Hip Hop Board - Hip Hop Album Reviews

50 Cent: Before I Self Destruct (AHH)

I Got It MADE — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:33:08 GMT

It�s been 10 years since Hip-Hop�s favorite antagonist unofficially released Power of the Dollar, the introductory EP which sparked controversy with �How to Rob,� a lyrical thrill-ride that jacked the music industry elite of the day. In those 10 years, 50 Cent has had a career that is the stuff of legends. By now, you should know the story by heart, orphaned early in life, shot nine times; he became a mixtape king and then shook up the world by signing with Dr. Dre and Eminem. Music, movies, books, clothing, a fragrance, even a $100 million come-up with Vitamin Water, the G-Unit General re-wrote the Hip-Hop blueprint all the while still being the rapper you love to hate.

With the release of Get Rich or Die Trying in 2003, 50 Cent charmed audiences worldwide with a flow all his own, his storytelling skills and braggadocio were unrivaled, he returned two years later with The Massacre, the deluxe version of which launched his love affair with short videos; he made one for every song on the album. But, it was 2007�s, Curtis, that marked a turning point, some would say a decline, for Fif, losing his album sales challenge to Kanye West�s Graduation put a **** in his armor, leaving him in a position where he has been before, poised for a comeback and ready to prove his detractors wrong. With Before I Self Destruct, that is exactly what he does.

From the intro, 50 Cent sets the stage for a darker and more ominous album. He waxes nostalgic on �Then Days Went By,� reminiscing on his pre-rap days, (Keep f**king with me you gon� turn me back to Boo-Boo/have me casing out your crib/tryin� to pop your f**king noodle). But it�s on one of the strongest tracks on the album, �Death to My Enemies�, produced by Dr. Dre and Mark Batson, where he comes closest to the aggressive and creative threatening that made him a superstar, (I�m like Damien n***a/when I start getting loose on you/closest thing to Lucifier/make you think you got a noose on you/I make it hard to breathe/I come where you hustle, air it out/make it hard to eat.)

50 plays to his many female fans on �Baby By Me� featuring Neyo, sampling himself on the hook, he promises that conceiving a child with him will make a lucky girl a millionaire, and then he turns around and releases his anger on the one woman who actually did have a baby by him. His ex-girlfriend, Shaniqua Tompkins feels the wrath on �Do You Think About Me.� (That�s why my ex is my ex/you don�t wanna be her/she used to have the Beemer/now she on the sneaker/I had her eating lobster/now she eating pizza). The song is a warning for groupies worldwide and yet still manages to pull off charisma and ghetto romance.

On �Psycho�, 50 and Eminem rekindle their familiar chemistry and the song is all that it would be expected to be, energetic and just a little psycho. 50 and Em fire warning shots at their respective enemies, all powered by a good, yet predictable Dre beat.

With only three guest appearances on the album, Neyo, Eminem, and R. Kelly on �Could�ve Been You�, 50 puts himself and his skill in the foreground. Songs like �Crime Wave�, �Get It Hot�, and �Ok, You�re Right� are classic 50 Cent. He rides the tracks with the lyrical dexterity of a gymnast. Like most G-Unit affiliated albums, many of the producers on the album are lesser-known, making their work more important than their discographies. Dr. Dre has three tracks on BISD, Havoc, Rockwilder and Polow da Don each have one on the 16 track album, but skills on the boards and compatibility play a major role.

Not a perfect album, Before I Self Destruct, lags a bit in spots, but makes up for it in sheer effort, the album is a great offering from 50 Cent sure to quiet his naysayers� for now. Sorry, haters, but there will be no destruction here, unless it�s the enemies of Curtis Jackson.

Funny BISD Review I Found xD xD

Lil Brizzle — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:59:17 GMT

For as long as he's been making albums, rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson has been criticized severley for his hardcore, extreme gangsta lyrics that have seemed to have been at least partially responsible for New York City's increased murder rate over the past five years. Well, I am very proud to say that with his fourth album, and at the age of 34, Mr. Jackson seems to have finally matured, and it is very evident in the lyrical content of his new album:

The album begins with a track called "The Invasion". It is one of the riskier songs that 50 has ever attempted in his career, as it is written from the perspective of a German soldier in 1939 right before he and his fleet storm into Poland. The tale will leave you on the edge of your seat, as you are left wondering until the very end whether the soldier, known by his code name of Banksn Yayo, will betray his platoon before what he feels to be an immoral act.

Following that is a track called "Then the Days Went By", which acts as somewhat of a sequel to the opener. In it, Banksn has begun to long for his high school sweetheart, who he misses more and more with each growing day. One of Mr. Cent's best lyrics also comes to fruition towards the end of the song, when he says "Baby I miss you so much, I cannot wait to see you again/And at this point I do not care if it is in Hell or Heaven".

