For this release, G-Unit was composed of rappers 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks and Young Buck, with support from Tony Yayo, who was an original member but was in prison at the time of the album's recording and release. The Game was inducted into the group after recording sessions were already finished.
As the album was recorded, Tony Yayo was sentenced to jail on charges of gun possession and bail jumping, and so he makes only two appearances on the entire record, on the tracks "Groupie Love", and "I Smell Pussy". His image, which is from a photo taken from the photo shoot for Get Rich or Die Tryin', is seen on the brick wall of the album cover as he could not be photographed due to the jail sentence.
At the time of the album's release, rapper the Game was just placed in G-Unit, therefore he is not photographed, nor does he make an appearance on the album. He does however make cameos in the videos for singles "Wanna Get To Know You" & "Poppin' Them Thangs". He is also mentioned in the lyrics of "Poppin' Them Thangs" when Young Buck raps, "You ain't no Crip like Snoop, / You ain't no Blood like Game."
Friday is an unusual release date to begin with. Albums conventionally are released on Tuesday. But both albums fell victim to internet leaks and severe bootlegging, forcing record labels to push back the release dates.
The album's highlight might be the rock infused track with legendary rock producer Rick Ruben -- "99 Problems." The song's heavy guitar sound speaks of Jay's many problems, and his lack of one. The ultra-catchy chorus "99 problems but a b**** ain't one," may be speaking of his relationship with Beyonce. Whatever the inspiration, the song is catchy without resorting to a basic rap hit formula.
If not "99 Problems" than "Lucifer" is surely the album's best offering. "Lucifer" with its vintage sample chorus does what every thug song about the morality of the lifestyle tries to do. It plays religious convictions with rhymes about violent choices, while never sounding out of line.
The album features "A Moment of Clarity" produced by Eminem. Listeners might anxiously await Em to trade rhymes with Jay but are left still hungry for the classic that could have been. The song sounds more like Jay trying to imitate Em's sound, and could have benefited from Em's vocal to save it from sounding like Jay was just trying to jump on the Eminem bandwagon.
Jay-Z plans to close the curtain on his career with a strong note, and he succeeded. Though the album seems too concerned with proving itself as the best, it does prove itself as an album showcasing the talent that has kept Jay at the top of the rap game.
G-Unit is the clique made famous by rap superstar 50 cent. The group features rhymes from 50, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck and would feature the sounds of Tony Yayo but his incarceration makes appearances on the album limited.
The group's namesake cut "G-Unit" features a soaring 50s style hook announcing the intentions of the group. The cut opens the album with promise, something the album contains plenty of but often without support.
The album's sound is gritty, with dirty beats accompanied by instrumentation. The use of pianos, woodwinds, strings and guitars show signs of experimentation, but the instrumentation is never taken far enough to garner praise.
G-Unit produces a decent album that will do the job of occupying fans of 50 Cent who await his next effort and will surely ride the wave of his success. But nothing on the album explodes like the hits of "Get Rich or Die Tryin'." The beats and rhymes are not as tight and each song seems to ride the line of classic or flop. The album is a valiant effort, but a disappointment considering the amount of promise it held. G-Unit's sound falls just short and listeners may or may not be fooled by the mediocre tracks.
"I'm as excited about 50 Cent: Bulletproof as I am about the success of my album, The Massacre and that means a lot since music has always been my life," said 50 Cent. "The new freestyles and the addition of Eminem and Dre show that this game is on the right course to follow in the successful footsteps of my music."
"50 Cent: Bulletproof captures the heart and soul of everything 50 Cent - his music, his life, the G Unit family - in an action-packed interactive experience with music and star power that is unrivaled," said Bruce Hack, CEO of VU Games. "We are delivering a 50 Cent experience that is much more than a video game. It is also a definitive collection of 50's multi-platinum albums, G Unit mixes and music videos."
Go ahead. 50 Cent wants you to bet against him. It's that same street-born confidence that led hip-hop dream team Eminem and Dr. Dre to sign the former Jamaica, Queens crack dealer and music industry-shunned MC to their Shady/Aftermath imprint. The same sneering swagger that propelled 50 from underground mix-tape king to the top of Billboard album charts with his 2003 major-label debut Get Rich or Die Tryin', a landmark record that to date has sold well-over 10 million copies worldwide. And the same two-fisted ambition that saw the savvy 'hood entrepreneur lead his infamous G Unit clique to multi-platinum glory, making 50 Cent's G Unit record label a major player in the music biz.
Now with the release of The Massacre, easily the most anticipated album of 2005, 50 Cent will continue his dominance of the hip-hop world and beyond. And for the man born Curtis Jackson that means destroying the competition. "They have to survive me going around the country with this record," laughs the self-assured MC whose beef-igniting reputation has become as infamous as his street worn past. "My thought process going into The Massacre took me back to the days when I was hustling. I'm looking to move the competition off the block. I feel like anything less than what I've accomplished with Get Rich is a disappointment. I had time to grow during the last two years, so I just feel like I'm a better artist."
50 Cent epitomizes the hustler's spirit. While most artists would have been content with the massive spoils of multi-platinum album sales, high profile magazine covers, sold-out tours and omnipresent coverage on MTV and BET, 50 Cent wanted more. He set up his own label with longtime partner Sha Money XL and presented his juggernaut G Unit clique with the 2004 triple platinum Beg For Mercy. 50 oversaw the immense solo shine of Lloyd Banks (The Hunger For More) and Young Buck (Straight Outta Cashville), further expanding G Unit's takeover agenda. A clothing deal with Ecko Unlimited for his G Unit line and an unprecedented shoe endorsement pact with Reebok can be added to his successful resume.
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