50-cent
Get Rich Or Die Tryin
Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment

50-cent doesn't need to be fake about anything. Shot once, actually, he was shot nine times on one occasion, this lyrical genius is still speaking about what his life is and was all about.

Hip-hop is all about stories - stories that tend to be criminal minded, making them as interesting as the teller.

Born into a drug dynasty during the late 1970's, 50 (as people call him) was raised without a father, and his mother was found dead under mysterious circumstances. 50, with his lengthy rap sheet, signed with Columbia Records in 1999. He was locked in a studio in Upstate NY and pumped out 36 songs, which resulted in "Power of A Dollar".

In April 2000, 50 was shot nine times, one shot hitting him in the face, while in front of his grandmothers house. While in recovery, Columbia Records dropped him. In spring 2001 he independently released "Guess Who's Back".

Hip-hop history was written when Eminem signed 50 to the dream team of Eminem and Dr. Dre. 50 is the most sought after newcomer in rap music in almost a decade.

50-cent released another album "No Mercy, No Fear". 50's debut album promised to set the pace for hip-hop in coming years. There is no way 50 is going to fall off the top of the charts.

The quality of this CD is amazing. The whole album was recorded in the studio. 50 is a perfectionist and so is his producer Eminem. The whole album would have to be flawless to meet both of these rap geniuses standards.

Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment has two of the hottest rap artists in the business. Now the signing of 50 cent is just the cherry on top, it will be an interesting next couple of years in the music industry with these three lyrical geniuses.

Check out some of these verses:

Another verse goes:

Still another:

This guy just speaks like his life has been. His music is not just about swearing, it is really about how some people are forced to live their lives.

You should listen to this recording because it speaks to you. It brings you into his world. 50 used to sell crack to survive. He shows you how it was growing up and what he went through. He speaks from the streets and shows you his dark and savage way of life. If you think this music is just a bunch of bad language and putting down women, you need to toughen up and look beyond the cursing and listen to the story being told. Of course his music is going to be rough, his life was rough. What else is he going to be rapping about - happiness and love? No way, he tells you how it is to be him. Try to walk a day in his shoes, see the dirt he has seen, the pain he has suffered and the dirt he has to live with the rest of his life. This man is a soldier, a gangster, a realist, an entrepreneur, he is coming from a drug dealing criminal to being able to have and do anything he wants. He wants you to embrace and understand and if you hate him, he wants you to hate him. He doesn't care. This was his ticket out of the dirty life he was forced to live. 50 had to get rich or die trying.