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In the Studio: 50 Cent Gets “Dark” on New Disc

11/14/08, 1:11 pm EST

Photo: Lionel Deluy

Last year, 50 Cent went up against Kanye West, and lost. Both rappers released albums on September 11th, 2007, and while West’s sold 950,000 copies its first week, 50’s moved about 250,000 units less. Looking back, 50 says, “If I could change anything, I’d change the timing that I released it. But together we created the largest-selling week for hip-hop music.”

The two won’t be going head-to-head again: West’s 808s & Heartbreak is slated for November 25th, and 50’s Before I Self Destruct will be out early next year. Compared to 2007’s R&B-heavy Curtis — which featured Justin Timberlake, Mary J. Blige and Robin Thicke — 50’s fourth LP is more stripped-down, with fewer guest spots. “It’s darker,” he says. “It has the essence of [his debut] Get Rich or Die Tryin’. It’s authentic with harsh realities.” Beyond the first single, the Scott Storch-produced “Get Up,” 50 won’t reveal any song titles, though he says the CD will feature collaborations with Dr. Dre and Eminem. Also, every disc will come with a DVD of a full-length movie written, directed by and starring the MC: He plays a none-too-bright baller with NBA potential, whose teen brother is a college-bound prodigy. “It might sound far-fetched, but 13-year-old college students are out there,” says 50. “There’s more than one Doogie Howser, baby.”

[From Issue 1066 — November 27, 2008]

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Trailer: 50 Cent’s Directorial Debut Before I Self Destruct

50 Cent Doles Out Hood Business Advice on The Money and the Power


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Comments

solidacardo | 5/19/2009, 10:34 am EST

50’s cool but if he signs some of us chicago rappers he want need the police for security.

shady j | 3/25/2009, 10:04 am EST

50 is okay at least.. even tho his benefitted 4rm em n dre. i think em is one of d greatest pure rappers of all time. lol

GET RICH WITHOUT TRYING | 1/22/2009, 3:54 am EST

50 CENT SAYS THIS ALBUM WILL BE LIKE GET RICH… , BUT CHECK THE TRACK LISTING FOR THE NEW ALBUM…. NONE OF THE ORIGINAL PRODUCERS ARE ON THIS ALBUM… ITZ GONNA BE A COLLECTORS ITEM ALRIGHT… JUST ANOTHER ITEM COLLECTING DUST AT YOUR LOCAL MUSIC STORE… DO NOT SUPPORT THIS FOOL! I’LL BUY 50 WHEN HE STARTS SHOWING HIP-HOP SOME RESPECT!!!

Brian | 1/13/2009, 12:08 am EST

Lil wayne did dickride lollipop. and yeah stop hating, 50 is good, he slacks sometimes but overall his material is quality

GR MICHIGAN | 12/20/2008, 8:38 am EST

DAM PEOPLE STOP BEING SO DAM JEALOUS.THE MAN IS GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES IF HE WAS NOT GOOD AT IT WHY ARE YOU NOTICEING HIM.50 IS THE BEST HANDS DOWN LOLLII POP WAS JOCKED FROM CANDY SHOP.LIKE AKA CURTIS SAYS IM RIDEING STRAIGHT TO BANK WIT IT HA HA HA.

lil wayne | 11/25/2008, 12:12 am EST

fuck all yall some damn haters i never herd such bullshit there aint no reason for none of yall to be hatin like this yall all would sell your soul to have what 50 got

Phillip E. Banks | 11/18/2008, 4:29 pm EST

Soon to be a has-been. A thug and a bully can only last for so long no matter what he may have contributed to the industry or how much money he made. Suge Knight Jr. at best, not even close to the contributions of MC Hammer.

bobob | 11/18/2008, 12:35 am EST

I could have sworn something else happened on september 11th a few years ago, but I’m not sure. Whatever it was, it probably wasn’t as important as kanye vs. 50. Definitely

totallydude | 11/17/2008, 7:04 pm EST

First off Russell Simmons is the best business man in hip-hop. Hes the modle that everyone tries to duplicate. Second 50 cent is not that creative. He uses sex and violence in the absence of creativity. He is a sad commentary on how materail success has overshadowed true talent and creativity

s | 11/17/2008, 6:37 pm EST

Agreed with Chucky

Chucky | 11/17/2008, 5:37 pm EST

50 Cent is a wack MC. I won’t front on his business skills, but as he himself has made clear - and this is almost a direct quote - he was always in it for the business, not the music. Which is fine. But that fact speaks volumes. I don’t care about street cred from Supreme or tour receipts. I care about Rakim and Kweli and people on that level - and there is nothing, nothing that 50 could ever do that would put him in that league. You can call me a hater, he can make a billion dollars - none of that matters. He’ll never sit at that table.

