On June 3, 50 Cent is scheduled to release his fifth retail, studio album, Animal Ambition: An Untamed Desire To Win. Fif is selling this one as a reboot of sorts, given his move from Shady/Aftermath/Interscope over to Capitol. His detractors are likely viewing this through the dreaded, clichéd lens of a “make or break” album. Honestly, I don’t think it fits in either category. His net worth may have exploded, and he certainly has a larger audience, but I don’t think 50 is doing anything we haven’t seen since his shelved Columbia Records project, Power of the Dollar. He’s still alternating between violent and aspirational subject matter tinged with catchy, R&B-influenced choruses. And when he wants to draw attention to a project, he’s still playing up his beefs—whether they’re with executives, fellow rappers or anyone else who doesn’t pose a direct threat. While he now has the financial freedom and creative leverage to make any kind of album he wants, I think he’ll continue unsuccessfully chasing another Top 10 single.
I also don’t know if any of Hip Hop’s dominant media outlets want to have a nuanced discussion about 50 Cent. Do you really want to be The Source in 2003 and not have the benefit of a 50 Cent cover story as well as the inflammatory quotes and the sales boost that usually accompany such an article? It’s not so much a general fear of 50, although his feuds with The Source and WorldStarHipHop are a good example of what happens when he’s pissed. But if you’re a media outlet in 2014, then a convo with or about the guy with 7.41 million Twitter followers all potentially ready to engage with your coverage is a necessary business decision.
Power Of The Dollar: 50 Cent Joins Rap’s Cash Kings
In his recent press, most of the focus has shifted to 50’s various beefs and his business acumen, and I don’t think that’s an accident. In March of 2011, Forbes.com listed Hip Hop’s top-earning performers based on valuation of their current holdings, past earnings, financial documents and feedback from analysts, attorneys and managers. Sean Combs ranked first with $475 million, followed by Jay Z at $450 million, Dr. Dre at $125 million and 50 Cent with $100 million. Think about that; 50 Cent forced himself into the same conversation as Jay Z and Sean Combs. Jay enjoyed the considerable marketing push of Def Jam for most of his career (from 1996 through 2006), and Combs benefited from the cultural capital of being associated with Biggie and the financial capital of his moves as the founder of Bad Boy. Conversely, 50 Cent basically turned some mixtapes into a partnership with Eminem and Dr. Dre, a landmark album and one of Hip Hop’s most lucrative pre-Beats/Apple business deals. By buying into the privately owned company Glaceau early, 50 Cent netted an estimated figure between $60 million and $100 million when Coca-Cola purchased the company for $4.1 billion in May of 2007.
Like My Style: 50 Cent’s Stylistic Shift & Emotional Appeal
So I’d argue that no matter what, 50 won, and he’s still very much relevant in and outside of Hip Hop. But how much are people talking about 50 Cent’s music? It’s not that the music is particularly bad; it’s just not great. That’s not a diss, because I do think 50 has previously approached a level of greatness. So I think those expecting him to return to such levels either become frustrated or just indifferent at his repeated failure to maintain that standard. I think there will always be a section of his fans so enraptured by the combination of 50 Cent’s personal narrative and the skillful execution of Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ that it doesn’t matter to them if 50 can ever reach such levels of greatness again. I’m not one of those people, because I can separate the narrative from the music. Tracks such as “Twisted,” “Irregular Heartbeat,” and “Pilot” tap into the catchy, melodic aspects of Get Rich Or Die Tryin’. But they don’t capture the emotions found on “Many Men,” “G’d Up” or even “I Get Money.”
Before sustaining a gunshot wound to the mouth, I think 50 Cent was a more technically proficient emcee. He articulated better, so he had a better ability to vary his cadences, and his flow was nimble if and when he chose to showcase such a wordy delivery. Fif saying, “I’ma tell you what Banks told me, cuz go ahead switch the style up / If niggas hate then let them hate, and watch the money pile up,” fits the mythology of 50 Cent as one of Hip Hop’s ultimate, postmodern hustlers. But it’s just that—a myth. The change in 50’s post-shooting vocal delivery are rather obvious even by his own admission. I’d make the argument those limitations didn’t matter because 50 Cent had access to Dr. Dre production and mastering and because 50 Cent demonstrated a palpable kind of authenticity. You felt him.