"Death to My Enemies" is an open letter to the United States Government to step in and take action to further stop the genocide in Darfur, but laments that killing would only make the situation worse. Jackson quotes a bible verse midway through the song, in which he states "Judge, lest not ye be judged".

"So Disrespectful" is the "diss" track of the album, in which Jackson severely criticizes his peers in the Rap industry for their betrayel of young black women in both their music videos and their song lyrics. He claims that these women deserve to be treated as nothing short of princessess, while pointing out that people failed to recognize the irony of his "Disco Inferno" video many years ago, putting him in the same category as the people he so deeply despises.

"Psycho" is another piece of social commentary, this time going into a story revolving around the Chris Benoit Double Murder-Suicide in June of 2007. It is rapped as narrative that discussess what happened in the final days leading up to the tradgedy, and how the pieces all added up by the fateful Friday night. Eminem is also featured, as he raps in the final verse of the song, from Benoit's perspective as he is carrying out the murders. It is very similar to his infamous song "Kim", however, all of the references to his ex-wife have been replaced with the name "Daniel".

"Hold Me Down" is a scathing critique of former President Bush, who he claims set his people back for countless generations with his blatant ignoring of racial equality laws, and not doing nearly enough to help the New Orleans community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The songs uses a brilliant sample of Kanye West's "George Bush doesn't care about black people" line from four years ago as a loop in the chorus.

"Crime Wave" is an analysis on New York's alarming crime increase over the past few months, while he goes after David Patterson for what he belives to be an insufficient job of protecting the people in the city that never sleeps. He also is critical of the controversial video game Grand Theft Auto IV, with his biggest problem being that the game takes place in a fictionalized version of the Big Apple.

"Stretch" acts as somewhat of a Public Service Announcement, as he reminds kids that it is very important to stretch all muscles well prior to engaging in physical activity. The song has an elementary school level rhythmatic feel to it, with a catchy chorus that uses a prominant sample of the song "Hokey Pokey".

"Strong Enough" acts as a sequel of sorts to "Stretch", as Mr. Jackson gives an almost spoken word level of tips and tricks on how to become a better weightlifter, and how much excersise is recommended in one's daily fitness routine. The third and final verse is a warning against the dangers of using steroids, with grotesquely detailed accounts of the side effects of the drug.

"Get it Hot" is a surprising collaborative duet with famous cook Martha Stewart, as the two give advice on how to properly cook that Thanksgiving (which is right around the release date of the album) turkey to perfection, while making sure that the entire bird is cooked evenley throughout.

"Gangsta's Delight" is Mr. Jackson's cover of Sugarhill Gang's renowned hip-hop classic, "Rapper's Delight". What makes the song even more amazing is that Curtis raps the entire long song all in one take, a fact made evident by his hilarious exclimation at the end of the song of "Damn man, I can't breathe!" (It should be noted to parents that that quote is the reason for the album's cover bearing a Parental Advisory sticker).

"I Got Swag" is actually a bit of a misleading title, as apparantly, Mr. Jackson uses the word "Swag" as a shortened euphanism for "[a] really well invested 401k plan". He also mentions how the United States con avoid another market crash in the future, and how the recession can be turned into a positive.

"Baby by Me" is an ode to all of the baby-daddy's out in the urban projects to stay with the women bearing their children, and how important it is for an infant child to grow up with a sense of family and unity. The second verse also lashes out against the growing number of abortions, saying that women should not be pressured in any way, shape, or form to recieve an operation which he percieves to be the equivelant of murder.

"Do You Think About Me" is a tribute to the love of his life, who although he kept anonymous in the song, is fairly obvious to disect if you listen to the clues sprinkled throughout the chorus. He points out that even though he may be on the road most of the year giving lectures to High School kids about the International Baccalaureate program, he thinks about her every day, and hopes that she still loves him when he finds the time to visit her back home.

The next track is "Ok, You're Right", which is a bashful admission by Mr. Jackson to all of the fault's he has commited over the years, including forgetting to floss on certain occasions, once missing church because he slept through his alarm clock, and not being able to donate as much money to his local Jews for Jesus program due in part to the economy. The song takes place in a church confessional, with Kazaam the Rapping Genie making a guest appearance as the priest.

And finally, the album closes with "Could've Been You", an ode to all of the people close to Mr. Jackson who passed in between the release of Curtis and this album. While Jackson remains strong when mentioning Pimp C and Tim Russert, he begins to break down by the third verse when he begins to talk about Reverend Jerry Fallwell. It is truly one of the biggest tearjerker's since Sophie's Choice, and is a must listen for all fans and critics alike.

