50 Cent - Before I Self Destruct Review

Posted by Patrick Robinson on 11.16.2009

50 Cent is back with Before I Self Destruct, his first album since losing the sales war against Kanye West in 2007! Has he produced an album worthy of topping the charts, or is it just another 50 Cent album?

In 2007, 50 Cent challenged Kanye West to an album sales battle and promised to retire if he lost despite the fact that he would have still had contractual obligations to Interscope to complete another two more afterwards. The buying public spoke that day with Kanye outselling 50 Cent by a significant margin which has lead many people to speculate that the once dominant 50 Cent is no more and is instead replaced by a man who is overly-confident, yet at times, insecure with his own position, resorting to stirring up controversy whenever an album comes around rather than try and promote the actual album.

2009 would be no different with 50 Cent engaging in a fairly high-profile war of words (amongst other things) with Rick Ross, not to mention trying to start trouble once more with Fat Joe and Jay-Z. The release date for Before I Self Destruct has been changed no less than six times since it was initially announced back in the late months of 2007 for a February 2008 release. 50 has claimed everything from being unhappy with the final product, to waiting for Eminem’s album to drop as reasons for the delays although many believe that the actual reason has been the poor reception of the songs originally planned for the release such as “Get Up” and “I Get It In”.

Had 50 actually spent some time promoting his album through the music, as opposed to creating unnecessary conflict with other rappers and a roundabout way of advertising the album through other non-hip-hop related ventures, perhaps Before I Self Destruct would have seen an earlier release date. Nevertheless, here we are with 50 Cent’s fourth and final release for Interscope (as the fifth album will be a greatest hits collection). Will Before I Self Destruct be the album to help bring 50 back onto the top?

Before you read the review, please understand that I am not 'a big fan' of Fat Joe, Rick Ross or Cam'Ron, all of whom 50 Cent has had disagreements with in recent times. Or Soulja Boy



Tracks

1. The Invitation
2. Then Days Went By
3. Death To My Enemies
4. So Disrespectful
5. Psycho Ft. Eminem
6. Hold me Down
7. Crime Wave
8. Stretch
9. Strong Enough
10. Get It Hot
11. Gangsta’s Delight
12. I Got Swag
13. Baby By Me Ft. Ne-Yo
14. Do You Think About Me
15. Ok, You’re Right
16. Could’ve Been You Ft. R. Kelly

50 Cent himself described the album as “darker” and “more aggressive” than his previous album and there are certainly a few moments where 50 lets loose and allows his style to carry the track. “So Disrespectful” has 50 displaying a cocky confidence with lines such as “See me, I’m what you’re never gon’ be, I’m in that tax bracket you’re never gon’ see” that made him popular in the first place. The beat by Tha Bizness has a very Dr. Dre sound and 50 appears to be quite comfortable rapping over the heavy piano keys and drum loops.

“Crime Wave” may not be 50 covering any new ground, but technically, it’s quite impressive as he constantly switches his flow and rhyme pattern throughout the song which is contrasted nicely by the simpler hook.

Another of the highlights on the album “Do You Think About Me” sees 50 rapping over a much smoother Rockwilder beat and reminiscing about the good times he had in a relationship before things went wrong. It’s not your typical 50 Cent track, and is probably one of the more mature tracks he has done in his career.

The standout track on the album is “Psycho” with Eminem as the duo hook up with a lighter Dr. Dre beat than normal and go crazy. The opening bars of 50 Cent’s first verse should serve as a reminder that he originally came into the game boasting a seriously impressive flow that has since waned in later years. Eminem certainly doesn’t let 50 have all the spotlight though as he drops a Slim Shady inspired verse at a rapid pace. The track is a nice evolution from their first track together on Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, “Patiently Waiting” where 50 was almost completely outclassed by Eminem but is now able to hold his own.

The problems arise on Before I Self Destruct when 50 becomes complacent and allows his raps to wander into all too familiar and unwelcome territory. “Death To My Enemies” features one of the best beats on the album (provided by Dr. Dre and Mark Batson) but sees 50 ultimately rapping about the same old threats of violence we’ve heard over his last three albums. In a complete change of direction, 50 decides to make kissing noises on “Hold Me Down” and combined with the terribly sung hook makes this one of the low points on the album.

Nothing compares though to the sheer repetitiveness of “Get It Hot” – from the hook comprising of about 10 different words to the beat which is a 3 minute mess of synthesizers, it is hard to think of a song that 50 Cent has done that is worse than this. Even “21 Questions” as insipid as it was at least had Nate Dogg on the hook to save it.

One strong point that Before I Self Destruct has is that it is very light on the guests. In a year where we have seen releases with a guest on every track bar one or two, it’s refreshing in a way to see an artist trying to tackle the concept of actually completing an album without having to hold hands with every flavor of the month hook singer. Ne-Yo stops by on “Baby By Me” and provides a nice contrast to 50’s rougher style over a club-friendly Polow Da Don beat. R. Kelly though, manages to work the following gem into his hook: “The reason you didn’t get picked, because you got your nose up your ass, smelling your shit. But tonight you met your match, cause I be smelling my shit too, now how you like that?” - this coming from the man who supposedly brought us “I Believe I Can Fly”.

The 411: There are some good tracks on Before I Self Destruct, but they are ultimately dragged down by what at times feels like a collection of leftover tracks from his earlier albums. What should have been an impressive album to landmark the end of his time with Interscope instead became an album of much the same 50 Cent we've seen for almost 7 years now. Not really recommended.

Final Score:  6.0   [ Average ]