I can’t speak for everyone, but thinking back to “Many Men,” I’ve only heard that kind of tangible anger and vulnerability while not compromising any masculinity in a select group of emcees. I remember hearing Tupac display it on “So Many Tears,” and I remember hearing B.G. showcase it when rhyming about how he used to snort heroin. Throw in a few classic lines from Prodigy, Scarface, Ice Cube or whomever your favorite emcee may be, and you’re talking about being able to emote on a level the average rapper can’t reach. I’m not saying 50 reached “greatest of all time” status. But I do think he briefly tapped into some of those G.O.A.T. characteristics, and that’s part of the global appeal of Get Rich Or Die Tryin’. Listening to “Many Men,” I didn’t care if 50 wasn’t flipping multisyllabic couplets and employing some A, B, B, A rhyme pattern. I didn’t know who Slim or “Hommo” were, but he made me feel something. The references to Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X and 50 saying, “Crooked-ass crackers will give my black ass a hundred years,” were militant. They touched a nerve.
The material I’ve heard from 50 Cent since then hasn’t touched that same nerve. You can argue in circles about whether 50 Cent can or can’t emotionally return to that space, and maybe there’s no real financial benefit in him doing so. But I’m of the belief that if his material is lacking both the technical rhyming ability of Power Of The Dollar and the emotional depth of Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, then he’s fighting an uphill battle. Take away those things, and he’s a serviceable emcee at best. And again, the material isn’t bad. I think if an ascending, independent artist dropped the type of songs 50 Cent is currently pushing as singles, media outlets would be bending over backwards to christen them as the next big thing. But after you’ve heard “Many Men,” hearing 50 turn up in Auto-tune on “Twisted” just pales in comparison.
Death To My Enemies: 50 Cent & The Benefit Of Manufactured Conflict
As a Hip Hop fan, it’s frustrating no one is asking 50 about the lack of emotional depth in some of his new material. It’s also somewhat understandable. As an editor, you take the 50 interview because you know he gives a level of honesty that is both refreshing and slightly intimidating.
“If he thinks your song was bullshit, that’s what he thinks,” DJ Whoo Kid explained in a May interview with HipHopDX. “But it’s not going to change his relationship with whoever he’s talking to, because he’ll even let them know to their face. He is always going to be outspoken. He does not care. He’s always been like that.”
In addition to racking up page-views, magazine sales, video plays, ratings or any other metric of choice, 50 has the reputation of consistently delivering some rather inflammatory pull quotes. In the past few months, he’s compared Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo to spoiled milk, likened Combs to Milli Vanilli, threw shots at Steve Stoute and weighed in on Donald Sterling, Kanye West and Solange Knowles. Aside from a basic right to free speech, I don’t think he was off base on any of the above topics. But none of them really had a damn thing to do with the drastic change in his music since Get Rich Or Die Tryin’. I just think it’s a mix of no one asking him about that change and 50 not particularly caring to censor himself and applying one of the 48 Laws of Power. In 2009, 50 worked with Robert Greene on what they called a strategical, inspirational manual entitled The 50th Law. Suffice it to say, 50’s familiar with Greene’s material.
Law #39 of Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power states, “Stir up waters to catch fish.” It’s essentially the same strategy 50 Cent used on “How To Rob” applied to media appearances. When Fif is making his press run, anyone on bad terms with him might as well grab a blindfold and a cigarette.
“All the top dogs had an issue with me, and I didn’t even have an album out,” 50 wrote in his memoir From Pieces to Weight. At the time, he was talking about his single “How To Rob,” but I think the strategy is equally applicable to most of his strategic beefs. “The response to me helped put me in the game. The more they reacted, the bigger my name got. I couldn’t pay for that kind of publicity—and my record label sure as hell wasn’t going to.”
