After “How to Rob” became an unexpected success, 50 Cent’s life became consumed with fame. No longer could he spend his days hanging out on the streets or get first-hand glimpses of new hip hop trends.
G-Unit came through with beats that 50 Cent used to add irresistible choruses that combined his New York roots and contemporary Southern hip hop trends into one unique sound.
Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2001)
Fifteen years ago this month, 50 Cent made waves with Get Rich or Die Tryin’. His groundbreaking debut showcased an unpredictable MC who used wealth and charismatic verbalizations to disrupt local communities with vicious rhymes.
By the time Get Rich or Die Tryin’ was released, underground circles had already become aware of 50 Cent. His controversial single “How to Rob a Industry Niggai?” led to beef between him and various rap icons like Jay-Z, Big Pun, and Sticky Fingaz of Onyx as well as creating enough buzz that Columbia Records signed him on for a recording contract.
Before beginning work on his album, 50 formed his G-Unit crew and released a legendary mixtape series. Skilfully adapting current hits while adding humorous streetwise choruses made 50 an icon of street culture.
The result was a collection of hits that resonated with urban audiences. Whether due to his compelling story, natural talent on mic, or Eminem and Dre’s mastery in studio – Eminem and Dre’s project set an impressive standard that set newcomers a high bar.
Get Rich or Die Tryin’ stands out as one of the few gangsta rap albums to celebrate music over bravado. Its production was crisp and emotive, from Caribbean Casio beats and organ punches on “P.I.M.P” to the rattling snares and brass of “21 Questions,” 50 displayed his unique talent of creating lyrical masterclasses while remaining authentically himself on each track.
Although Get Rich or Die Tryin’ was successful, its flaws were obvious. Perhaps the biggest one was its lack of thematic development: in an industry filled with cliches and moralistic preaching, 50 Cent’s lyrics often crossed into parody territory; without Biggie, Pac and Nas’ soul, L.A.’s wit or Ja Rule/Nelly charisma it made for an uneven album experience that only improved over time. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ remains a classic; so it was good that 50 followed it with two additional great releases in 2016.
In da Club (2001)
50 Cent is no doubt familiar to you by now; his rise to fame began after flooding the mixtape market and signing to Shady/Aftermath records. His debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ became a genre-bending classic and its lead single, “In da Club”, solidified his place among G-Unit leadership.
Dre and Mike Elizondo’s grandiose beat for “50 Cent Is Dying to Live,” is an impressive piece that could only have been designed to accompany an MC in full stride. It is both urgent and dramatic at once – think James Bond or Jason Bourne scores. 50 Cent himself provides equally captivating lyrics; his rhymes speak volumes; 50 raps about life on the streets with defiant confidence, yet sing-song delivery; his lines possess an edge that elevates them far beyond just recounting of criminal exploits.
The video for “I Will Always Remember You” was equally ominous, shot by director Darren Aronofsky and edited by Chris Robinson. It begins with a Hummer driving down windy desert roads as sickly green computer font chyrons roll across the screen before cutting to Shady Artist Development Center where Dre and Eminem appear wearing white lab coats and scrutinize 50 Cent in an imaginary lab environment.
Jam Master Jay helped 50 develop into a musician, teaching him how to write hooks and structure songs. He gave 50 his first major break, inviting him to rap on Onyx single “React,” where 50 delivered an explosive street bravado verse over Storch’s dark yet funky production; creating one of the greatest hip hop hits of all time.
Queens MC 50 delivers an arresting track from his sophomore album that depicts the violent, drug-addled slums where he grew up, including drug lords from the ’80s in Queens. It serves as a grim yet vivid portrait of their reign and serves as an eyewitness account to show that 50’s violent upbringing only set him up for continued conflict both on- and off-record.
The Massacre (2001)
At a time when other rappers such as Ludacris and Nelly hid their street content under catchy melodies, 50 Cent stood out with his dark tone and subtle sense of humor. Yet his more sensitive side could also be found in Nate Dogg’s romantic “Candy Shop”. Meanwhile “Wanksta” provides high-energy party bangers perfect for blasting at full volume; “Hustler’s Ambition” and “Many Men (Wish Death)” provide powerful tracks that will motivate listeners to keep going.
Get Rich or Die Tryin’ cemented 50 Cent’s position as one of hip hop’s greatest contemporary artists, dominating charts and reinventing classic rap and R&B songs while adding his own street-smart lyrics. The album featured many guest artists such as Dr. Dre and members of his G-Unit crew that would soon go on to become superstars themselves.
Eminem may be an accomplished and widely respected rapper, yet his white background makes it hard for some people to accept him as the leader of an African American culture. Still, many black rappers respect Eminem; Royce da 5’9 and Boogie are two fans who have expressed how much they adore his music – even going so far as saying that he is their favorite artist!
GRODT (2003)
After conquering the charts with his debut album, 50 Cent quickly followed it up with GRODT (2003) which similarly hit hard on the charts and remains one of the best selling hip hop albums ever. GRODT showcased 50 Cent’s ability to tell an engaging narrative through an album while cementing himself as an artist through his signature singsong flow and merging New York and Southern styles into one unique sound – making him an overnight superstar with platinum albums, multi-million dollar deals, best-selling books and chart-topping singles all thanks to word-of-mouth promotion alone. It proved instrumental in propelling him on his meteoric career which ultimately saw him achieve platinum albums, multi million dollar deals, best-selling books and chart-topping singles success!
50 Cent has demonstrated his talent at crafting songs that go deeper than just the usual gangsta rap songs that first made him popular. The production on the album was stellar and many tracks such as Hustler’s Ambition, Back Down and Window Shopper are particularly catchy and memorable – these three standout tracks deserve special mention.
GRODT also featured an outstanding soundtrack that showcased the talents of members of his G-Unit crew. Although most tracks focused on 50 Cent’s character, 21 Questions offered an insight into his softer side with Nate Dogg featuring on a love rap track as part of a tribute song featuring Nate Dogg for Nate Dogg as its central figure – offering a welcome respite from his usual self-involved taunts that 50 Cent is known for.
Back Down was the first song on his album that directly addressed Ja Rule and their rivalry, while still maintaining all of Fif’s humour and tongue-in-cheek attitude. Fans found calling out Ja Rule by name almost endearing; his vocalizing of these emotions could only enhance its impactful nature.