50 Cent's fifth studio album
Encyclopedia
The upcoming fifth studio album
by American rapper 50 Cent
is set to be released in December 2011, through Shady Records
, Aftermath Entertainment
and Interscope Records
. The album will reportedly be 50 Cent's final album released through Interscope, as part of the contract he signed after joining the label in 2002 which requires him to release at least five albums with the label. The album will feature a multitude of vocalists, including Shady Records founder Eminem
, Lloyd Banks
, Kidd Kidd and Busta Rhymes
, among others.
Originally, 50 Cent's fifth studio album was set to be Black Magic, an album influenced by several genres including rock
and dance music
: however, its release was postponed as 50 Cent began to write material based on a different concept, rather than the one influencing Black Magic. As a result, recording sessions for a brand new album began from scratch, and the new material is reportedly of a traditional hip hop
nature, involving producers such as Cardiak
, Bangladesh
, The Cataracs
, Hit-Boy
, Jim Jonsin
, Swizz Beatz
, Jake One
and Just Blaze
among others.
Initially reported to be released during the summer of 2011, the album's release date has since been revised, largely due to disagreements between 50 Cent and Interscope over the release and promotion of the album, which led to the album's brief cancellation. However, 50 Cent later confirmed that the album will be released during December 2011.
. The album did not match the previous commercial success of his first three studio albums, only selling 160,000 copies in its first week of commercial sale in the United States in peaking at number five of the Billboard 200
. To help promote the album, 50 Cent went on The Invitation Tour
; while on the European leg of he tour, he visited nightclubs and was impressed with the vastly changing styles of music played. Because of this, and while still on tour, 50 Cent began to write and record material for an album called Black Magic. The new album's music would be influenced by number of genres, including dance
, rock
and pop music
; it would have a "higher tempo" than his previous work, although he claimed that the predominant genre of the music would still be rap.
However, 50 Cent later revealed to the Brasilian edition of music magazine Rolling Stone
that he was unsure whether to continue with the recording of the album, which he had begun while in the European venues of the tour, as he had begun to write material that he claimed "didn't quite fit the concept" of the album. He later revealed the release of Black Magic had been postponed indefinitely, although he stated the album may be released in the future. The new album will be more hip hop-influenced than Black Magic, which was inspired and influenced by a number of genres.
While recording the album, 50 Cent listened to a mix of music performed by his favourite artists, including rappers Tupac Shakur
and The Notorious B.I.G.
. In an interview with the Detroit Free Press
, 50 Cent explained these actions, stating, "I listen to those records to create expectations... It creates a level to me, within myself, of how good the record has to be before I'm ready to launch it." In the same interview, he described the album as a "whole new sound" for him and felt that it was "more soulful" and "more mature" than his previous work. In an interview with hip hop magazine Rap-Up
on 1 June, 2010, 50 Cent revealed that he had been inspired by prominent soul
artists such as Marvin Gaye
and Curtis Mayfield
to write and record more soulful material for Black Magic, and in an interview with the same magazine on 13 May, 2011, American rapper Soulja Boy
revealed that these themes were on the new album.
and writing material for Black Magic, 50 Cent recorded a song with the backup-band he was performing with on the tour. However, he admitted that the song was not likely to make the final cut for the album. Recording sessions for a new album resumed from scratch in early 2010 once 50 Cent returned to the United States from The Invitation Tour, when he was immediately was "bombarded" with potential productions for the album by several record producers, which partly influenced his decision to postpone the release of Black Magic. In total, forty-three potential songs for the album were recorded during the album's recording sessions.
In a November 2010 interview with MTV News
, Surf Club producers Hit-Boy
and Chase N. Cashe
revealed that they had contributed productions for the album. Hit-Boy revealed that they had visited 50 Cent to play him a selection of their productions and hear "where he was going with it". He went on to talk positively about the album's material and its musical variation:
Whilst attending the Sundance Film Festival
on 25 January, 2011, 50 Cent revealed to MTV News
that "80 percent" of the album had been recorded, and also revealed that he had recorded material with for the album with record producers Boi-1da
, Alex da Kid
and Symbolyc One
.. In an interview in March 2011 with online blogger DDotOmen, record producer Cardiak
revealed that he had produced a record for the album called "Outlaw
", which was later released to several digital outlets to promote the album.
