Get Rich or Die Tryin' is the commercial debut album by New York City rapper 50 Cent, released through Interscope Records. The album was supposed to be released on February 11 2003 but due to leakage and heavy bootlegging on the Internet, it was released five days earlier on February 6 2003.
It was produced by Eminem and Dr. Dre, and features the singles "In da Club", "21 Questions", "P.I.M.P.", and "If I Can't".
Background[]
The single "In da Club" was Billboard (magazine) magazine's number one single for the year. It was the first time since 1994 that an artist had both the number one song and album for the year (Ace of Base held that distinction last with "The Sign"). The song depicted club culture and its "vibes" and ebbs.
Get Rich or Die Tryin' was also released in an edited version that was highly censored. This version of the album completely cuts all violence, profanity, and drug content. Also the track "Heat" is cut from the edited version of the album due to heavy use of violent language including references to weapons and murder, but especially having a shotgun pumping beat throughout the song. The edited version lacks censorship in the song "Don't Push Me" and still contains one use of "goddamn" and references to shooting somebody.
The album also contains disses of artists such as Ja Rule, Irv Gotti, Cadillac Tah, and Black Child. The song "Back Down" was listed on XXL (magazine)'s list of the greatest diss tracks of all time. [1]
Early pressings of Get Rich or Die Tryin' included a limited edition bonus DVD. There was a second version with a red CD and a blue DVD. This version consist of a making-of documentry and the videos for In Da Club, Heat and Many Men.
Instrumentals for two songs featured on the album, Back Down and Heat, were originally songs composed by Rakim and Dr. Dre. They were originally intended to be used on Rakim's debut Aftermath album, Oh My God, but due to creative differences, this album did not work out, and he was shot dead.[2]
Singles[]
"In da Club" was the first official single released to promote 50 Cent's commercial debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin'. The song was produced by Dr. Dre with co-production from Mike Elizondo. The track was released in late 2002 as the album's lead single and was well received from music critics. "In da Club" became 50 Cent's first number one single and was one of 2003's most popular songs after reaching number one in the United States and peaking inside the top five on the majority of the European charts it entered. At the 46th Grammy Awards, it was nominated for Best Male Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Song.
"21 Questions" was the second official single and featured Nate Dogg, who gives additional vocals on the chorus and outro. The song was written by 50 Cent, K. Risto, J. Cameron, and V. Cameron for 50 Cent's commercial debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003). Released in 2003 as the album's second single, it became his second consecutive number one song in the United States after "In da Club". The track was produced by Dirty Swift and samples Barry White's "It's Only Love Doing Its Thing". Lil Mo made a remix to the song titled "21 answers".
The "P.I.M.P." remix was the third single and official remix of "P.I.M.P.". It features G-Unit and Snoop Dogg and peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200. The song begins with 50 Cent's first verse from the original version of the song, followed by verses from Snoop Dogg, Lloyd Banks, and Young Buck. In some countries, the song is featured as a bonus track. "If I Can't" was the fourth and final single. Unlike his previous singles, this track received little attention and peaked at only #76.
Track listing[]
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Guest(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Intro" | 0:08 | ||
| 2 | "What Up Gangsta" | Rob "Reef" Tewlow | 2:59 | |
| 3 | "Patiently Waiting" | Eminem | Eminem | 4:48 |
| 4 | "Many Men (Wish Death)" | Darrell "Digga" Branch | 4:16 | |
| 5 | "In da Club" | Dr. Dre, Mike Elizondo | 3:40 | |
| 6 | "High All the Time" | DJ Rad, Eminem | 4:29 | |
| 7 | "Heat" | Dr. Dre | 4:14 | |
| 8 | "If I Can't" | Dr. Dre | 3:16 | |
| 9 | "Blood Hound" | Sean Blaze | Young Buck | 4:00 |
| 10 | "Back Down" | Dr. Dre | 4:03 | |
| 11 | "P.I.M.P." | Denaun Porter | 4:09 | |
| 12 | "Like My Style" | Rockwilder | Tony Yayo | 3:13 |
| 13 | "Poor Lil Rich" | Sha Money XL | 3:19 | |
| 14 | "21 Questions" | