50 Cent - Before I Self Destruct

Before I Self Destruct cover. Photo / Supplied

Not that 50 Cent needs to, since he's one of the wealthiest rappers around, but wouldn't it be a revelation if he broke out and tried something a little different. But one wonders if he - and his mate Eminem for that matter - have it in them.

On

Before I Self Destruct

the pair thump chests and bang heads on

Psycho

, a posturing rappers' duet about whose got the most girlfriends buried in their backyard. So it's business as usual for 50 on his fourth album, and musically he's walking and shuffling to the same old loping and often creepy beat (the latter is not necessarily a bad thing).

This album was initially meant to be released in 2007, but the bulletproof rapper decided to put out

Curtis

instead with

Before I Self Destruct

to follow a year later. It's now been two years and considering many of these songs were written a while ago they don't sound dated.

There are even glimpses of brilliance, like the depth-charge beats and agitated soul of

Crime Wave

(produced by rising Washington DC crew Team Demo) and the poppy

Baby By Me

(with soul crooner Ne-Yo) offering a respite from the album's predominantly dark and ominous tone.

However, the bottom line is there's nothing to rival tracks like

Wanksta

and

In Da Club

from his 2003 debut

Get Rich Or Die Tryin

', when 50 was at his fresh, swaggering best.

Scott Kara