When it’s time to drum up press for a project, he directs his brutal honesty at both real foes such as Ja Rule and Fat Joe, and manufactured ones, such as Kanye West. Whether you’re talking about dissing Jay Z, ODB, Slick Rick and others on “How To Rob,” taking shots at Ja Rule on “Wanksta” and “Your Life’s On The Line,” or dissing Fat Joe, Jadakiss and Nas on “Piggy Bank,” some of the same concepts are at work during a 50 Cent press run. Beef is good for business. I’d concede the conflicts with Game, which ended in gunfire being exchanged, and the beef with Ja Rule (which reportedly included a stabbing) are exceptions. I think few things scare some record labels and potential sponsors away quicker than physical violence.
Even Ja Rule admits that being baited into a conflict with 50 Cent hurt his commercial appeal, and it was a stroke of marketing genius on 50’s part to play the villain in a sales battle with West. But the act wore thin against Rick Ross. Neither Ross nor 50 enjoyed a significant first week sales boost from their viral beef. According to Nielsen SoundScan, Before I Self Destruct sold 159,700 copies during its first week of release, while Ross moved 158,027 units of Deeper Than Rap. In terms of sales, 50 got the last laugh, with the Recording Industry Association of America certifying BISD as a gold-selling album. But, sales aside, who made the better album?
The Hit: 50 Cent’s Failed Search For Another Top 10 Single
The issue of sales factoring into a beef or the general quality of one’s music is attributed to 50 Cent to some degree. And I think 50 Cent has become a victim of the same inflammatory, sales-driven climate he helped create. During his respective beefs with both Rick Ross and Fat Joe, 50 pointed to gaudy sales numbers, never publicly allowing for the possibility that the victor of these skirmishes was the person with the better music.
“Got a 100 guns, a 100 clips, why I don’t hear no shots / That fat nigga thought ‘Lean Back’ was ‘In Da Club’ / My shit sold 11 mill, his shit was a dud,” 50 taunted on “Piggy Bank.” It’s been a familiar argument, and one that’s rather easy to make when you’re selling a million albums in a week. But such an argument devalues music as if it were a line item on an Excel spreadsheet. It’s entirely possible 50 Cent is sitting on a great album, but the quality of an album isn’t always reflected in its popularity or commercial success. Having been repeatedly unable to come to an understanding with Interscope, 50 Cent hasn’t had a Top 10 hit since 2007’s “Ayo Technology.” “Baby By Me” and “My Life” have cracked the Top 40 at the #28 and #27 spots. But what if 50 Cent doesn’t win over casual fans and critics with Animal Ambition? How does his legacy strictly as a recording artist look viewed through the same lens of using sales and chart positioning as a barometer for success? I think 50 may be in the same position as other artists with previous works that have been incredibly commercially successful. There always seems to be pressure—even if it’s merely external—to replicate their previous commercial success. But I can’t help but think 50 Cent would benefit better from a slow burning but critically acclaimed release at this point.
As a listener, I’d rather hear 50 give a brutally honest take on a subject as opposed to unsuccessfully chasing hit singles. I don’t think it’s a huge stretch to assume if he hasn’t had a Top 10 single in seven years, it’s a good move to ditch the strategy of looking for hits. Assuming the Forbes numbers are correct, and 50 Cent is truly worth upwards of $100 million, he’s already financially set for life. I feel he’s got the luxury of making the type of music that emotionally resonated with fans like “Many Men.” If he so chose to, 50 could incorporate his brutally honest feelings into a song, play up his penchant for conflict and make a militant statement about no longer having to compromise his vision in hopes of repeating the success of “In Da Club” or “Ayo Technology.” As long as he resonated with listeners on an emotional level, I don’t think it would matter how deliberate his current delivery is, and I don’t think he would be limited to just talking about violent subject matter such as getting shot nine times. I’m essentially saying if 50 is unsuccessfully trying to make another Top 10 hit, he should try making more emotionally resonant music regardless of its commercial success.
