CD Review: Before I Self Destruct by 50 Cent
Sabrina Paparella
Issue date: 11/24/09 Section: Entertainment
50 Cent's new album, "Before I Self Destruct," borders on sounding like two different musical projects. The first half of 50's fourth studio release is aggressive and violent until it suddenly moves into a smoother R&B influenced second half, with appearances by Ne-Yo and R. Kelly.
On some of the first tracks like "So Disrespectful," 50 takes shots at rappers like Jay-Z and Lil' Wayne. Although 50's lyrics include references of him being better in the rap game than artists more popular than him, his claims are opposite of being believable. Innstead, they come across as being endearingly optimistic.
His punches toward his competition only serve instead to magnify the decline of 50's popularity in the music business.
In keeping with the dark tone of the album, Eminem appears on "Psycho," in which both rappers compete verse by verse to outdo each other in who can rap the most grotesque lyrics. Embarrassingly enough, it's Eminem who steals the show.
Although the aggressive lyricism comes across poorly in "Before I Self Destruct," tracks like the Dr. Dre-produced, "Death to My Enemies" and "Psycho" live up musically to the album's darker tone.
As "Before I Self Destruct" moves away from its formerly aggressive stance, it comes into a softer feel towards the second half of the album.
The latter half includes the ready-for-radio "Baby By Me" which features Ne-Yo. This is a smooth track and is the closest time "Before I Self Destruct" succeeds in sounding like an R&B album.
The track revolves around a catchy hook where 50 claims that women should "Have a baby by me, baby / Be a millionaire."
The album also closes on the decidedly soft track "Could've Been You" with the chorus sung by R. Kelly. "Could've Been You" sounds disconnected to the rest of the album because it creates an abrupt ending for the album to close on.
"Before I Self Destruct" has a rough, choppy sound that makes 50 Cent's latest cut come across as unfinished.
3/5
On some of the first tracks like "So Disrespectful," 50 takes shots at rappers like Jay-Z and Lil' Wayne. Although 50's lyrics include references of him being better in the rap game than artists more popular than him, his claims are opposite of being believable. Innstead, they come across as being endearingly optimistic.
His punches toward his competition only serve instead to magnify the decline of 50's popularity in the music business.
In keeping with the dark tone of the album, Eminem appears on "Psycho," in which both rappers compete verse by verse to outdo each other in who can rap the most grotesque lyrics. Embarrassingly enough, it's Eminem who steals the show.
Although the aggressive lyricism comes across poorly in "Before I Self Destruct," tracks like the Dr. Dre-produced, "Death to My Enemies" and "Psycho" live up musically to the album's darker tone.
As "Before I Self Destruct" moves away from its formerly aggressive stance, it comes into a softer feel towards the second half of the album.
The latter half includes the ready-for-radio "Baby By Me" which features Ne-Yo. This is a smooth track and is the closest time "Before I Self Destruct" succeeds in sounding like an R&B album.
The track revolves around a catchy hook where 50 claims that women should "Have a baby by me, baby / Be a millionaire."
The album also closes on the decidedly soft track "Could've Been You" with the chorus sung by R. Kelly. "Could've Been You" sounds disconnected to the rest of the album because it creates an abrupt ending for the album to close on.
"Before I Self Destruct" has a rough, choppy sound that makes 50 Cent's latest cut come across as unfinished.
3/5
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