So in the end, when refelcting on Before I Self Destruct...

Ahhhhhh!!... man ya'll know I'm just messin with you. This is a review based on what apprently all the circle-jerker Rock jocks expect when they "listen" to one of 50's albums, and every other critic who expects a freakin Like Water for Chocolate. It's some hardcore gangsta ish, which is why we love 50, and if I have to see anymore a-holes below me write a .5 star review 8 months before the album comes out about how the nonexistent album sucks, or about how one of the songs with a gangsta-like title is leading to the downfall of society, I'm gonna lose it. Have fun everyone, enjoy just buggin out to a fun album whenever you feel like not listening to a "War & Peace" (the novel, not the Ice Cube releases) rap album.

(For the record, I have not listened to the album yet. The 3.5 is just a preliminary rating. When I listen to the album when it is released in stores, I'll have my post-review stuff up here.)

just thought i would share the humor with u guys....:ninja:

50 Cent - Before I Self Destruct Review

I Got It MADE — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:03:52 GMT

50 Cent has a treat for fans who thought they'd have to wait until next week to hear his latest album, Before I Self Destruct. The record had been planned for release as early as 2007, but Fif chose to release Curtis instead. Destruct was further pushed back and a November 16, 2009 date was set... Next week. But check that, it's up on iTunes early. And it turns out the 15 tracks of (mostly) dope beats and hard rhymes have been worth the wait.

"The Invitation" kicks things off as 50 Cent lays down a scorching intro over beats by DJ Premiere. It's a taunting intro that sets the hardcore mood.

"Then Days Went By" is 50 waxing nostalgic. It's appropriately backed by a soulful organ groove that grounds the track in the past -- a sample from The Jackson 5's version of "Ain't No Sunshine."

The most commercial cut is also the dirtiest. "Baby By Me" is a booty rap track featuring Ne-Yo with melodic keyboard underpinnings that take it in a crossover-friendly direction. You may have already heard the remix version, as it's the album's official lead single.

You know a gangsta rapper when is doing his job well when he can make you chuckle and threaten some dude's life in the same verse. Such is the case on the dope Dr. Dre production, "Death to My Enemies." And if we're reading between the lines properly, Kanye better watch his back.

Of particular note is a reworking of the classic old school joint "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang. Re-christened "Gangsta's Delight" and given a beat conjured up by Dre and collaborator Mark Batson, the track takes the classic and flips the script with an edgy street sound and gangsta-appropriate lyrics. We love it.

"Psycho," which features a guest appearance from Eminem, is a sparse production (another one by Dr. Dre) which relies on the strength of the rhymes and distinctively staccato delivery.

Weakest link is "Do You Think About Me," a smooth jam of a track that isn't exactly wack, it just seems out of place here. Fif's softer side (which really isn't very soft) is better expressed on the superior "Could've Been You" featuring R. Kelly.

On the whole, Before I Self Destruct features 50 Cent at his hardest in years. Sample the cuts "Stretch," "So Disrespectful," and "Crime Wave" if you have any doubts about that. We expect it will ultimately be regarded as a solid record, an improvement on 2007's Curtis, and perhaps on par with 2005's The Massacre. But will we see the gangsta rapper recapture the hip-hop limelight from crossover stars of West's ilk? That remains to be seen.

8.0/10

50 Cent - Before I Self Destruct [3.5/5][ihiphop.com review]

Sparks37 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:13:21 GMT

Written by Serge Fleury

Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Views: 1836

After much anticipation, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is finally set to release his fourth record, (and the last contractual album under the Interscope umbrella) in Before I Self Destruct.

Rethinking his decision to drop it the same day as Jay-Z’s The Blue Print 3 album back on 9/11 of this year, the G-Unit head honcho loads up the project with production by Dr. Dre (of course), DJ Premier, Nottz, Timbaland, and DJ Khalil amongst others.

As for MC guest spots, “Fiddy” keeps them down to the bare minimum, remaining in-house with cohorts such as Eminem and Lloyd Banks’ voices being the only ones heard, other than his.

With that said, 50 Cent gets right down to business leading the record off with the DJ Premier-produced ‘The Invitation.’

Going away from his signature sound, and patented scratch-in hooks, the one-half of the now defunct Gang Starr laces Jimmy Iovine’s star employee with a beat reminiscent of a horror movie, while 50 Cent drops lines like:

“When you see me in the street, mothaf*cka don’t talk to me/unless you’re gonna talk about using the hawk for me.”