Until that happens, I don’t think 50 Cent will be able to parlay his relevance into anything but a moderate hit at best. And “journalists” will still flock to interview him, because he gives a great quote. It’s just too bad none of them will ask him about the vastly different direction of his music in recent years. I expect Animal Ambition to impact the SoundScan chart during its first few weeks of release. And I expect it to be forgotten about by November.
Omar Burgess is a Long Beach, California native who has contributed to various magazines, newspapers and has been an editor at HipHopDX since 2008. Follow him on Twitter @omarburgess.
50 has the biggest fall off in hiphop bar none. came out with a classic then dropped shitty album fter shitty album and still continues..he cant get a hit unless its with a singer or Eminem. even those don’t chart well.
50 is the reason I don’t get hyped for greats to release music GRODT was my shit n I coulnt wait for massacre..then I heard it.
he sold 30mil records last album went gold
I wasn’t aware him selling records had anything to do with me listening to the content and whats on it.
and obv it would sell..it was the sophomore album to a classic..no one would think album would of been that ass.
The Massacre was a great album too. You’re sounding like a hater.
#Nelly
50 Cent is the reason I don’t eat, sleep, or bathe. I just sit in my room 24 hours a day listening to 50 cent, wearing nothing but baggy jeans, a 6x G-Unit T shirt, a bulletproof vest, and a durag.
Nelly and Ja Rule both had bigger fall off’s.
Nelly selling 10k first week and Ja Rule’s last record sold less than 7000 in 2 years!
wow dx really hate 50 cent
“50 is unsuccessfully trying to make another Top 10 hit, he should try making more emotionally resonant music regardless of its commercial success”
BUT………..that’s what the album sounds like music that he wants to put out FUNERAL DONT SOUND COMMERCIAL,HOLD ON,PILOT,CHASE THE PAPER,IRREGULAR HEART BEAT,HUSTLER,EVERYTIME I COME AROUND.
DONT TRY TO BRAINWASH THE MASSES DX
oh he from the westcoast yeah now I see the hate he a game dickrider shit you can say without a doubt 50 has been putting out better music than game going back to doctors advocate
what a pointless article, there aren’t many big singles on AA anyway, only Smoke. And 50 stated numerous times that SKI would be the big and more personal album.
Cam destroyed this fool
no ja rule did
lol yeah ok
Nah, Game did
Good article. But, I think Fiddy is just makin music for his true fans. I’m a huge fan, I’m 16 and he’s really the first rapper and artist that I’ve liked my whole life, I can remember the time Candy Shop and Hate It Or Love It came on TV. Animal Ambition is really a Massacre type album, lot of prosperity and all dat. I don’t think he lookin for another Top 10 single, he jus makin music for fans and for the hecc of it. Fiddy is a hustler, he’s been one since he was on the streets of Southside, Jamaica, Queens. I respect the man to the fullest.
you should start listening to ja rule, I command you.
ja rule VVV – 30 mil sold
JA RULE pain is love – 50 mil sold
ja rule 3:36 – 60 mil sold
ja rule – last temptation – 80 mil sold
ja rule blood in my eye – 120 mil sold
ja rule R.U.L.E. – 20 mil sold
ja rule exodus (greatest hits album) – 250 mil sold
ja rule the mirror – 1 mil sold
Ja rule Pain is Love 2 (the come back album) – 300 mil sold and counting.
Enough said.
Are you retarded?
Get Ja’s dick out your mouth, you chokin already!!
u tried to hard bruh. now go kill urself for that lame post.
Do you realize you just said Ja sold 931 million albums?
