50 Cent - 'Curtis' (Polydor) Released 10/09/07

Many hip-hop pessimists believe this to be the making or breaking moment for not only the infamous G-Unit clique but also their boss, 50 Cent. However, after one listen to ‘Curtis’ the reality will sink in that while the New York emcee’s words can be used to humiliate and retire any opposition, his doubters words don’t carry the same kind of weight.

Since the release of his multi-million selling ‘Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, the music industry has change immensely. Album sales are down, overnight success stories are in fashion, and record labels aren’t interested in signing an artist who can’t generate ring-tone revenue. With sophomore projects from Lloyd Banks and Young Buck underperforming, and Mobb Deep’s G-Unit debut bombing worse than Bin Laden, it’s up to the boss to pick up the slack.

While ‘Curtis’ may not be the total bullets and brawn outing that many fans have been waiting for from 50, it’s not a let down either. Aimed at the female listeners, tracks like the Justin Timberlake and Timbaland featured ‘Ayo Technology’ and ‘Amusement Park’ are designed strictly to entertain club goers. While these two cuts seem a little samey, ‘Follow My Lead’ is a commercial cut with a bit of class. Assisted by blue-eyed soul boy Robin Thicke, 50’s lyrical battle with his wifey comes off sounding piano-tastic.

On a hardcore tip, ‘Curtis 187’, produced by Havoc of Mobb Deep, is a powerhouse record that reminds you why you fell in love with 50’s raspy flow in the first place. Another two joints that manage to do this are the rapid fire ‘My Gun’ and ‘I Get Money’. With production coming courtesy of Dr. Dre, Eminem and Jake One, ‘Curtis’ plays solidly throughout. It’s no ‘Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, but it’s better than ‘The Massacre’. If you like your rap served up raw with a side of salad to satisfy your lady then ‘Curtis’ is definitely something for you to chew on.