From there, Rich Harrison (producer of Amerie’s ‘1 Thing’ and Beyonc�’s ‘Crazy In Love’) shows his Hip-Hop, side by providing the backdrop for ‘Then Days Went By.’

The momentum then begins to pick up with ‘Death To My Enemies’ (prod. by Dr. Dre). Behind an unorthodox guitar string arrangement, 50 Cent lets you know exactly where you are with lines like:

“This ain’t the Carter, n*gga this is Sparta/it’s harder/I die, I’ll be a martyr/respect me like your father.”

The obligatory industry diss track comes in the form of ‘So Disrespectful,’ where he continues to talk about Young Buck and Game; but adds Jay-Z onto the list as well.

Eminem then makes his presence felt on ‘Psycho,’ where he has his way with the English language, by bending syllables forward and backwards.

As always, 50 Cent spreads the wealth, and songs like ‘Get It Hot,’ ‘Hold Me Down,’ ‘Could’ve Been You’ (feat. R. Kelly), and the insightful ‘Do You Think About Me’ are all focused on women, in a positive way, or negative one.

Afterward, the man with his very own flavor of Vitamin Water finishes his destruction with contributions like, ‘I Got Swag,’ ‘Gangsta’s Delight,’ and the hustler’s mentality of ‘Stretch.’

When it’s all said and done, 50 Cent won’t go down in history as the top lyricist of all time, but he will go down in history as an architect when it comes to cockiness, song structure, themes, and hooks.

His ability to combine all of the aforementioned is once again on display when you listen to Before I Self Destruct, and it’s that formula that’s made him a staple on the Forbes List, along with having an actual reason to read the Robb Report.

With his contract now fulfilled with Interscope Records, it will be interesting to see what his next move will be. And one thing is for certain; regardless of what it is, you can guarantee that everyone will be watching.

Rating: 3.5

Wale - Attention Deficit [3.5/5] [ihiphop.com review]

Sparks37 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:11:53 GMT

Written by Serge Fleury

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Views: 770

With the new wave of MC’s all fighting for a position nowadays, the only way to solidify a spot is to show and prove; and that’s just what Washington DC native Olubowale “Wale” Folarin has been doing.

Paying his dues on the mixtape circuit, much like his peers, and after a couple of pushbacks, Wale finally releases his Attention Deficit album.

Assistance comes from top-notch artists and producers such as Bun B, Lady Gaga, The Neptunes, (and Pharrell), 9th Wonder, Gucci Mane, Rihanna, Chrisette Michele, Cool & Dre, and The J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League.

Wale then makes you ‘pay attention’ on songs like ‘Triumph,’ ‘Mama Told Me,’ and ‘Mirrors’ (feat. Bun B).

Gucci Mane makes his appearance on ‘Pretty Girls,’ and actually sounds surprising well on the track, as Wale keeps the pace going with the up tempo atmosphere of his travel tales on ‘World Tour’ (feat. Jazmine Sullivan).

He then tries his hand at narrating on ‘90201,’ as he tells the story of a female trying to make it big in Hollywood, but ends up getting swallowed by the life she wants so much. Chrisette Michele helps Wale get his point across on ‘Shades,’ as the DC lyricist reflects back to how he used to be self-conscious about his dark complexion.

Other songs that make you stay focused are solid contributions like ‘Prescription,’ ‘Contemplate,’ (feat. Rihanna), and ‘Diary’ (feat. Marsha Ambrosius).

Wale’s Attention Deficit record is actually a contrast, because the material presented on it does make you wonder what’s coming up next, instead of veering your concentration elsewhere. Filled with well-placed guest spots that don’t drown out the star of the show, along with conceptual content makes this deficit one that won’t hurt your pockets.

Rating: 3.5

Wale - Attention Deficit [4/5] [NYUnews.com review]

Sparks37 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:10:45 GMT

by Drew Lombardi
Published novembre 3, 2009

Wale
"Attention Deficit"
4.5 stars

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Wale

Attention Deficit

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Album reviews

After accumulating an impressive mix-tape catalog and a cult following, Washington, D.C., spitter Wale has finally released his studio debut, "Attention Deficit." Featuring an array of indie producers (Mark Ronson and 9th Wonder, to name two) who specialize in the speedy, experimental beats synonymous with his style, Wale paints an accurate and diverse self-portrait through his introspective lyrics and sense of humor.

The album's single, "Chillin," features Lady Gaga, who blends her pop sound and appeal with Wale's incisive wordplay. Lady Gaga's contribution allows Wale to focus on rapping, resulting in clever double entendres such as, "I got the right to be cocky/Get so much cut disc jockeys jock me/You niggas mad that you not me/I remain a Giant and you Jeremy Shockey." The track's energetic synth stabs and sample from Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey" will drive you to the dance floor.

Mark Ronson's psychedelic guitar loops provide enough incentive to blast "Mirrors" (featuring Bun B), but Wale's fantastic flow also mandates a rewind. Elaborating on the idea that a rapper's harshest critic ought to be the mirror on the wall, he declares himself "the coldest to mix Pro Tools with the vocals" and pokes holes in his contemporaries: "What the fans can't see/The mirror gonna notice."

Ronson plays keyboard on "90210," creating a lullaby melody while Wale tells the story of the typical Beverly Hills groupie. He describes the pathetic lifestyle of pretentious Barbies, striking the listener with both wrenching reality and comical quips: "Indulge in a meal when a toilet's in sight/Expose those fries, can't hold those down/To reach 'Seven Pounds' must release seven pounds."

"Attention Deficit" surmounts the intense hype and brings listeners all around the world: to the club and to the 'hood, to Beverly Hills and in front of the mirror. For an artist who denies any interest in jewelry, Wale's debut album is golden.

Wale - Attention Deficit [4.6/5][Hip Hop State Of Mind Review]

Sparks37 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:09:28 GMT

King Eljay –

The Introduction: I have a confession to make, and I’m somewhat ashamed to even say this, but one of the things I’ve promised is to always stay 100% honest in my writings, and I wouldn’t be able to even write this review comfortably without admitting this….

I’ve been sleeping on Wale. From mispronunciation of his name (i used to say “whale”, but it’s “Wal-aye”) to seeing the cipher on the BET Awards and all but writing him off, to just ignoring new music that he put out, to even downloading his mixtape(s) and not being impressed. The only reason I downloaded the album was to hear the song with Marsha Ambrosius.

But unlike other people, I LOVE BEING WRONG…sometimes. From the beginning to the end of this album, he won me over. Let’s get this straight now: “Attention Deficit” has two of my favorite songs of the YEAR on here and you SHOULD cop this album. So here’s my PERSONAL apology to Rhymestyle, PropaYne, and most important, Wale, because I had no idea it was like that.

I refuse to make that mistake again. Now that’s out of the way…

The Good: I believe that this is hip-hop. Pretty much, the album flows tightly for the most part from front to back. The lyrics are meaningful, and even the somewhat generic songs have an original hip-hop twist to it. Whenever a dude can add Gucci Mane to a hip-hop song (“Pretty Girls”) and make him sound LEGIT, you have something special.

I’ve never heard Gucci use so many big words in my life. There could be hope for that guy yet. But I digressed…

"Yo, Wale, I like the pose, and I'mma let you finish, but New York has the best Statue of Liberty pose of ALL TIME!" Well said, Kanye. Well said.

The album is a nice 14 tracks, and most of the cameos work almost perfectly for the album. And to be completely honest, I wasn’t prepared for the epic scale OR the subject content on the album. I’m going to whale on that later though…get it? Whale? Haha?

The Bad: Although the lyrics are on point and the production is solid and the concept is there, a couple of songs just don’t fit. “Chillin’” with Lady Gaga just didn’t quite mesh with me like the rest of the album (surprisingly, it wasn’t Lady Gaga’s fault), and “TV in the Radio” just didn’t pull off the crisp delivery of the rest of the album. It hurts to listen to that song for me. It’s a shame, because if you take those two songs off the CD and replace it with ANY other random song Wale has released lately, you could make a stronger case for surprise album of the year.

Not ALBUM of the year…SURPRISE ALBUM of the year.

The Realness: There are a couple of songs on “Attention Deficit” that caught me completely off guard. As I hinted on earlier, I wanted to hear the song “Diary” with Marsha Ambrosius, and it did not disappoint at all. She really does add a level of passion and soul to music that’s rare. HOWEVER… “Shades” featuring Chrisette Michelle is my favorite song of the year right now.

I thought the song would be about Stunna Shades (he did make a song about Nike Boots, so give me a pass on that), but on the contrary, Wale begins to spit (I mean…SPIT) about how he used to feel concerning him being dark-skinned and others being light-skinned. Turns out, “Shades” is about the shade (or color) of your skin. It is a MUST LISTEN TRACK for anyone who respects hip-hop. One of the realest songs I’ve heard, and the best song I’ve heard this year. Sorry Drake.

Bottom Line: Attention Deficit comes out on November 10th. You should be in the stores to buy this on November 10th. I’m buying this album on November 10th. This is music hip-hop heads can be proud of. I hope Wale can stay consistent, because if he can, then I’m going to have a new artist to watch.

—–> Final Rating: 4.6 / 5 <—–