuring Ne-Yo.” To read the full Before I Self Destruct review, click here.
Which 50 Cent Album is Your Favorite?
