By Madeline Kerins
It’s been over two years since his last disc, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ was released. One of the most anticipated albums of the year, 50 Cent proclaimed that his latest effort was going to blow us out of the water. I smell a liar.
50 Cent has lost his touch. His first disc was a masterpiece. It came with much hype, as he had been an underground rapper for many years and the release was constantly delayed. But it knocked people off their feet. Part of his popularity stems from his ability to parlay his rap hits into chart topping pop hits, but it seems that all the familiarity and staleness associated with pop has now infiltrated 50 Cent as well. The Massacre fails to deliver. Less than two weeks after its release, used copies are available on Amazon.com for $3.99.
The album’s title is ironic. It is littered with bullets, gunshots and typical “gangster” scenarios, as well as gun-toting images of 50 Cent. The real “massacre” is that of his originality. While his first disc was full of life, energy and freshness, the latest installment seems stale and generic. Before, 50 Cent stood apart from the world of popular rap, but this disc seems to fit perfectly into that mold. The only thing left to wonder is if he actually intended for this to happen.
Sparing the boring details, there are only several songs that are sustainable. The single “Candy Shop” is addictive. The Middle-Eastern influence on the track may have alluded to the rest of the CD having the same ingenuity, but no. The other single, “Disco Inferno,” is equally catchy. These are the best tracks on the album. They take us back to when 50 Cent wasn’t a hypocritical slave to the commercial rap world he supposedly despises. For all his berating of Ja Rule, the track “So Amazing” bears a resemblance to those cringe-worthy Ja Rule and Ashanti collaborations.
As for the other songs, the majority are not worth mentioning. They blend together in a repetitive, dull way. “Outta Control” carries a mildly catchy beat. “Piggy Bank,” the next single off the disc, is tolerable at first, but its sing-song chorus becomes irritating. “God Gave Me Style” is dry and boring, and carries the same lyrics as the Coldplay song “God Put A Smile Upon Your Face.” It is likely that even the most die-hard rap fan would rather hear Chris Martin & Co. take this one.
This disaster of an album can best be described by some real rap pioneers, Public Enemy: “Don’t believe the hype!” n
The Chronicle gives ´The Massacre´, by 50 Cent two 1/2 out of five stars.