The Massacre
50 Cent
The Verdict: Fiddy’s newest matches the greatness of his debut.
4 out of 5 stars
While 50 Cent hasn’t been absent from the music scene since his debut, listeners have still yet to hear his real music, not his sparse beats and lyrics that he contributed to Lloyd Banks and Young Buck’s records. With the arrival of The Massacre, 50 has brought out the big guns.
The Massacre, while no better than Get Rich or Die Tryin’, is no worse either. It’s full of the same gun-wielding bravado that riddled so much of Die Tryin’, yet, in some ways, is more mature. 50 is still the same hardcore gangsta as before, but this go around he’s more conscious of his actions and has broken out as his own larger-than-life entity.
There are 21 songs on Massacre, which make it a dedicated listen at best. Plus most of the songs are serious laments on his life, while there are only about four upbeat club songs. 50 Cent stills holds on to his street roots and consequently can still boast about money, fame and fortune while at the same time recall times of struggle and disillusionment.
The CD’s best tracks are the two club-ready songs that have already been released: “Candy Shop” and “Disco Inferno.”
“Disco Inferno” rides a whirring whistle sample and pounding bass line to Fiddy’s professions on being the life of the party: “Next level now, turn it up a notch/Em and Dre sent me to tear up the spot/Front on me, oh no, you know I’m loco/Hands up on the dance floor, OK, let’s go!”
Although it doesn’t trump “In Da Club”-few if any rap songs ever will-it still lands a chance at being the club anthem for the year.
A pulverizing bass line and mesmerizing East Indian flute sample blast into “Candy Shop,” 50’s tribute to voluptuous women and nasty candy metaphors. “Shop” is a fantastic single and probably the best on Massacre beat-wise.
Fiddy ignites yet another rap feud on “Piggy Bank.” A grinding bass thump and coin-like clanks set the scene for 50’s insults aimed at Fat Joe and Jadakiss for recording “New York, New York” with 50’s enemy, Ja Rule: “That fat n**** thought ‘Lean Back’ was ‘In Da Club’/My s*** sold 11 mil, his s*** was a dud/Jada don’t f*** with me if you wanna eat/Cause I’ll do your lil’ a** like Jay did Mobb Deep.”
In “Gatman and Robbin’,” Eminem shows up for a four-star guest rhyme about his and 50 Cent’s bond in the rap game, all backed by a throbbing Batman-esque bass line that sounds like the sequel to Shady’s Batman-sampling “Business” from The Eminem Show.
50 Cent throws in his usual tales of street life and gunplay on “Ski Mask Way”: “You wanna spray at me? Go ahead/The last n**** that tried got hit, keeled over and bled til’ he died,” and “Gunz Come Out”: “The semi-auto spray, run if you get away/I’ll find your whereabouts and clap at you another day/N**** play with the bread, get a hole in your head,” backed by a swaying piano and guitar rhythm line and a staccato horn line with a dooming piano pounds.
“A Baltimore Love Thing” shows 50 struggling with his girl through betrayal: “You broke my heart you dirty b****, I won’t forget what you did;” forgiveness: “I love you, love me back, no one said lovin’ me’d be easy;” and his unconditional love: “Forever you and me baby, we were meant to be.” Gospel oohs and aahs, a throwback guitar sample and simple strings surround the twisted love tale.
Jamie Foxx turns up for an unexpected but memorable guest vocal on “Build You Up,” a love song that feels as earnest as 50’s words: “Girl, it’s more than lust, I want your trust/You keep it real with me, I’ll keep it real with you/’Cause I know with you by my side, there’s nothing I can’t do.” Foxx’s performance proves that the Oscar-winning actor can sing rather well, and the up-beat piano diddy accompanying the bumping bass and handclaps conjures up sounds of a funky ’70s soul classic with a hip-hop twist.
50 samples Coldplay’s “God Put A Smile Upon My Face” on “God Gave Me Style” a breezy, bass thumping homage to God and the gifts God has given 50: “I need no answers to these questions, cause time will tell/Got a date with destiny, she’s more than a girl/Don’t much good come from me but my music/It’s a gift given from God so I’ma use it!”
The rest of the songs on Massacre are great, but could have used a few more tweaks of the music board to make them more unique. Then there’s the bonus song “Hate It or Love It (Remix),” which contains 50’s G-Unit crew and, albeit awkwardly, The Game whom 50 recently kicked off the label for being disloyal to the G-Unit family.
The Massacre attempts to trump Get Rich or Die Tryin’, which 50 Cent himself has said is better, but it doesn’t succeed in bettering its predecessor nor does it fail; it is an equal record in comparison. The uneven song arrangement makes it sound like four mix tapes thrown together for an album, but is nonetheless another terrific contribution to the rap world in need of more substance.