As my schedule has been ridiculously shortened to the point where I honestly, don't know what to do with myself by high noon, I've found myself actually taking part in the pedestrian senior activities (selling chocolate to lovey dovey freshman, being forced out of school by the assistant principal, that sort of stuff). Even though its never been lacking, I've also had more time to socialize, which is what I found myself doing the night before my birthday, at about 5:30 in the cafeteria, listening to music blasting from my friend's phone, reminiscing about how old we all were when that song came out. There was no dispute that, that song, was one of the best ever made, and probably the best ever by that particular artist.
The song? Many Men.
The artist? 50...49...48...47...(yea).
Laugh all you want, but it shouldn't be funny for the steroid-user-looking, millionaire gunshot survivor,
former gangster rapper from Queens. Talk about a fall from grace. Think back...
In 2003, 50 was on top of the music world as his debut (arguably one of the greatest of all time) dropped at about this time, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. The album spawned approximately 7 hits, only four of them being official singles. He was everybody's favorite rapper, and paired with the immediate success of his gun-toting, model-popping clique G-Unit's debut album, Beg for Mercy, 50 was possibly the biggest rap star in the world. Sudanese kids who hadn't eaten in days were mumbling throughout their days, "I'm in there havin' sex, I ain't in there makin' love". (Probably in a few different languages), but you get the point.
Even as we saw record sales slowly decline as the Ipod made a record-setting emergence into the consumer market, in 2005, Jackson released his 2nd album in 3 years, this time, the multi-platinum selling, The Massacre, which saw 50 embrace his commercial success and slowly break away from his gangster attitude, as his biggest hits from The Massacre were ballads about his sexy endeavors with the opposite sex (See: Candy Shop, Just A Lil' Bit, Best Friend).
Now, an event which is probably fresher in your
mind, September 11th, 2007. All due respect to those affected by the tragic events which occured 6 years prior, but the music world had something brewing and on the mind. 50 Cent, who's ego forced him to call out the hip-hop nation's most eccentric member, Kanye West, in a sales battle as they each prepared to release their monumental 3rd albums Graduation, and Curtis. While Kanye West entered the Billboard charts with the modest performng "Can't Tell Me Nothing", and came roaring into September with the Grammy-Award winning "Goodlife" with hook-man T-Pain quicky gaining airplay, and the techno group Daft-Punk inspired "Stronger", already number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100; 50 was a little less successful, garnering only one single that gained any real airplay, "I Get Money", and needed automatic hit-makers Timbaland and Justin Timberlake to get one of his singles as high as #6 on the Billboard Charts (See: AYO Technology, and this was after the album release).
This can easily be viewed as the beginning of the end for Mr. Jackson.
Common knowledge reminds us that, Kanye massacred (excuse the pun) 50 in the battle, out-selling the muscular superstar by nearly 300,000 copies. The very next year, as we well know, following his break-up with his fiance, and the death of his mother, Mr. West turned to Auto-Tune assisted singing, which also garnered him his second platinum selling CD in as many years, making him one of hip-hops most successful artists ever, in only his 4th album.
50 on the other hand, is the reason I took the time to write this blog.
The man who was just the other day on top of the world, is struggling to get halfway as close to the epitome as he was just 4 years ago. His business ventures made him 2008's richest member of the hip-hop nation, outgaining Jay-Z revenue wise for the first time in 3 years, a Forbes title Mr. Carter was extremely fond of.
If only Curtis could be as succesful in the studio.
As the public became aware of what most fans already knew, 50 began working on his 4th studio album, Before I Self Destruct, which will be produced in conjunction with a required Greatest Hits Cd (the last two studio productions under his Interscope Label).
A lame attempt at a single (See: Get Up), and an embarassing fall from grace from the television network VH1, who completely shut down all new episodes and re-runs of The Money and the Power has 50 sitting in a precarious position. If BISD doesn't turn out to be the mind-blowing album that the title foreshadows it to be, and the greatness of his singles don't return to the tip-top shape that they were before I graduated middle school, we may be looking at the collapse of a giant. Its bad enough that his posse's much hyped sophomore effort; T.O.S, flopped and two of the three most solid members--The Game and Young Buck--fell out of favor with 50, leaving Lloyd Banks and a lyrically challenged Tony Yayo to carry the load left by two very...good...rappers.