@the stupidest motherfucker on Hiphopdx
i think some people have such high expectations from 50 cent that when he puts out music they feel let down. Bottom line is 50 is a commercial gangster rapper, thats it. He talks about the street life because from the age of 11 thats all he knew and if fake rappers can get away with it then why cant he. Todays popular rappers probably like 80% of them are garbage, but they have fancy production and features to cover it up. 50 could easily do that, but he clearly doesn’t want to sell out like that. Plus a lot of people have forgotten what New York street music sounds like, they’ve been listening to these southern artists and producers for so long when they hear this there like OH WHATS THIS.
50 is my favourite rapper of all time. He is not the best rapper (that accolade goes to Eminem) nor he is not the best artist (that goes to Kanye because of his creativity).
50’s impact with GRODT was similar to Nas’s Illmatic, i.e they are both classics. Every album either of them release will be compared to the classics.
I’m a 50 fan, and I may be a bit bias when I’m saying every single on Animal Ambition is decent however if you look collectively at the whole project it is trash.
It is a sign of 50 making music against what he would normally do just to get on the charts. Pilot is a perfect example of 50 going against his values, it would never make GRODT in a million years. Neither would an artist of Kidd Kidd’s calibre.
Regardless of “It’s a warm up to SKI” compare Animal Ambition to albums like GoodKidm.a.a.dCity or My Dark…Fantasy, it is wack. 50 can make songs however he never had the ability to craft album. His ego is clouding his judgement. He may be brutally honest and fearless in his public opinions and statements but this is ruining his relationships with people that can heavily promote the album. Lloyd Banks has a strong underground rap fanbase and 50 publicly throwing shots at Banks is not good for the AA project.
Rick Ross is a wack, fake, and BAD rapper however you need contacts in the hip-hop industry to make it big. Ross may make awful albums however he has the support of hip-hop heavyweights like Diddy, Jay Z etc. Puff’s marketing power alone makes albums like Mastermind do those numbers in the first week.
50 Cent the rapper is finished. Curtis Jackson aka the businessman who can rap still exists and is making big moves in the corporate world with shows like Power and SMS Audio deal with Disney etc.
But 50 Cent the artist who had the music industry on his feet between 2002-2007 is no longer is alive. I will still purchase AA but that is only because of my loyalty to the legend that once lived called 50 Cent.
^^^ Co-Sign ^^^
Couldn’t of said it better myself other then I don’t think the album is trash. Kidd Kidd is Trash but the album for the loyal fans.
triple co-sign….and he’s a JMJ protege…so if Jay loved 50, who am I to disagree with 50’s style. Fif is dope….period.
“50 Cent has done more for the community then my poor, selfish ass ever will.”
“50 Cent is an astute and upright citizen.”
“50 Cent is well endowed, which is why I’m very happy I don’t let my gag reflex spoil my mood when he’s inside my mouth.”
^^^^Welcome to another HipHopDX article where 50’s stans dickride their hero with endless stroking.
Can someone tell me 50’s house address? I wanna suck his dick, I can’t get him out of my mind and every article about 50 I gotta comment cuz I want him to fuck me so bad. No homo though.