On 8 April, 2011, MTV Mixtape Daily reported that producer Jim Jonsin
had been involved in the album's recording sessions. In an interview with Rap-Up on 13 May, 2011, American rapper Soulja Boy
revealed that 50 Cent had requested several productions from him for the album whilst the pair were in California the previous month, and that he had given him roughly five of these productions to record over. He also claimed that 50 Cent had played him all of the material recorded for the album at the time, and was impressed with the material, stating that "His album was kinda dope. I ain’t gonna lie to you. That’s my big bro and all that. I got love for him. He’s got some good stuff on there". In an appearance with singer Nicole Scherzinger
on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
, hosted by comedian and actress Ellen DeGeneres
, on 24 May, 2011, 50 Cent and Scherzinger performed their single "Right There
", and 50 Cent revealed that the album was only a single song away from completion. He also confirmed that the mixing process
for the album had already begun.
50 Cent later elaborated on Boi-1da's contribution in an interview with DJ Whoo Kid
on the hip-hop radio station Shade 45
, when he revealed that Boi-1da had produced two potential songs for the album. In the same interview, he revealed that producer Just Blaze
had contributed two productions for the album. In an interview with BET
.com on 19 September, 2011, 50 Cent confirmed Dr. Dre
's involvement with the album, claiming that he had produced two of the songs on the album.
would appear on the album, along with Akon
, Jeremih
,Kelly Rowland
, Young Jeezy
,Swizz Beatz
, Snoop Dogg
, Busta Rhymes
, and fellow G-Unit
member Lloyd Banks
. In the aforementioned interview on Shade 45, 50 Cent elaborated on Eminem's contributions to the album, revealing that he would appear on four songs. He also stated that the songs were designed to appear to various audiences: two of the songs were referred to as "definite singles", and the other two were described as created to appeal to his "core audience", as well as being "more aggressive" and having a "different kind of energy". On 11 July, 2011, whilst on the set of the video for the Tony Yayo
song "Haters
", 50 Cent revealed that New Orleans rapper Kidd Kidd, formerly of Young Money Entertainment
but now of G-Unit Records
, would appear on the album's title track. On 28 September, 2011, singer Jeremih
was reported to appear on a song called "Girls Go Wild".
on the New York City
radio station Hot 97, MTV
Rapfix writer Alvin Blanco reported that "Outlaw
" would be the first single released from the album. However, on his page on the microblogging
website Twitter
, 50 Cent revealed that the song was not the album's first single. Although the song did not receive an official airplay release, it received unsolicited airplay on urban contemporary
radio stations, which meant that the song peaked at number ninety-nine on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart for the week ending 23 July, 2011. It was later released to several digital outlets on 19 July, 2011, these including the iTunes Store
and Amazon MP3
, and after its digital release peaked at number eighty-seven on both the US Billboard Hot 100
for the Canadian Hot 100
for the week ending 6 August, 2011.
On 28 September, 2011, director Colin Tilley
revealed through his page on the microblogging
website Twitter
that he had finished shooting a music video in Los Angeles
for the album's first single, although the song's title was not reported at the time. The same day, hip-hop website HipHop-N-More exclusively reported that the song's title was "Girls Go Wild" and featured singer Jeremih
.
on 24 May, 2011, 50 Cent revealed that the album was one song from completion and being mixed, and he expected to release it as early as summer 2011, stating: "This summer they’ll have new music from me". However, due to 50 Cent's various disputes with Interscope Records
(see below) over the promotion and release of the album, including the leakage of several songs intended for the album, the album's release was briefly cancelled by 50 Cent himself, before being rescheduled to November 2011: currently, he plans to release the album in conjunction with his headphone line Sleek by 50.
