50 Cent - The Massacre

50 Cent is now a full two dollars, according to pop culture exchange rates. His sheer influence on music charts, and thugs hearts, changed things. So why then on Massacre is the 'hood drama that one would think he'd want to leave behind even more front-and-center than on Get Rich or Die Tryin'? It's hard to say, but 50's developed a questionable gun fetish here. With firearms plastered all over the liner notes, and throughout most of his lyrics--on "In My Hood" he retorts "…I don't go nowhere without my strap"--apparently his nouveau rich status has only accelerated the number of enemies he's accumulated. On "I'm Supposed to Die Tonight" he even awkwardly forecasts Notorious B.I.G.-like, Tupac-ian rap game death scenarios. "Piggy Bank," a virtual diss fest further cements his "How to Rob" persona as Nas and Fat Joe get the lyrical smack down; so does A-list actor Vivica Fox ("Get In My Car") for even daring to consider their rendezvous to be anything more than a fling. Despite beat contributions from Aftermath hombres (Eminem, Dr. Dre), some of the better beats come courtesy of lesser-known beatsmiths like Disco D ("Ski Mask Way") and the always consistent Hi-Tek, whose "Ryder Music" is a sick concoction of keys and haunting vocals. At 22 tracks (with no inane interludes), it's worth the loot, but it doesn't cover up 50's artistic regression since Get Rich. --Dalton Higgins

Co-Conspirators' Greatest Hits

The Eminem Show, Eminem	The Chronic, Dr. Dre	Olivia, Olivia
The Slim Shady LP, Eminem	Hi-Teknology, Hi-Tek	Straight out tha Trunk, Disco D