@ Marshall Mathers,,since we are both huge fans of 50 I ‘d like to raise a few points which many fans seem not to realise that this was meant to be a mixtape,,a warm up for SKI in so to say, but when he left interscope he had to create another buzz for his new label,now since u are a fan u can see that 50 has made better songs b4 he announced AA project than most songs which are on this AA but since they were not on albums ppl forget about them fast than if u make ur mixtape an album which 50 has done here cos to be honest ‘big 10’ had some better songs than most on this AA project but u don’t hear much about those songs cos they were on a mixtape,,the 5 murder by numbers had also better songs than some on AA but suffer same fate so did the ‘lost tapes mixtape and the SK series tracks,,they were all better songs than a lot of tracks on AA but did we hear a lot of coverage about that ? Saying how good they were or that whether 50 still has it in him to make another better album?? No!! Why?? Simply because they were mixtapes! Now if this was to stay a mixtape as what it was meant to be there wouldn’t have been this much talk about how good or bad or if 50 still has it or not !! The thing i be noticed with this mixtape album is that most songs were the ones that fif didn’t feel comfortable to put them on SKI, but he had already made them during that time when the music industry was at a certain stage and he wanted to appeal to both his hardcore fans and his mainstream fans like women and kids like teens cos they are the ones that tend to buy albums, and see how they will react to him doing songs like don’t worry about it( which I think is the wackiest track 50 has ever made). Cos if u can look at it u can see he dropped hold and that song same day so that both fans can understand y that he see where the music industry has stood. And after he saw the reaction to those both tracks he saw what ppl want from him,,that’s when u saw him doing track like chase the paper, irregular heartbeat, free again ft fat joe, big rich town ft joe, ‘tonite’ ft tank & chop biggz, Mary Jane ft Joe, and a few other features he’s done after all these AA songs,,now if u hear a 50 cent who is on financial freedom and funeral track also on a this is murder not music track and your compare to most songs on AA and then see what this article is saying and your views I can bet to differ,,50 can make GRODT kinda music at any time the problem is he doesn’t seem to think that this industry want to hear such music or what I m not sure, and the other big problem 50 has is music selection to put on album seem to have fade away from him he will do good songs but then choose not to put them on albums,,like for example , they burn me should’ve been on BISD, and ‘get up’ and ‘I get it in’ they were all better than a few tracks on that cd for sure like gangsta delight for one! I ll never understand why he did that, those were good tracks to make that album better of which I thought it was but only half the songs on there, all he had to do was to put them on and scrap a few songs on on there! And ye I too don’t like that he’s beefing with banks but it’s him banks who is at fault here cos he refuses to make videos and interact with his fans to create buzz for both the crew and himself, I only hope they are going to resolve their differences and go back to being ‘brothers’ again!
Now I do agree with a few points u ve made but u are also wrong on a other facts you be said but both u and the this writer of the this article are erong on a few facts. If you want to know what 50 would be sounding like ‘flow wise’ on SKI. then don’t think of AA think of the new verses he’s featured after AA like I ve said! Now that’s my point!
Oh yeah I ve already purchased bundle no 1 for AA and will buy it on iTunes and another cd on June 3rd for a hater! Ha!
You forgot to mention “Get it in” and “Outlaw” which are some of my favorite 50 songs after GRODT & The Massacre.
I will say the paid 50 cent army does a good job on the internet message boards. They attack quick n always make sure to throw in rick Ross jabs. Making excuses about an upcoming albums low low sales is not a good look. 50 distributed by major capital-emi. Raekwon n others have done well thru capital. 50 gonna flop hard with this album. He was great years ago n made serious money but 50 hasn’t been relevant musically in seven years.
50 sticks to the script…doesn’t try to be like other people because those are people are the trend now. stick to your own blueprint and you will succeed. Rick Ross is opposite which is why 50 fans don’t support a fake nigg* like Ross….Ross is wack and 50 reps the real street Hip Hop, real nigg*s and G’s love to follow. Like the Kool G. Rap and Scarface of the game…dont forget about you Cube….you too. #AnimalAmbition
DX.. seems to be part of the problem, constantly stuck on “many men”… Fif has changed and made money, he has evolved, but his music has not… with the exposure he has had, since blowing, Im sure there are many topics to touch on, on his status and experiences in life…you hear “animal ambition” and expect an ambitious record on his level. His stories, shouldn’t be cliche, they should be informative and eye opening.
50 Cent is a cartoonish buffoon that mainly appeales to nerdy white teens and a few Black Nascar fans. The streets dont fuck with his music whiand does why street related artiaansts never dial him up to be on tbeir albums despite the fact that he has sold a billion records.
The best example of what 50 truly is the beef with Ross, jnstead of destroying Ross and damaging his career 50 only suceeded in making Ross bigger and more powerful as evidenced by GFID outseling BISD by about 250K copies and the sucess of MMG.