, originally signed when he joined the label in 2002, as the contract requires him to release five albums with the label. However, there have been tensions between 50 Cent and the label throughout the album's recording process. The first reports of disagreement between the label and 50 Cent emerged on 16 June, 2011, when 50 Cent released a series of tweets
through his account on microblogging
website Twitter
: he explained that Interscope Records were disputing with him over the album's recording process, and claimed he would delay the album's release until the dispute was resolved. He also stated that the album would not be released during 2011.
The issues with Interscope intensified when a song called "I'm on It", produced by The Cataracs
, leaked onto the Internet on July 27, 2011 ahead of its intended release date. 50 Cent blamed Interscope Records for the leakage, and, as he had intended to release the song as the album's next single, revealed through his account on the microblogging
website Twitter
on 28 July, 2011 that he would retaliate against the label by cancelling the release of album. He also revealed that he planned threatening to leak the single from the Dr. Dre
album Detox, "The Psycho", in which he is featured. He later clarified his comments, revealing that he was willing to collaborate with other artists during his remaining time at the label, but confirmed that he would not release another album with the label because "[Interscope] dropped the ball with me one time to[ sic
] many". However, he later retracted these statements, and apologized to Jimmy Iovine
, head of Interscope Records, and also to Dr. Dre for threatening to leak "The Psycho", as he stated that the pair of them had been supportive of his career throughout his time at the label.
After his statements were retracted, 50 Cent later announced that the album's release date had been rescheduled to November 2011. In an interview with MTV News
on June 22, 2011, 50 Cent revealed that the incident had left him unsure as to whether to resign to Interscope once his five-album contract with the label ended, upon the release of his next album:
Despite these comments, 50 Cent confirmed that it was not certain that he would leave Interscope after the release of the album, admitting that problems with finding a suitable alternative label would be difficult: "If not [signed to a label], if you don't have that support, [so] why would you want to sign to another system?".
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American rapper 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
is set to be released in December 2011, through Shady Records
Shady Records
Shady Records is an American record label specializing in hip hop music. Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg founded the label in 1999 after the release of The Slim Shady LP.Since the formation, the label has signed nine acts...
, Aftermath Entertainment
Aftermath Entertainment
Aftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Universal Music Group's Interscope Records. Current acts include Dr. Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent and Slim da Mobster, with former acts including Busta Rhymes, Game, Raekwon,...
and Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
. The album will reportedly be 50 Cent's final album released through Interscope, as part of the contract he signed after joining the label in 2002 which requires him to release at least five albums with the label. The album will feature a multitude of vocalists, including Shady Records founder Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
, Lloyd Banks
Lloyd Banks
Christopher Charles Lloyd , better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper and member of the rap group G-Unit. Raised in South Jamaica, Queens, he dropped out of high school in 1998. G-Unit released two albums, Beg for Mercy in 2003 and T.O.S. in 2008...
, Kidd Kidd and Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
, among others.
Originally, 50 Cent's fifth studio album was set to be Black Magic, an album influenced by several genres including rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
: however, its release was postponed as 50 Cent began to write material based on a different concept, rather than the one influencing Black Magic. As a result, recording sessions for a brand new album began from scratch, and the new material is reportedly of a traditional hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
nature, involving producers such as Cardiak
Cardiak
Carl McCormick, better known as Cardiak, is a music producer from Willingboro, New Jersey. He embarked on the music industry in 2008, and is best known for working with urban music artists such as Ace Hood, Joe Budden, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Freeway , DJ Khaled, Rick Ross , Trina, Red Cafe, Lil...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh (producer)
Shondrae Crawford, better known as Bangladesh or Mr. Bangladesh, is a Grammy Award winning American record producer and disc jockey and rapper, who was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, and now lives in Atlanta, Georgia.- Life and career :...
, The Cataracs
The Cataracs
The Cataracs are an American hip hop indie-pop duo formed in Berkeley, California, consisting of David “Campa” Benjamin Singer-Vine, a songwriter and vocalist and Niles “Cyrano” Hollowell-Dhar, a songwriter, vocalist, and producer. The duo started out as an independent group, during their years at...
, Hit-Boy
Hit-Boy
Chauncey Hollis, better known as Hit-Boy is an American hip-hop, R&B and contemporary platinum-level music producer currently signed to GOOD Music Born Chauncey Hollis, on May 21, 1987 in Fontana, California, he is the son of Chauncey Hollis Sr. and Tanisha Bedford. He is best known for his...
, Jim Jonsin
Jim Jonsin
James Scheffer, better known by his professional name, Jim Jonsin, is an American Grammy award winning record producer, songwriter, record executive, and entrepreneur...
, Swizz Beatz
Swizz Beatz
Kasseem Dean , better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, rapper and painter. At the age of 17, he gained attention in the hip-hop world through his friendship with rapper DMX. Grady Spivey and rapper Cassidy helped launch his label Full Surface Records...
, Jake One
Jake One
Jacob Dutton, better known as Jake One, is an American hip hop record producer from Seattle, Washington.-Biography:Dutton grew up in Capitol Hill and moved to the North End of Seattle when he was 15. He started making music on a Casio keyboard in 1992. He attended the University of Washington and...
and Just Blaze
Just Blaze
Justin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...
among others.
Initially reported to be released during the summer of 2011, the album's release date has since been revised, largely due to disagreements between 50 Cent and Interscope over the release and promotion of the album, which led to the album's brief cancellation. However, 50 Cent later confirmed that the album will be released during December 2011.
Background
In November 2009, 50 Cent released his fourth studio album, titled Before I Self DestructBefore I Self Destruct
Before I Self Destruct is the fourth studio album by American rapper 50 Cent, released November 9, 2009 on Interscope Records in the United States. It is his final solo release for his current contract with Interscope Records, excluding a "greatest hits" album. A feature film, also titled Before I...
. The album did not match the previous commercial success of his first three studio albums, only selling 160,000 copies in its first week of commercial sale in the United States in peaking at number five of the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. To help promote the album, 50 Cent went on The Invitation Tour
The Invitation Tour
The Invitation Tour was a tour by rapper 50 Cent in support of his latest/upcoming studio albums, Before I Self Destruct, Black Magic and his fifth studio album respectively. The tour also features, G-Unit artists Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks, 40 Glocc, Spider Loc, Trav and Governor...
; while on the European leg of he tour, he visited nightclubs and was impressed with the vastly changing styles of music played. Because of this, and while still on tour, 50 Cent began to write and record material for an album called Black Magic. The new album's music would be influenced by number of genres, including dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
; it would have a "higher tempo" than his previous work, although he claimed that the predominant genre of the music would still be rap.
However, 50 Cent later revealed to the Brasilian edition of music magazine Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
that he was unsure whether to continue with the recording of the album, which he had begun while in the European venues of the tour, as he had begun to write material that he claimed "didn't quite fit the concept" of the album. He later revealed the release of Black Magic had been postponed indefinitely, although he stated the album may be released in the future. The new album will be more hip hop-influenced than Black Magic, which was inspired and influenced by a number of genres.
While recording the album, 50 Cent listened to a mix of music performed by his favourite artists, including rappers Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
and The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
. In an interview with the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
, 50 Cent explained these actions, stating, "I listen to those records to create expectations... It creates a level to me, within myself, of how good the record has to be before I'm ready to launch it." In the same interview, he described the album as a "whole new sound" for him and felt that it was "more soulful" and "more mature" than his previous work. In an interview with hip hop magazine Rap-Up
Rap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
on 1 June, 2010, 50 Cent revealed that he had been inspired by prominent soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
artists such as Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
and Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
to write and record more soulful material for Black Magic, and in an interview with the same magazine on 13 May, 2011, American rapper Soulja Boy
Soulja Boy
DeAndre Cortez Way , better known by his stage name Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, or simply Soulja Boy, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, entrepreneur, and internet personality....
revealed that these themes were on the new album.
Production
Whilst on The Invitation TourThe Invitation Tour
The Invitation Tour was a tour by rapper 50 Cent in support of his latest/upcoming studio albums, Before I Self Destruct, Black Magic and his fifth studio album respectively. The tour also features, G-Unit artists Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks, 40 Glocc, Spider Loc, Trav and Governor...
and writing material for Black Magic, 50 Cent recorded a song with the backup-band he was performing with on the tour. However, he admitted that the song was not likely to make the final cut for the album. Recording sessions for a new album resumed from scratch in early 2010 once 50 Cent returned to the United States from The Invitation Tour, when he was immediately was "bombarded" with potential productions for the album by several record producers, which partly influenced his decision to postpone the release of Black Magic. In total, forty-three potential songs for the album were recorded during the album's recording sessions.
