With surprisingly little filler, renewed energy, and the unique glimpse Before I Self Destruct offers into the psyche of a public figure as intriguing as Curtis Jackson, 50 Cent has crafted easily his best album since Get Rich or Die Trying.
Before I Self Destruct is still a fantastic juggernaut of a 50 album if you exit early, and a very good one even if you don't.
Call it voyeur. Call it artificial. Call it exploitative. Just don’t call it boring. It’s the first 50 Cent album in some time that can boast that.
The upside ... which is pretty much consistent with all of 50’s albums, is that the singles are great enough to carry the low points in the album.
If Destruct qualifies as a pleasant surprise, it’s only because 50 Cent’s last few releases set the bar so low. Still, for the first time since The Massacre, it’s once again intermittently fun to root for the bad guy
Albums like Before I Self Destruct are simply another financial feather in 50 Cent’s cap.
Before I Self Destruct plays as a prudent step back. It's not that 50 has suddenly become terrifying, but the album possesses a sense of latent menace that's been left unexplored since his early mixtapes.
Before I Self Destruct starts with 50 Cent literally growling, and it ends, on 'Could've Been You,' with Kelly crooning about sniffing his own excrement. Both sound equally laughable.
It seems doubtful that this will really be the end of his musical career, but if it is Self Destruct is a resounding “MEH” of a swan song, putting it about on par with the rest of 50’s post-Get Rich Or Die Tryin‘ career. That’s okay…there will always be a place for his brand of offensive hip hop that doesn’t really offend anyone.
Listening to this album you begin to wonder whether the man himself has grown tired of being 50 Cent. He has nothing to say.
Before I Self Destruct is like if someone went up to 50 Cent and was like “wow you had some classic albums. Do you still do that rap stuff or are you all dried out?” and then 50 making this to try to prove that other guy wrong and fails miserably proving that yes, he is in fact dried out.
I mean if 50 isnt up there for most overrated rapper then I dont know who is. This is not too long after his classic club album. how did he go from that to this even if Get rich or die trying wasnt amazing how did he have such a fall off just a couple albums later. These dont hit even close to as hard as any of those tracks did. His lack of ability to rap shows out in this one.
1 | The Invitation 2:54 | 61 |
2 | Then Days Went By 3:44 | 53 |
3 | Death to My Enemies 3:46 | 41 |
4 | So Disrespectful 3:39 | 52 |
5 | Psycho 4:45 feat. Eminem | 79 |
6 | Hold Me Down 3:19 | 50 |
7 | Crime Wave 3:44 | 47 |
8 | Stretch 4:07 | 43 |
9 | Strong Enough 3:02 | 47 |
10 | Get It Hot 2:59 | 43 |
11 | Gangsta's Delight 3:14 | 48 |
12 | I Got Swag 3:34 | 42 |
13 | Baby By Me 3:33 feat. Ne-Yo | 56 |
14 | Do You Think About Me 3:26 | 52 |
15 | OK, You're Right 3:04 | 51 |
16 | Could've Been You 4:20 feat. R. Kelly | 31 |