His most recently attempt at fame has been a well aimed shot at the talkative 305 MI-Yayo growing superstar Rick Ross, who's career has already taken a downturn as photos and documents proving his involvement with a police corrections agency have surfaced. 50 took this opportunity to video blog about Ross, who's stret cred is currently being demolished. However, if Ross were smart, he would take the time to check the Soundscan statistics, and shoot back at 50, taking note that Ross' last two albums debuted at number one, and number one. 50's last two albums debuted at number one, and number
two.
Honestly, number two hurts so much, a lot of artists would rather debut at number 3. Seriously.
On the other hand, 50's former counterpart, Eminem already has a number one hit on the Billboard charts, with his comical sounding but lyrically inclined debut single from the comeback album, Relapse, "Crack A Bottle", bringing back the whole former crew, 50 and Dr. Dre. Its no coincidence that its popular sentiment that 50's verse on the smash hit is the one thing most people don't like about the song.
Shaking My Head Curtis.
Try as hard as you can to make "I Get It In", more than the rougher-sounding-version-of-Flo Rida it really is, but as soon as you put on P.I.M.P, Back Down, or Many Men, all of Jackson's hardest present-day efforts seem fruitless compared to the bad boy demeanor that he once possessed, that made him worth at least his name. By the way, I got the idea from the title that my mother gave him, which is an even better barometer as to how bad the artist is actually doing.
I will congratulate him on one thing though, his album title is probably going to prove to be so true. He'd better succeed with this 4th offering before he actually does (self-destruct), with a little help from everybody else. I wouldn't be surprised if his album goes caput, and Fat Joe, Lil' Wayne, Jadakiss, Ja Rule, and Rick Ross all gang up on him on some DJ Khaled-esque record.
Karma? Well, yea.
In other news, MTV aired a special coverage show on the fiasco I most recently blogged about (Chris Brown v Rihanna), at 6 p.m today, and I missed it due to a little spring cleaning Mom Dukes made me do. So if you caught it, tell me if it was anything we didn't already know (
knix146@yahoo.com), or hit me up at Suaveofbk (AIM).
I definitely apologize for the lack of heaters I've been able to throw your way. Nobody told me this whole senior year thing would be so time consuming, and I'm definitely behind on just about everything. But I managed to get so far as my Brooklyn counterpart who is taking his best shot at another hit single (If that's what you can call Hi Hater)
Artist: Maino
Album: If Tomorrow Comes...
Song: All of The Above (featuring T-Pain)
Producer: Just Blaze.
If you ever get around to listening to the song, you'll realize some serious simliarities with T.I's smash hit, Live Your Life. The trained ear will realize that both beats sound exacly the same, and the theme of both songs is the state of the rapper's life. T-Pain is just a male replacement for Rihanna, and not to mention, who do you think produced Live Your Life?
Lol, I think I'm just musically inclined.
Lastly but not leastly, I was actually around a t.v to catch this weekend's All-Star festivities and I hope I'm not the only one that realized there was a true lack of excitement. The skills competition and the 3 point contest are always eye-catchers but the dunk contest seemed to be rigged. Dwight Howard came out as Superman and I was expecting to see something great. Instead he just showed us all what he does every game. Don't get to hyped about little Krypto-Nate either, he won by default. Everything he did I've seen before. He jumps that high all the time, usually there isn't a 7 foot man between his legs though (no homo.)
The all-star game actually began to shape out to be pretty entertaining, espeically with Shaq's little Jabawockeez stunt at the beginning (which wasn't half bad), and I definitely enjoyed his antics during the game. However, Lebron was protected too much by Mike Brown, and Kobe and O'Neal were just allowed to do whatever they wanted. It was rigged, the two cry babies back together again. Not to mention the whole time I was pissed that Kevin Durant wasn't staring in the game. How many points did he have to score in the Rookie v Sophomore game to prove that he was way beyond those chumps?
Anyway, that was pretty eventful.
Also, I like to show appreciation for people who take the time out to read my blogs, especially my fellow seniors because I know first-hand how ridiculous this year is, so thanks for showing the love, online and in person.
Thanks even more to the people I don't know personally, who take the time out of their day (wherever they are) to read the blog of someone who they've never met, who seems to care a tad too much about music. In return, I like to give them a little free publicity. After all, a blog is nothing without a few faithful readers.
So check out Gee-Nah Muh-Ree's blog (she's in my "followers" group at the top left). Her material is pretty interesting, especially since she's a little older and has many alternative topics to write about.
Bottoms Up,
Peace Suckaz.