In a November 2010 interview with MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
, Surf Club producers Hit-Boy
Hit-Boy
Chauncey Hollis, better known as Hit-Boy is an American hip-hop, R&B and contemporary platinum-level music producer currently signed to GOOD Music Born Chauncey Hollis, on May 21, 1987 in Fontana, California, he is the son of Chauncey Hollis Sr. and Tanisha Bedford. He is best known for his...
and Chase N. Cashe
Chase N. Cashe
Jesse "Chase N. Cashe" Woodward is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter born in New Orleans, LA. After relocating to Los Angeles, Chase N. Cashe produced hits for several artists including R. Kelly, Brandy, Flo Rida, Pussycat Dolls, Young Money, Eminem, and Lil Wayne. Once signed...
revealed that they had contributed productions for the album. Hit-Boy revealed that they had visited 50 Cent to play him a selection of their productions and hear "where he was going with it". He went on to talk positively about the album's material and its musical variation:
Whilst attending the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
on 25 January, 2011, 50 Cent revealed to MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
that "80 percent" of the album had been recorded, and also revealed that he had recorded material with for the album with record producers Boi-1da
Boi-1da
Matthew Samuels , better known as Boi-1da , is a Canadian hip-hop producer from Toronto, Ontario. He has produced for artists and groups such as Chip tha Ripper, Kardinal Offishall, Clipse, Drake, Eminem, Saukrates, k-os, G-Unit, and The Diplomats among others...
, Alex da Kid
Alex da Kid
Alexander Grant , better known as Alex da Kid, is a Grammy award winning English music songwriter and hip-hop producer.-Early life:...
and Symbolyc One
Symbolyc One (S1)
Symbolyc One is an American music producer. He works primarily with Strange Fruit Project.- Origin :...
.. In an interview in March 2011 with online blogger DDotOmen, record producer Cardiak
Cardiak
Carl McCormick, better known as Cardiak, is a music producer from Willingboro, New Jersey. He embarked on the music industry in 2008, and is best known for working with urban music artists such as Ace Hood, Joe Budden, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Freeway , DJ Khaled, Rick Ross , Trina, Red Cafe, Lil...
revealed that he had produced a record for the album called "Outlaw
Outlaw (song)
"Outlaw" is a song by American hip-hop artist 50 Cent, released as a song from his upcoming yet-to-be-titled fifth studio album . The song features production from hip-hop producer Cardiak, and was officially released as a digital download on July 19, 2011.-Background:The song was released after 50...
", which was later released to several digital outlets to promote the album.
On 8 April, 2011, MTV Mixtape Daily reported that producer Jim Jonsin
Jim Jonsin
James Scheffer, better known by his professional name, Jim Jonsin, is an American Grammy award winning record producer, songwriter, record executive, and entrepreneur...
had been involved in the album's recording sessions. In an interview with Rap-Up on 13 May, 2011, American rapper Soulja Boy
Soulja Boy
DeAndre Cortez Way , better known by his stage name Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, or simply Soulja Boy, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, entrepreneur, and internet personality....
revealed that 50 Cent had requested several productions from him for the album whilst the pair were in California the previous month, and that he had given him roughly five of these productions to record over. He also claimed that 50 Cent had played him all of the material recorded for the album at the time, and was impressed with the material, stating that "His album was kinda dope. I ain’t gonna lie to you. That’s my big bro and all that. I got love for him. He’s got some good stuff on there". In an appearance with singer Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Prescovia Elikolani Valiente Scherzinger is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer, model, and actress. Scherzinger is perhaps best known for being the lead vocalist of the Pussycat Dolls....
on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
, hosted by comedian and actress Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American stand-up comedienne, television host and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and was also a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season....
