50 cent
The massacre

THE REVIEW

"The Massacre" by Fifty

50 Cent returns, after the album with his crew and several features, with his second album for Aftermath. "The Massacre" is indeed his new solo album.
The cover picks up the idea of the previous album ("Get Rich or Die Tryin'") showing us the usual statue-like physique of the rapper (even though he has small shoulders :-) this time appearing to emerge from ice, and 50 confirms this impression by not straying from his style and genre, hardcore gangsta rap.

The productions are entrusted to various producers, including many big names who perform excellently. There are productions by Eminem (intro+3), Scott Storch (3), Hi-Tek (2), Dr. Dre & Mike Elizondo (2), J.R. "Rotem" (2), Needlez (2), C-Style & Bang-out (2), Buckwild (1), Cool & Dre (1), Black Jeruz & Sha Money XL (1), Disco D (1).

Excellent work from Scott Storch, a club king who creates very particular atmospheres and (for me) very beautiful ones (notably Candy Shop), the usual Dr. Dre who produces a truly stunning base in "Outta Control" and a hard track in "Gunz Come Out", and Hi-Tek, the most unique producer on the album, who delivers tons of style in beat form (listen to Ryder Music to believe it)...
Eminem and Needlez's efforts are decent, with the former going through highs and lows, while the latter produces two excellent pieces (notably "Piggy Bank"). Also noteworthy are the performances of Buckwild (in perfect Blackmoon style) and C-Style, while the others remain average. Regarding the beats, the album is quite satisfying with peaks of excellent level, although I miss a few more bangers from Dr. Dre (like in the first album).

As for 50 Cent, what more can be said that hasn't already been said... He's one of the most famous rappers at the moment, and with this album, he will surely make a splash again: there are great singles (Candy Shop, Disco Inferno), hard-hitting gangsta tracks ("I'm Supposed to Die Tonight", "Gunz Come Out"), and radio-friendly pieces ("So Amazing", which sounds like a Ja Rule and Ashanti song :-). Thus, the album is heterogeneous in its composition, there's everything needed to sell and be successful, and Fifty delivers the usual rhymes and gangsta-style lyrics, which are very tough but can get somewhat tiring over time...
In this album, the topics revolve around guns, money, and women (Gunz, Money and Bitches) in no particular order; the subjects are always the same. This could be logical given we're dealing with 50 Cent, the one who revived gangsta rap, but it still disappoints because it doesn't bring any innovation compared to the genre, the previous album, and others, even his own peers (see The Game), and at some points, he seems out of form... His style, however, remains high level: the best songs are "Outta Control", "Ryder Music", and "I'm Supposed to Die Tonight".

In summary, 50 Cent didn't exactly massacre me.... The album isn't bad, quite the opposite.... it's rather good but not a classic.