50 will always be beloved by white kids and white soccer moms because he stood nextcto Emenim and has platinum singles with Justine Timberlake andoes duets with Skylar Grey
you are completely wrong fuck boy
LOL COP LOVERS ARE HILARIOUS
You 50 stans are disgusting. I bet u faggots still wear gunit tank tops with the gunit sneakers. u fkn krakas make me sick rick ross is the only artist that will ever go down as the GOAT. Rick ross is the realest thing to come out the streets since Scarface. Rick Ross has sold over 30 million records and shits on anything 50 snitch puts out. All u krackas and wanna be thugs living in ur white devil homes are fkn kkk krakas to me. fuck u hillbillies fkn fagot ass bitches.
This is the realist article I’ve seen in a long time….nothing but the truth!
This album wont go plastic. I forgot it was even out.
Did 50 write this article lol
Funny story, this was actually ghostwritten by Tony Yayo.
“I forgot it was even out.”
It’s not.
u forgot u just read abt it u idiot
Animal Ambition will still do numbers don’t get it twisted
PILS2 did numbers. Very low numbers, but even Miss Cleo knows Animal Poop Tricks is gonna flop hard.
This is one of the best things I’ve read on HipHopDX.
This is by far the dumbest thing DX has ever written. You clowns have officially taken dick riding to a new level.
they did the exact same shit before Mastermind dropped faggot
This dude doesn’t know what the fuck he is talking about, 50’s most recent top 10 record was Down on me, with jeremih
that was jeremih record. not 50s
but 50 the one who made it hot and a hit
Manufactured beef is stupid as hell in the long run. More hip hop editors need to take a stand against the nonsense in hip-hop, all the posturing, and call it out for what it is.
This is a great article! of course the comments will continue to be retarded
I agree, release an album that critics and core fans will appreciate with some honesty, openness and introspection. I’m not a fan but I’d respect that as showing some growth and give it a listen.
That was a great editorial. It was on point about 50 and his career. Also his new project.
It won’t break 50 because 1 – He’s already established and 2 – Nobody outside of his fan base seems to care about his music. From my personal observation at least.
The AA project sounds decent to me. Not a classic but a solid 4 star effort so far. What they got wrong is that 50 needs to beef with actual people that make sense instead of randoms. He stole that shit from Shady who used to beef with pop stars, Moby, tv personalities, etc. knowing they couldn’t fire back. What is Mayweather gonna do when 50 hits him with a track? What if he throws out a record at King Mathers? Now that is some shit people would be interested in.
He is also one of the few artists that can make songs about $$$ and not make it strictly the bottles in the club, fuckin hoes, rockin lambos bullshit. This guy is intelligent and can be on some highpowered money makin rhymes that would fit HIS life story. That is what put him on in the first place – niggas bein inspired by his life story.
That being said, I’ll fuck with the AA record. If it sounds good in my Cadillac, I’ll let it knock. But 50 needs to switch the style up if he wants to keep watchin that money pile up from the rap game. Go back to that original shit – hungry, honest, and hood. My nigga is still hungry as fuck, brutally honest, and should rep his hood even with $500 mil revenue.
Truth
This album is a good effort. It can be seen as a transitional album switching from the old concept to his current status. Although there still are songs about money and guns, there is an ambitious, innovative force behind this project. 50 is making sure that he won’t change his style too quickly so that the fans will be comfortable with the new vibe that Street King Immortal will bring. It’s like transitioning from ice cream to hot tea, you need something neutral to enjoy the tea without burning your tongue. Definitely a purchase-worthy album. I will be coppin’ Animal Ambition the day it drops and will do the same for Street King Immortal.
are you 4real smh..the album is wack as fuck,it would hav been a good effort 10years ago
great article but not 100% factual, its a good read but a true 50 Cent fan from day 1 will know wassup
I can’t support a man who beats on his women and threatens his children.
50 Cent has money but no respect in the game. He will never be considered a great rapper because:
– he made one dope album GRODT (not a classic)
– he has a avergae flow and whining voice
– limited subject matter
– not lyrically
– creates fake beefs to sell records.