, on 24 May, 2011, 50 Cent and Scherzinger performed their single "Right There
Right There
"Right There" is a song by American recording artist Nicole Scherzinger, taken from her debut studio album, Killer Love . Written by Ester Dean, Frank Romano, Daniel Morris and co-written and produced by Jim Jonsin, the Island-flavored midtempo pop song sees Scherzinger singing about her lover and...
", and 50 Cent revealed that the album was only a single song away from completion. He also confirmed that the mixing process
Audio mixing
Audio mixing may refer to:*Audio mixing *Audio mixing *Live sound mixing...
for the album had already begun.
50 Cent later elaborated on Boi-1da's contribution in an interview with DJ Whoo Kid
DJ Whoo Kid
DJ Whoo Kid is a hip hop DJ and of Haitian descent raised in Queens Village, New York but with strong roots to Cap-Haïtien, Haiti. He is currently signed to G-Unit Records and its subsidiary label, Shady Ville Entertainment...
on the hip-hop radio station Shade 45
Shade 45
Shade 45 is Eminem's uncensored Hip-Hop/Rap-heavy urban contemporary channel. Eminem Brings On-Air show hosts. It debuted with a hip hop format in 2004, changing to its current incarnation when it was added to XM channel 66...
, when he revealed that Boi-1da had produced two potential songs for the album. In the same interview, he revealed that producer Just Blaze
Just Blaze
Justin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...
had contributed two productions for the album. In an interview with BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
.com on 19 September, 2011, 50 Cent confirmed Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
's involvement with the album, claiming that he had produced two of the songs on the album.
Guest appearances
Although a confirmed tracklisting for the album is yet to emerge, several other recording artists have been reported to be appearing on the album. On 24 January, 2011, Rap-Up reported that fellow rapper and longtime collaborator EminemEminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
would appear on the album, along with Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...
, Jeremih
Jeremih
Jeremiah Felton who performs under the mononym Jeremih , is an American recording artist and producer signed to Def Jam Recordings. Jeremih's debut single, "Birthday Sex" , peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100...
,Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
, Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
,Swizz Beatz
Swizz Beatz
Kasseem Dean , better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, rapper and painter. At the age of 17, he gained attention in the hip-hop world through his friendship with rapper DMX. Grady Spivey and rapper Cassidy helped launch his label Full Surface Records...
, Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
, and fellow G-Unit
G-Unit
G-Unit is an American hip hop group originating from New York City formed by 50 Cents. G-Unit emerged on the New York scene by independently releasing several mix tapes...
member Lloyd Banks
Lloyd Banks
Christopher Charles Lloyd , better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper and member of the rap group G-Unit. Raised in South Jamaica, Queens, he dropped out of high school in 1998. G-Unit released two albums, Beg for Mercy in 2003 and T.O.S. in 2008...
. In the aforementioned interview on Shade 45, 50 Cent elaborated on Eminem's contributions to the album, revealing that he would appear on four songs. He also stated that the songs were designed to appear to various audiences: two of the songs were referred to as "definite singles", and the other two were described as created to appeal to his "core audience", as well as being "more aggressive" and having a "different kind of energy". On 11 July, 2011, whilst on the set of the video for the Tony Yayo
Tony Yayo
Marvin Bernard , better known by his stage name Tony Yayo, is a Haitian American rapper and member of the hip hop group G-Unit...
song "Haters
Haters (Tony Yayo song)
"Haters" a song by American hip-hop artist Tony Yayo, released as the second official single from his upcoming yet-to-be-titled second studio album. The song features guest appearances fellow rappers 50 Cent, Shawty Lo and Roscoe Dash, and features production from hip-hop producer Scoop DeVille...
", 50 Cent revealed that New Orleans rapper Kidd Kidd, formerly of Young Money Entertainment
Young Money Entertainment
Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend Mack Maine. The label is an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Universal Republic Records...
but now of G-Unit Records
G-Unit Records
G-Unit Records is an American record label, specializing in hip hop music, founded in 2003 by rapper 50 Cent and his manager Sha Money XL. Upon its inception, it operated as a subsidiary of, and was distributed through, Universal Music Group's Interscope Records...
