50 Cent

50 Cent has literally pulled out every single promotional tactic he could building up to the release of Before I Self Destruct, including calling out the biggest MCs in the game. Although the release date has changed and been pushed back multiple times, he still had the hip-hop community paying attention to his every move, both in amusement and anticipation. The 15 tracks are exactly what you would expect from 50 Cent. The introduction, "The Invitation," was produced by DJ Premiere and is easily one of the grittiest tracks on the album. "Baby By Me" is the commercial single with Ne-Yo, but it still has a hard feel to it, and is also an album highlight. The Dr. Dre-produced "Death To My Enemies" and "Psycho" bring back a genuine hip-hop feel, and it's a perfect fit for the album. The only boring track is "Do You Think About Me," which is clearly the token love song but fails horribly. The production on Before I Self Destruct is close to perfect and it scores serious points for 50. Even if you dislike his image or his cockiness, you can't deny Dr. Dre or Premiere. But for those of us that appreciate 50 as an MC, the CD is for you ― 50 Cent in his raw, taunting prime.