– he is very insecure thats why he is always talking bad about other people.
– has no love for other people.
– snitched on Murda Inc
– his own crew hates him
– has no relationship with his son
– makes always the same albums. plays it safe.
–
fu..k you, stupid Murder Inc and Rick Ross fan, 50 is the best!
First few lines of this article i stopped. I just knew the writer was an idiot.
Not buying the AA album…
If I had money I would buy.
Freddie Gibbs: Pinata
Ghostface: That last cinematic album, can’t remember name
Lloyd Banks: FNO..I know it was a mixtape, but that was fire
Cnibus: Fait Accompli..when it comes out
I listened to the playlist of almost the entire AA album on VEVO…the album sounds good. It’s not an album to write home about, but it’s a good album. Never bought a 50 album in my life…tell 50 to bring out Papoose, Fat Joe, and Remy Martin at Summer Jam. NY/East coast unity, that’s what it should be all about.
are you saying you dont have $20 to buy any of those albums?
LOL BROKE BOY
120k first week at least
50 ur the best…haters keep hating… gotta make to heaven im going thru hell…50 cent, when it rains it poors-50 cent , hold on- 50 cent, i get money -50 cent….
If you don’t feel any of the songs from Animal Ambition you hate hip-hop point blank. There’s something for everyone on there.
50 is a squared jawed 80s action hero stuck in a world that loves CGI children cartoons.
Question: why 50 rarely work with hit makers?
Even on his first two albums under the Aftermath / Shady umbrella, he included a few producers who were (relatively) unknown for most fans. It became even stronger or Curtis, and ever since that established hit makers are rarely to be found in his catalogue.
Although amongst his TOP10 (or be generous, and say TOP20 or Gold / Platinum as criteria, the result is the same) singles not only A-list producers can be found, you’ll eventually end up at the same 4-5 person anyway if you desperately need a hit.
So again, why 50 neglect these guys?
Whether we talking about beats or features, he could afford basically anybody in the industry. Then why not? Maybe it’s the good ol’ hustler mentality, making the most with the smallest investment? Or is he sitting potential hits from top-notch beat makers, but simply refuse to drop it for some reason?
Honestly, I can’t even imagine what’s the proper answer. The only thing seems to be sure that 50 is on the perfect way to be forgotten a few years from now for the mainstream. Which is not necessarily a problem, but I highly doubt he would let this happen without trying every possible option on the Earth to prevent it.
i heard him say once he doesnt care about the top producers or whos hot he just listens to beats and picks what he wants to rap over regardless of who made it… thats why a lot of unknown producers got their first big break from 50.
50 Cent is so trash these days it’s ridicilous… He’s not even able to make one good song lmfao! Haven’t heard a good 50 Cent verse since Hate It Or Love It/How We Do! Animal Ambition is pure trash DEAL WIT IT 50 STANS!!!
if you hate every song he’s released so far for Animal Ambition you might be listened to the wrong genre… i think you hate hip-hop or maybe you’re too young to get it. Animal Ambition is a straight hip-hop album for grown men.
he’s garbage!!
Animal Ambition is a good solid album “Pilot” is dope “Smoke” is cool as hell and a few others are nice “Winners Circle” its just the music biss is so different now and hell i download all of the music like several thousands did so Album sales aren’t going to be there for nobody aside from Eminem…..I think Street King Immortal must be Great to keep Hip Hop engaged in 50 musically……All his Albums were way above average buts its a what u done lately society 50 cent is definitely a Top 10 of all time Artist
I like Animal Ambition, because it definitely resonates with me on an emotional level, whether it was a commercial success or not. The title of the album definitely capture its theme: animal ambition; dreams of prosperity and success. And honestly, I do feel that way when I listen to this album because it empowers me. It doesn’t matter if the album is on charts, as long at it captures the hearts of 50 cent’s fans.