50 Cent Before I Self Destruct

When we first met 50 Cent in the late ‘90s, he was a cocky battle rapper with a tongue as sharp as the weapons he carried. After enduring a shooting that was damn near impossible to survive, Fif reemerged as the bionic man that we’ve known for most of his mainstream career. His knack for tough-guy-talk to the tune of floor-shaking beats left Curtis at the forefront of a movement that started before him, but he managed to own midway. Fast-forward to Corporate 50: the man who’s more Hollywood than Hollis, more Vitamin Water than quarter water. That’s fine – the natural progression for successful rappers these days is to become a brand. The conflict comes when the demand for more music does. That is where Before I Self Destruct arrives at a screeching halt – we’ve witnessed business suit 50 for a while now; we’re expecting a corporate thug, but we’re left with the school bully once again.

 
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