2008 Woodie Awards
Music Review:
"Curtis" - 50 Cent
Luke Caulfield
Issue date: 9/20/07 Section: Entertainment
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Curtis
Curtis "Interscope" Jackson AKA 50 Cent may have returned to his street talking ways with his third solo album, "Curtis," but unlike other rap kings of New York, his lyrical creativity and flow remain inconsistent since his rise into the hip-hop game.
Backed by beats from Timbaland, Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Havoc of G-Unit's Mobb Deep, 50 has added more punch to his production since 2005's "The Massacre." While "The Massacre" went for pop hits and number one Billboard chart toppers, "Curtis" brings out 50 Cent's ability to stay popular while concentrating on his street credibility. After success with both hardcore, east coast street rap and "hip-pop" (as some popular rap music is known as today), 50 has realized that he can sell no matter what kind of album he releases.
"Curtis" begins with two Irishmen talking about big guns, and jumps into a fitting track entitled "My Gun Go Off." Over a rock orchestra constructed by producers Adam Deitch and Eric Krasno, 50 raps about just how these guns work when they are in his hands. "Man Down" continues 50's obsession with talking about killing people (or does he actually do it) with a chorus of "I'll murder them/I'll murder them." 50 covers the same topics of gun play as he did in the previous song and does not refrain from addressing his street habits in the following track "I'll Still Kill." With Akon supplying the chorus, Dj Khalil (who previously worked on Jay-Z's "Kingdome Come") produces the hottest track on the album thus far. Akon brings more emotion to the song with meaningful lyrics about his own street life, but at this point in the album the lyrics are already getting tiresome and repetitive.
Just when you thought 50 Cent could not get any more street, he comes out with the hardest song of the album, the Apex produced "I Get Money." Mixing his street life with his financial success, 50 raps "I'm the baker/I bake the bread/A barber/I'll cut your head/A marksman/I spray the lead." "Come and Go" immediately brings in the orchestral strings and keys of Dr. Dre (although Veto and Roomio are credited with the beat, 50 raps "Its Dr. Dre and 50 Cent trick") before 50 begins rapping about violence and having a new girl on the daily. Mentioning women helps to introduce the best song on the album, "Ayo Technology," with "it producer" Timbaland supplying the electronic dance beat and his main man Justin Timberlake on the chorus. 50 raps about his fantasy women and what he enjoys doing with them in another hot collaboration from Timbaland and Timberlake, who have recently become the hottest duo in the music industry.
Curtis "Interscope" Jackson AKA 50 Cent may have returned to his street talking ways with his third solo album, "Curtis," but unlike other rap kings of New York, his lyrical creativity and flow remain inconsistent since his rise into the hip-hop game.
Backed by beats from Timbaland, Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Havoc of G-Unit's Mobb Deep, 50 has added more punch to his production since 2005's "The Massacre." While "The Massacre" went for pop hits and number one Billboard chart toppers, "Curtis" brings out 50 Cent's ability to stay popular while concentrating on his street credibility. After success with both hardcore, east coast street rap and "hip-pop" (as some popular rap music is known as today), 50 has realized that he can sell no matter what kind of album he releases.
"Curtis" begins with two Irishmen talking about big guns, and jumps into a fitting track entitled "My Gun Go Off." Over a rock orchestra constructed by producers Adam Deitch and Eric Krasno, 50 raps about just how these guns work when they are in his hands. "Man Down" continues 50's obsession with talking about killing people (or does he actually do it) with a chorus of "I'll murder them/I'll murder them." 50 covers the same topics of gun play as he did in the previous song and does not refrain from addressing his street habits in the following track "I'll Still Kill." With Akon supplying the chorus, Dj Khalil (who previously worked on Jay-Z's "Kingdome Come") produces the hottest track on the album thus far. Akon brings more emotion to the song with meaningful lyrics about his own street life, but at this point in the album the lyrics are already getting tiresome and repetitive.
Just when you thought 50 Cent could not get any more street, he comes out with the hardest song of the album, the Apex produced "I Get Money." Mixing his street life with his financial success, 50 raps "I'm the baker/I bake the bread/A barber/I'll cut your head/A marksman/I spray the lead." "Come and Go" immediately brings in the orchestral strings and keys of Dr. Dre (although Veto and Roomio are credited with the beat, 50 raps "Its Dr. Dre and 50 Cent trick") before 50 begins rapping about violence and having a new girl on the daily. Mentioning women helps to introduce the best song on the album, "Ayo Technology," with "it producer" Timbaland supplying the electronic dance beat and his main man Justin Timberlake on the chorus. 50 raps about his fantasy women and what he enjoys doing with them in another hot collaboration from Timbaland and Timberlake, who have recently become the hottest duo in the music industry.
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