In the business of hip hop there are many guidelines a rapper must follow upon reaching success. Rappers cannot forget where they’ve come from and they certainly can’t leave behind important friends once the dollars start rolling in.
2003’s rap rookie of the year, 50 Cent, breaks none of the cardinal rules with the release of his group G Unit’s debut album, “Beg For Mercy.”
As other highly anticipated rap albums have in the past, G Unit finds the album in the middle of the Internet piracy controversy. In order to combat the bootlegging, Interscope Records decided to bump the release date up four days earlier than planned.
“What can you expect when you’re the hottest rapper around?” 50 Cent asked in an Interscope news release. “The streets are used to gettin’ my music the unconventional way. So if they want it why not give ’em the real deal as soon as you can, why make ’em wait?”
In addition to getting their hands on the music early, four lucky fans will receive “Golden Tickets” which will be randomly inserted into four of the first 1 million pressings of the album. The tickets can then be redeemed for a chain with a diamond studded G Unit medallion, valued at $12,500.
With all the added hype surrounding this CD, 50 Cent and G Unit members Lloyd Banks and Young Buck needed to stay focused enough to make this album a good follow-up to 50 Cent’s award-winning “Get Rich or Die Tryin’.”
Overall, fans should be pleased with this album. It starts off with a bang on “G-Unit,” “My Buddy” and “I’m So Hood,” which all give fans more of the hard-core sounds they’ve been craving since 50 Cent’s album came out earlier this year.
Although all members are talented lyricists in their own right, the production is what really stands out on the album. As expected, Dr. Dre turned out two tracks for the disc, “Poppin Them Thangs” and “G’d Up,” which do not disappoint. Previously-underground producers Hi-Tek of Reflection Eternal, Scott Storch, formerly of The Roots, and NO I.D. all provide head-banging beats and mellow tracks alike, such as the Lloyd Banks solo cut, “Smile.”
Surprisingly, it’s Red Spyda who provides what is possibly the album’s highlight, “Wanna Get To Know You.” The producer takes a soulful Marvin Gaye sample and creates his own silky-smooth track where 50 Cent, Buck and Banks all rap about the ladies they’ve been wanting to get closer to. Singer Joe is also featured on the song.
The only thing that really keeps “Beg For Mercy” from exceeding 50 Cent’s debut is that he has been singing almost as much as his nemesis, Ja Rule. Although it doesn’t hinder the tracks too much, 50 Cent should stick to spitting fire. Incarcerated group member Tony Yayo is also missed, as previously recorded verses only made two of the album’s 18 tracks.
From beginning to end, this album is a great listen. Combining 50 Cent’s star power, Young Buck’s southern drawl and Lloyd Banks’ endless punch lines (“I’m icey too. My rocks’ll hit you from a block away, like a beat from Dr. Dre”) is the perfect formula to keep this unit around for years to come.
