.png)
50 Cent – Curtis review
Label: Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records
Release Date: September 11th, 2007 Producers: 50 Cent (exec.), Dr Dre, Eminem, Adam Deitch, Havoc, Timbaland, Ty Fyffe and more.
Tracklisting:
“Intro”
“My Gun”
“Man Down”
“I’ll Still Kill” (w. Akon)
“I Get Money”
“Come & Go”
“Ayo Technology” (w. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland)
“Follow My Lead” (w. Robin Thicke)
“Movin’ on Up”
“Straight to the Bank”
“Amusement Park”
“Fully Loaded Clip”
“Peep Show” (w. Eminem)
“Fire” (w. Nicole Scherzinger & Young Buck)
“All of Me” (w. Mary J. Blige)
“Curtis 187”
“Touch the Sky” (w. Tony Yayo)
To purchase this album click here: Curtis
50 Cent has put everything that he has built within his empire on this third album, “Curtis” being the late hotcake of 2007. The pressure of which is an overwhelming one, considering his direct opponent is directly in front of him, a devastating southpaw in Kanye West. After Kanye’s “Late Registration” 2006 Grammy take down of 50’s sophomore joint, “The Massacre”, 50 Cent trained hard with a stripped-down G-Unit camp, to take to the ring for what may be the final showdown to establish placings for the heavyweight record-selling title. The date, September 11th.
“Get Rich Or Die Tryin’” was 50’s professional induction, and it shot down all contenders in 2003, maybe lucky that Kanye’s début wasn’t until 2004. This hit so hard it became the second highest selling album upon it’s first week of sales with 872,000 units the rap fraternity has ever witnessed. It hung at Billboard’s top-spot for six weeks, eight weeks on the Hip-Hop/Rap charts, and became the highest selling album of 2003 at 6.5 million copies. A certified 7x platinum notch. 2005 “The Massacre” follow-up kept up the pace, outdoing his début week, with 1.14 million copies within the first four days, second only to label-mate Eminem’s “Marshall Mathers LP”. Again it was one of the best-selling hotcakes of 2005 with 4.85 million units moved. Stakes is high! The year of 2006 became the Beefeater’s frustration with in-house trouble, vented outwardly at anyone who looked sideways at him or his revered G-Unit camp, just to stay in shape, in-tune and raw. Cam’ron and the Dipset felt the fury, not seen since he buried Murder Inc. Tired of being awarded the 2006 runner-up, 50 seeks to control the close of 2007 on top. Enter, “Curtis” in the red corner, weighing in at platinum and arguably undefeated since ‘03.
50 opens up his new album blasting from both barrels on “My Gun” as he berates the listener over putting in work. The vibrating bass-line provided by producer/percussionist, Adam Deitch and racing synthesisers resemble Eminem’s “Gatman & Robin”. A high-energy introductory hit. “Man Down” scales down the energy in favour of an inducing piano loop over the “Scooby-Doo Theme”. This becomes a result of the first track, after putting in work, 50’s shooter is now on a murder-spree is descriptive detail. The track is smooth and bouncy from producers, Detroit Red and Young Jeezy’s Don Cannon, fresh from Snowman’s “Go Crazy” summer-slam. Akon opens up the third track, “I’ll Still Kill” with his glowing vocals over a deep, floor-tom bassline.
The singles scattered through Curtis are foundation for holding up the album. The stand-out club banger, “I Get Money” uses lines from Audio Two’s “Top Billin’” borrowed by Apex. A lyrical taunt over the marketing phenomenon that seems to have even overwhelmed Fiddy himself with lines like, “I take quarter water, sold it in bottles for two bucks. Coca-Cola came and bought it for billions, what the fuck?!” However, a dancefloor hit for the album, this was the third released single for Curtis. In Da Club II was “Come & Go” bringing in Aftermath’s top billers, Eminem and Dre in production! A traditional Dre-joint, over The SOS Band’s “Just Be Good To Me” this is still unreleased as the final single for the album. “Ayo Technology” brings in the Timba-collabo with Justin Timberlake on vocals and Timbaland behind the boards, a huge-hit still climbing up the charts. The fourth single dropped as an R-rated sex-joint, purpose-built for grinding with the ladies to an end result. This is best used after the romantic, “Follow My Lead” serenades the mood with Robin Thicke’s seduction over a beautiful dusty piano stroke from Tha Bizness production. “Straight the the Bank” was introduced to the world at Floyd Mayweather’s entrance when he fought Oscar De La Hoya, although it seemed to be a pre-album leak-disaster, the track is a heavy, head-nodding hook and music to the soul of true hip-hop heads. Yayo’s taunting laughter is added to the chorus mix.
The collaboration makes for a beauty and the beast marriage between R&B Queen, Mary J. Blige and 50’s bravado on “All of Me”. The production sets off with a very crisp beat over diced horns running under the blessed cords of Blige, complimenting 50’s ever-growling vocals. The beast shows the other side to his Southside Jamaica flex with a charming lure, “When I smile your smile should be as big as mine/To know me is to love me I’m one of a kind/Even when you hate me you love me, forever you’re mine.” You must always please the ladies, job well done. Again on “Fire” 50 jumps into bed with Pussycat Doll, Nicole Scherzinger for another Dre-produced hit featuring G-Unit’s Young Buck to help reaffirm the G-Unit solidarity and Dre back at the helm.
The in-between jams still manage to bounce the trunk of your ride with deep bass and addictive cords, taking the pressure off the singles to control the destiny of album sales. Much like his previous records, Curtis holds up to the hardcore-yet radio-friendly hooks that today’s industry relies on so much. The hype and incredible build-up over the release of this album may unravel as a bad move for the marketing team, but on the basis of a Ferrari F-50 album the punches are still heavyweight and he may yet recover that title-belt many think he lost. The pop-collabos are a record-push but 50 shines with an unchanged flow consistent of any recording stamped by the G-Unit General, Curtis the third is a dope album, true to style, a serious effort and engineered for the car-stereo systems and club circuits. However the outcome of the sales battle between 50’s Curtis and Kanye’s Graduation, it won’t be because Curtis lacked the expectations of his predecessors, Get Rich or Massacre. Review by Balance: 411@hiphop.sh (admin) (This is the opinion of the author and is no way endorsed or influenced by any outside source.) To purchase this album click here: Curtis
Comments