Track by Track:
1) Intro (produced by Eminem). Usual gangsta intro with lots of gunfire to describe the massacre.
2) "In My Hood" (produced by C-Style & Bang-out). Good start. Gangsta-style song with a fitting base and beat and with 50 giving his best with a nice flow. It describes how tough life is in the neighborhood: "In my hood niggaz got love for me / but I don't go nowhere without my strap".
3) "This is 50" (produced by Black Jeruz & Sha Money XL). Very beautiful base with raw sounds juxtaposed differently than usual to give a very hard and underground effect. In contrast, 50 Cent fails to be incisive not so much in the lyrics (the usual ego-trippin) as in the monotonous flow that doesn't quite convince.
4) "I'm Supposed to Die Tonight" (produced by Eminem). Beautiful piece with a captivating Eminem base that's slow at the right pace with 50 returning to his levels with hard and intimate lyrics at the same time, (along the lines of "21 Questions") and a nice chorus in perfect gangsta style.
5) "Piggy Bank" (produced by Needlez). Needlez's base is truly powerful and gives an extra edge to everything. Concerning the lyrics, it's pure fire as it's all a "dissing". Fifty disses Jadakiss and Big Pun for participating in a Ja Rule piece (historic enemy), then makes fun of Lil' Kim for her various surgeries and disses Kelis and Nas. No one can say anything to him because he is filthy rich and his records continue to sell just like those of his peers, even if he doesn't settle. "Bank's shit sells, Buck's shit sells, Game's shit sells, I'm rich as Hell" but "Yeah, Yeah get more money, more money..."
6) "Gatman & Robin" feat. Eminem (produced by Eminem). The base is good but the piece is underwhelming or at least one expected much more from Eminem who instead presents with an almost sung mono-chord style that disappoints a lot. The disappointment grows even more when comparing this song to the one on 50C's previous album (Patiently Waiting), which had shown strong chemistry between the two and resulted in a spectacular track with a fantastic Eminem verse. This song only leaves a bitter taste.
7) "Candy Shop" feat. Olivia (produced by Scott Storch). It won't be "In Da Club" (who doesn't remember it) but this new Fifty single is really well done with an "oriental" base by Mr. Scott Storch, who doesn't miss a beat and gives the right sound to this sure-to-be-successful club piece. Fifty, for his part, presents with a very explicit text helped by the sensuality of Olivia (the first singer contracted by G-Unit) who offers a good performance, especially "good" given the great video :-p.
8) "Outta Control" (produced by Dr. Dre & Michael Elizondo). One of the best bases on the album (in my humble opinion) could only be produced by the doctor from Compton, Dr. Dre, who provides an extraordinary rhythm and a perfect combination of sounds. Fifty also demonstrates an intriguing style, but the text is somewhat lacking, almost like a filler for the base, which ends up being the real protagonist. Great Dre!!!.
9) "Get in My Car" (produced by Hi-Tek). Nice soft and particular base by Hi-Tek... I don't like 50's rap here, though, as he nails a nice hook but presents some weak verses and a text too similar to the others that tires over time.
10) "Ski Mask Way" (produced by Disco D). Electronic base by Disco D that draws heavily from old school sounds where the rapper seems at ease, even if he still talks about his desire to make + money (?!). In summary, it seems a filler track that remains average.
11) "A Baltimore Love Thing" (produced by Cue thing). Underwhelming piece both for the base and the rap... 50 tends to deflate towards the end of what seems like a love song nonetheless aimed at a "bitch". Read to believe: "Let's make a date, promise you'll come to see me / Even if it means you have to sell ya' mama TV / I love you...".
12) "Ryder Music" (produced by Hi-Tek). This track represents the best blend between rap and base on the entire album. Hi-Tek's base is perfect and has a wonderful sound that magically fits Fifty's words, who finally in this piece manages to lock some nice stylish rhymes. As the title says, a song to be listened to while driving to be transported into the magical atmosphere of "Ryder Music" and into Fifty's success and as he says, woe to interrupt him. "In 99 I had a vision and made a decision / bein' broke is against my religion.".
13) "Disco Inferno" (produced by C. Styles & Bang-out). Another "Club Banger" very well done that 50 seems to appreciate a lot, mainly because of the nice "professionally made" base by C. Styles. A nice club track that will probably be the 2nd single, all to dance to.
14) "Just a Lil' Bit" (produced by Scott Storch). Beautiful base from regular Scott Storch, who creates the usual semi-oriental atmospheres which I like very much and that accompany 50's text well, as he seems to find the right chemistry with this producer.
15) "Gunz Come Out" (produced by Dr. Dre & Michael Elizondo). One of the hardest tracks on the album where 50 Cent takes the listener on a journey through New York showing how problems are solved in the street where if there's something wrong, "gunz come out". The text is really tough, accompanied by a DRE base that is really hard to digest but conveys the situation well. 16) "My Toy Soldier" feat. Tony Yayo (produced by Eminem). This piece picks up the title and some parts of the base from an Eminem song (who is the producer). The piece is fast and seems appreciated by 50, even though it remains average. Enhancing it is the feature of Tony Yayo (a member of the G-Unit, who I hadn't heard yet due to his long detention in jail). Tony gives us an exciting verse that surprised me a lot.
17) "Position of Power" (produced by J.R. "Rotem"). A piece with neither shame nor praise that quickly arouses the desire to move on, not because it's bad but because one understands immediately that it's a kind of piece in which 50 talks about the usual things.
18) "Build You Up" feat Jamie Foxx (produced by Scott Storch). Scott Storch in production again.... and doesn't miss a beat, despite not changing, his style "I really like a lot". Jamie Foxx is the novelty... it's difficult to find a singer's presence on a 50 record. It's a love song.
19) "God Gave Me Style" (produced by Needlez). In his style, Fifty thanks God for the talent he was given for a very soft song that also includes thanks to the reverend at the end.
20) "So Amazing" Feat. Olivia (produced by J. R. "Rotem"). A very radio-friendly R'N'B' piece that could be a single and shows a softened 50 Cent who doesn't say a bad word.
21) "I Don't Need 'Em" (produced by Buckwild). A very tough piece with a cement-hard base in the perfect raw style of the producer, where Fifty tells us about his arrest and his new enemies now that he is filthy rich.
22) "Hate It Or Love It (Remix)" feat. G-Unit (produced by Cool & DRE). Remix of the track already contained in The Game's album with the entire crew added on the same original base, which is still very beautiful.