From bullets, to beef, to money, to his rise to hip hop power. Just a few things that best describes the controversial life and career of one Curtis Jackson. It's a story that many of us are all too familiar with by now. Guy grows up in Jamaica Queens, guy get shot nine times and survives, feuds with Ja Rule and Murder Inc, releases dozens of mixtapes taking shots at everyone, gets with Dr. Dre and Eminem, releases one of the highest selling debut rap albums of all time in 2003's Get Rich Or Die Tryin, which today is considered a classic. Like I said, we all know the story. From a music and business perspective, 50 Cent has pretty much achieved the true hip hop American dream. But now at a time where the sound of hip hop and everything around it has took a drastic change since 50's prime days, the question is: Does 50 still have it? Does he still have that fire and hunger? Your guess is as good as mine. It's been quite a while since 50 has dropped some music. Obviously because he's been involved in so many other business endeavors. So there certainly is an amount of intrigue when heading into this. His fifth album Animal Ambition. Like I said it's been about five years since 50's last album Before I Self Destruct. An album filled with rushed lyrics and rushed beats. Wasn't feeling it at all. So I really didn't know what to expect on this. I thought this album was quite up and down for me. It had it's good moments and it certainly had it's bad ones. I could say it's average but I don't even think it's that. First off, prior to listening to this, I thought this album would be one of two things content wise: 50 being same old 50. Not really changing much. Or him trying to adapt to today's hip hop sound and switch up what he normally does to sound like the young guys (much like Jay-Z did on Magna Carta...Holy Grail). Turns out...it's the same old 50. Rapping about his usual hood thuggery (stealing, robbing, killing etc.). Which is all a good thing. However you do get flashes of some more 2014-ish content, flow and production. Speaking of, if anything held this album back it may have been the production. Some of it was choppy, some seemed rushed, and some just sounded like 50 just was not comfortable rapping on it at all. There were only a few good ones on what was only an eleven track album (fourteen if you have the deluxe edition). So now let's get down to business. The albums starts off in typical 50 Cent fashion with the track "Hold On". This actually took me back to old mixtape 50 Cent as far as his flow and what was being said. The beat is very calm and mellow. Almost too calm for an intro track. I found myself kinda liking it though (despite the "different day different ass different tits" line that made me face palm in laughter). My favorite track if I had to pick is "Irregular Heartbeat". Like the intro, this too had a very slow mellow beat. In fact it's much, much slower and almost sounds dead. But I really like this because of the guest verses from Jadakiss, who's been a favorite of mine for years, and Kidd Kidd who was on a number of tracks on this album. Again this is 50 on his old shit again. The hook even takes a line from one of his old songs. "Pilot" was a song that grew on me quickly. My first listen I really wasn't feeling it. But once I gave it a few more listens it became more and more likeable. I like the catchiness and jumpiness of the beat. He had three R&B features that weren't that bad. Not surprising considering 50 has done well with R&B features in the past ("21 Questions", "Candy Shop", "Ayo Technology", "Baby By Me"). The first was the single "Smoke" with Trey Songz. The beat was cool and Trey did very well on the hook. Perfect for a first single. The other two are "Twisted" with Mr. Probz, which sounds next single worthy, and "Winners Circle" with Guordan Banks. They both actually sound a little similar as far as beat tempo but they were alright. Now...things I had issues with. I didn't like the beat or hook on "Don't Worry Bout It". I also didn't like Yo Gotti's poor guest verse. "Animal Ambition" probably was the worst beat on the whole album. This is the song where it sounded like 50 was not comfortable rapping on this beat. Also, another half-assed hook. "Hustler" was another lazy beat and lazy hook (in case you haven't guessed yet, this was the main issue with every song I didn't like). I'm still on the fence about the final track "Chase The Paper". The track features Kidd Kidd, Prodigy and Styles P. I wanna like this song I really do, but I think the generic beat is holding it back. Hopefully it may grow on me because the guest verse were cool. The three bonus tracks on the deluxe edition are pretty much forgettable. "The Funeral" was a boring no-hook track that could have really used one, "You Know" had the most bizarre-est of beats that totally doesn't fit his style, and "Flip On Yo was a waste of a Schoolboy Q feature. He only had one line on the hook and that was it. Like Really? My advice: get the basic edition if you're gonna buy it. Overall, I'm still on the fence with this album. It's not great, it's not terrible, but yet "average" doesn't describe it either. It's complicated I know. However, I'ma give this an average grade of a C+. Despite the fact that little rustiness can be heard from him on this album, 50 Cent still has that hunger and desire to win. I believe that's where the whole "animal ambition" theme comes from. The hunger, determination and aggression of a animal...or a beast. It's something 50 Cent has had since day one. From hustling in the streets, to escaping death from gun shots, to having the highest selling hip hop debut ever, to CEO and business mogul. I think Curtis Jackson's quest to win has been conquered. Like him or not, he won a long time ago. I don't think anything will change either. End.
Final Grade: C+
CREDITS
Executive Producer
Curtis Jackson
Lead Artist
Curtis Jackson
Production
Frank Dukes
Charles Brown
Steven Thornton
Andre Young
Dewaun Parker
Mark Batson
Steven Allen
Gonzalo Estrada
Martin Rodriguez
Jacob Dutton
Anthony Caines
Justin Woods
Ky Miller
Tyrone Fyffe
Collaboration
Mario Mims
Tremaine Neverson
Curtis Stewart
Jason Phillips
Dennis Stehr
Jayson Robbins
Albert Johnson
David Styles
Quincy Hanley
Label
G-Unit/Caroline
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