The Record Music Magazine

50 CENT – CURTIS – UNIVERSAL MUSIC
Record Rating: **

2007 saw the two biggest non political egos in the world, Kayne West and 50 Cent, battle each other in a war of sales – to prove who was the actual king of hip hop. 50 resorted to frenetically calling on buddies like a black Tony Bennet to try and help boost his sales. Not that this album is all bad, but it lacks the rawness of 50’s debut Get Rich Or Die Trying.

The album starts with the wannabe gangster-ish My Gun Go Off with lame lyrics like “We call it putting work in, leavin n----- hurtin, homocide’s lurkin’. My gun go off,” which just doesn’t seem believable, given the vibe of most of the album. In fact, it’s not till track five, I Get Money, that 50 manages to pull off an ol’ school feel. Ayo Technology is easily the grooviest, catchiest track on the album, with 50 Cent proficiently rapping through grind-y rhythms with Justin Timberlake adding to the splendour. Skip straight to Peep Show, a collaboration with Eminem, and you get the next half decent effort. A grind-y tune with steamy lyrics gives this track the potential to be the next In Da Club type club anthem.

All Of Me, the duet with Mary J. Blige, is by far the high point of the album. Unfortunately for 50, Mary J. is the star that shines here as she hollers, “Now I give you all of me, what you gonna give me back.” While 50 comes off like a back up singer as he croons appalling lyrics like, “Life is short baby, be part of my dreams. I own Ferraris, my Lamborghini leans, so mean.” The final track Touch The Sky does the record justice by ending a disappointing album with a disappointing finale. Unfortunately for 50, musical talent took preference over contacts on speed dial, and Kanye came out on top outselling him by a large enough margin to make him the king of hip hop…well, out of the two of them at least.

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