M | 11/17/2008, 5:25 pm EST

Nas is better…

Anonymous | 11/17/2008, 5:01 pm EST

oooga oooga

kliffee | 11/17/2008, 3:46 pm EST

i thought rolling stone was a music magazine :)

Anonymous | 11/17/2008, 11:25 am EST

who gives a shite?

IntrevenousMetal | 11/17/2008, 10:20 am EST

No mention in this article about how this guy said he would retire over a year ago. There’s nothing even remotely interesting about rap anymore, but that “retiring” fiasco, if anything, should ruin this guy’s credibility.

Makaveli | 11/17/2008, 9:54 am EST

50 will go down as:

1)The best business man hip hop has ever seen

2) the most electrifying debut in rap history, with only competition from snooop dogg and biggie

3) most dominant mixtape run in history and revolutionizing the entire mixtape game as a marketing tool

4) a leader that put out multiple artists that went platinum, something jayz cant say for himself

5)the biggest touring artist in hip hop history

6)dominant billboard positions and airplay.. in 2005 4 songs in the top 10, only the BEATLES have done the same

7)beefed with a lot of artists and was literally a ‘patroling bully’ in rap… like a bully in the hallway **** with ppl cus he can

8) guy who can make both hood classics and girlie classics, in the same mold as biggie.. Not many rappers, if any ever besides biggie, can hit you with a ‘many men’ and a ‘backdown’, then hit you with a ‘lil bit’ and ‘candy shop’

9) will be known as the man who destroyed murda inc and ja rule forever, and ja rule was the # 1 before 50 came out

10) a rapper who actually had street cred, REAL street cred, as verified by guys who dislike him like smurf, domination, and preme himself

I could go on and on but… there will never be another 50 cent… He was already a living legend after the massacre… if hip hop was a large book, with chapters breaking down the important times and events, 50’s chapter would be quite larger than most, and thats only off 3 albums…

again, there will never be another 50 cent just like theres never gonna be another 2pac, Notorious B.I.G

lou-J | 11/17/2008, 9:49 am EST

50 is the best rapper out right now,

Joe | 11/16/2008, 7:25 pm EST

In hip-hop, as in other genres, album sales does not necessarily equate to talent. 50 Cent has benefitted immensely from associations with Eminem and Dr. Dre, just as Puff Daddy did with Biggie Smalls a few years back. 50 Cent is an above average rapper for the times. If these guys had come out when Chuck D, Rakim, KRS One, RUN DMC, Ice-T, and NWA ruled the roost they would have been buried.

brad | 11/16/2008, 2:13 pm EST

man you guys are all a bunch of haters honestly!!! 50 cent blows away everything i have ever heard from wayne. 50 is the best business man in music and the richest too. trash talk all you want but 50 be back in the 1st quarter

sam | 11/16/2008, 1:02 pm EST

If he didnt have em & dre he would have been exposed 4 what he is _ a worthless thug

.... | 11/14/2008, 9:53 pm EST

50 cent you sure rushed out a new album after kanye kicked your ass and then lil wayne turned around and made your album sales look like a joke. face it dude being a gangsta isnt cool to anyone but misguided white kids and people who cant afford the 16$ your shit on a disc costs

NachoMamma | 11/14/2008, 8:35 pm EST

Thug in the hood continues a downward spiral. Money will take him to the depths of depravity and no wonder the hood will bury him and forget him like all the bodies on pauper square.

Cloudman | 11/14/2008, 4:16 pm EST

Well hopefully this new album will live up to Get Rich or Die Tryin, although that Get Up song isn’t doing much to encourage me. At least it’ll be better then Kanye’s new garbage.

JimneyJamJibber | 11/14/2008, 2:29 pm EST

Well Kids,
Illeagal Downloading definitely has its ups.
Hopefully Fitty cent is all he’ll earn on this fly-ridden musical excrement.
Am I the only one who wishes that the next person who shoots him 150 times will have better aim than the last guy?

frank mcCourt | 11/14/2008, 1:44 pm EST

50 cent is lame.

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