For the record, this particular critic was never 50′s biggest fan, and really, really wanted to hate this album. But in the interest of reviewing records objectively, yours truly found out that it wasn?t actually 50 Cent’s music that bothered him, but it was actually 50 Cent as person he didn’t like. This esteemed writer felt that Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ was an accidental classic, meaning that this was one of those records that matured to classic status over time, not because it was necessarily the strongest album in the world, but because it was one that was inescapable, slowly burning into the minds of the collective hip-hop consciousness until everyone was singing along with it together in unison. But regardless of the fact that this critic mistakenly slept on the first album, only to be bitten in the ass by it later, he still disliked 50 as a person. Everything about him is pretty much definitive of what is wrong with today’s hip-hop. First off, he walks around with no shirt on, treading that rapper/sex symbol line, the same one that has corrupted the career of LL Cool J. Secondly, his songs dwell on negativity, unlike Nas or even Jay-Z, the flipside to the 50 Cent piece is never shown – no “I Can” or “Song Cry” here. And of course, there is that attitude he’s got on him – among all that muscle and teeth, only lies a conceited bastard who condescendingly laughs at his competitors, even throwing one of his own artists out of his camp just for a little extra publicity. But in all actuality, this behavior is expected out of him. Like Tony Montana and Ice Cube before him, he’s the bad guy, he’s the n***a you love to hate.

       Regardless of the fact that 50 doesn’t have that “likable guy” side to him that many of hip-hop’s other superstars do (Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Eminem), 50 still has what it takes to pull of a pretty damn good album, no matter how much you don’t like the guy as a person. He proved that on Get Rich or Die Tryin’, and proves it again on the massive 22 track opus, The Massacre. Rich with material, The Massacre shows growth from 50, this time bringing more concepts to the table than before. His best narrative is “A Baltimore Love Thing”, an extended Heroin metaphor over an infectious, soulful beat by newcomer Cue Beats. He finds further solace in members of his crew on other conceptual joints such as “Gatman and Robbin’” (feat. Eminem) and “Toy Solider” (feat. Tony Yayo) , after handing several verbal punches on the scathing and much talked about dis track, “Piggy Bank”. 

      Of course 50 is best known for his breakout single from his last LP, “In The Club”, so naturally he follows up with a few sequels which follow the same formula.  Surely by now everyone’s thrown their hands in the air to either “Disco Inferno” or “Candy Shop”, but worthy follow-ups such as the Dr. Dre produced “Outta Control” and the so-seductive sounds of Scott Storch on “Just A Little Bit” will keep heads nodding and asses shaking all year long. But in all actuality, what’s best about 50′s album aren’t the club-packers or the well-thought out songs, but instead, the raw, gutter, grimy shit, which holds the album together nicely. 50 Cent is the quintessential gangster rapper, taking charge of tracks like “This Is 50″, “Gunz Come Out”, and “Ski Mask Way” with beats so dirty they?d make Ghostface jealous (case in point, “I Don’t Need ‘Em”).  

      At 22 tracks in length, there’s plenty of room for error, and 50 does misstep in a few places. When softening things up on tracks like “Build You Up” and “So Amazing” (which for some reason interpolates “Part Time Lover”), it seems superficial. Not to mention, not every track on here is a banger, as “Position of Power” seems cliched and “Bitch Get In My Car” suffers from an awful hook. Nevertheless, with so many songs on the LP, there are more than enough great tracks here, even if a few snoozers were slipped in accidentally. 

      While 50 Cent’s sophomore album does not top Get Rich Or Die Tryin (or The Game’s The Documentary for that matter), he’s still managed to defeat the haters (this one included) and deliver a solid gangster rap album, all while keeping his face on TV and his name in the headlines.