, would appear on the album's title track. On 28 September, 2011, singer Jeremih
Jeremih
Jeremiah Felton who performs under the mononym Jeremih , is an American recording artist and producer signed to Def Jam Recordings. Jeremih's debut single, "Birthday Sex" , peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100...
was reported to appear on a song called "Girls Go Wild".
Singles
After its leakage onto the Internet on 16 June, 2011 and its premier by Funkmaster FlexFunkmaster Flex
Aston George Taylor, Jr. better known as Funkmaster Flex is an American hip hop DJ, rapper, musician and producer on New York City's Hot 97 radio station and host of the hit MTV show Funk Flex Full Throttle....
on the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
radio station Hot 97, MTV
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
Rapfix writer Alvin Blanco reported that "Outlaw
Outlaw (song)
"Outlaw" is a song by American hip-hop artist 50 Cent, released as a song from his upcoming yet-to-be-titled fifth studio album . The song features production from hip-hop producer Cardiak, and was officially released as a digital download on July 19, 2011.-Background:The song was released after 50...
" would be the first single released from the album. However, on his page on the microblogging
Microblogging
Microblogging is a broadcast medium in the form of blogging. A microblog differs from a traditional blog in that its content is typically smaller in both actual and aggregate file size...
website Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, 50 Cent revealed that the song was not the album's first single. Although the song did not receive an official airplay release, it received unsolicited airplay on urban contemporary
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
radio stations, which meant that the song peaked at number ninety-nine on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart for the week ending 23 July, 2011. It was later released to several digital outlets on 19 July, 2011, these including the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
and Amazon MP3
Amazon MP3
Amazon MP3 is an online music store owned and operated by Amazon.com. Launched in public beta on September 25, 2007, in January 2008 it became the first music store to sell music without digital rights management from the four major music labels , as well as many independents...
, and after its digital release peaked at number eighty-seven on both the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
for the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
for the week ending 6 August, 2011.
On 28 September, 2011, director Colin Tilley
Colin Tilley
Colin Tilley is an award winning music video director for Riveting Entertainment who has written and directed music videos for artists including Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, Diddy, Usher, Melanie Fiona, Keri Hilson, Wiz Khalifa and U.K. rapper Chipmunk among others. His most...
revealed through his page on the microblogging
Microblogging
Microblogging is a broadcast medium in the form of blogging. A microblog differs from a traditional blog in that its content is typically smaller in both actual and aggregate file size...
website Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
that he had finished shooting a music video in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
for the album's first single, although the song's title was not reported at the time. The same day, hip-hop website HipHop-N-More exclusively reported that the song's title was "Girls Go Wild" and featured singer Jeremih
Jeremih
Jeremiah Felton who performs under the mononym Jeremih , is an American recording artist and producer signed to Def Jam Recordings. Jeremih's debut single, "Birthday Sex" , peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100...
.
Release and promotion
During his appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres ShowThe Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
on 24 May, 2011, 50 Cent revealed that the album was one song from completion and being mixed, and he expected to release it as early as summer 2011, stating: "This summer they’ll have new music from me". However, due to 50 Cent's various disputes with Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
(see below) over the promotion and release of the album, including the leakage of several songs intended for the album, the album's release was briefly cancelled by 50 Cent himself, before being rescheduled to November 2011: currently, he plans to release the album in conjunction with his headphone line Sleek by 50.
Interscope Records tensions
The album is set to be 50 Cent's final release on his current contract at Interscope RecordsInterscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
, originally signed when he joined the label in 2002, as the contract requires him to release five albums with the label. However, there have been tensions between 50 Cent and the label throughout the album's recording process. The first reports of disagreement between the label and 50 Cent emerged on 16 June, 2011, when 50 Cent released a series of tweets
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
through his account on microblogging
Microblogging
Microblogging is a broadcast medium in the form of blogging. A microblog differs from a traditional blog in that its content is typically smaller in both actual and aggregate file size...
website Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
: he explained that Interscope Records were disputing with him over the album's recording process, and claimed he would delay the album's release until the dispute was resolved. He also stated that the album would not be released during 2011.
The issues with Interscope intensified when a song called "I'm on It", produced by The Cataracs
The Cataracs
The Cataracs are an American hip hop indie-pop duo formed in Berkeley, California, consisting of David “Campa” Benjamin Singer-Vine, a songwriter and vocalist and Niles “Cyrano” Hollowell-Dhar, a songwriter, vocalist, and producer. The duo started out as an independent group, during their years at...
, leaked onto the Internet on July 27, 2011 ahead of its intended release date. 50 Cent blamed Interscope Records for the leakage, and, as he had intended to release the song as the album's next single, revealed through his account on the microblogging
Microblogging
Microblogging is a broadcast medium in the form of blogging. A microblog differs from a traditional blog in that its content is typically smaller in both actual and aggregate file size...
website Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
on 28 July, 2011 that he would retaliate against the label by cancelling the release of album. He also revealed that he planned threatening to leak the single from the Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
album Detox, "The Psycho", in which he is featured. He later clarified his comments, revealing that he was willing to collaborate with other artists during his remaining time at the label, but confirmed that he would not release another album with the label because "[Interscope] dropped the ball with me one time to
Sic
Sic—generally inside square brackets, [sic], and occasionally parentheses, —when added just after a quote or reprinted text, indicates the passage appears exactly as in the original source...
Jimmy Iovine
James "Jimmy" Iovine is an American music producer, entrepreneur and chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M.-Biography:...
, head of Interscope Records, and also to Dr. Dre for threatening to leak "The Psycho", as he stated that the pair of them had been supportive of his career throughout his time at the label.
After his statements were retracted, 50 Cent later announced that the album's release date had been rescheduled to November 2011. In an interview with MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
on June 22, 2011, 50 Cent revealed that the incident had left him unsure as to whether to resign to Interscope once his five-album contract with the label ended, upon the release of his next album:
Despite these comments, 50 Cent confirmed that it was not certain that he would leave Interscope after the release of the album, admitting that problems with finding a suitable alternative label would be difficult: "If not [signed to a label], if you don't have that support, [so] why would you want to sign to another system?".
Recorded songs
- "OutlawOutlaw (song)"Outlaw" is a song by American hip-hop artist 50 Cent, released as a song from his upcoming yet-to-be-titled fifth studio album . The song features production from hip-hop producer Cardiak, and was officially released as a digital download on July 19, 2011.-Background:The song was released after 50...
" (produced by CardiakCardiakCarl McCormick, better known as Cardiak, is a music producer from Willingboro, New Jersey. He embarked on the music industry in 2008, and is best known for working with urban music artists such as Ace Hood, Joe Budden, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Freeway , DJ Khaled, Rick Ross , Trina, Red Cafe, Lil...
) - "Girls Go Wild" (featuring JeremihJeremihJeremiah Felton who performs under the mononym Jeremih , is an American recording artist and producer signed to Def Jam Recordings. Jeremih's debut single, "Birthday Sex" , peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100...
) - "Counterfeit Embezzle "(featuring Kelly RowlandKelly RowlandKelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
)(produced by araabmuzikAraabMUZIKAbraham Orellana, better known as "araabMuzik" is an American hip hop record producer of Dominican and Guatemalan descent. From Providence, Rhode Island, he first rose to fame after showcasing his skills of making live beats and instrumentals on a MPC drum machine on the internet...
) - "Half A Dollar & A Dream" (featuring EminemEminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
)(produced by Symbolic One) - "When I Leave This World (featuring EminemEminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
)(produced by Alex Da KidAlex da KidAlexander Grant , better known as Alex da Kid, is a Grammy award winning English music songwriter and hip-hop producer.-Early life:...
) - "Beyond Good And Evil" (featuring EminemEminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
)(produced by Just BlazeJust BlazeJustin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...
) - "My Own Way" (featuring EminemEminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
)(produced by Boi-1daBoi-1daMatthew Samuels , better known as Boi-1da , is a Canadian hip-hop producer from Toronto, Ontario. He has produced for artists and groups such as Chip tha Ripper, Kardinal Offishall, Clipse, Drake, Eminem, Saukrates, k-os, G-Unit, and The Diplomats among others...
)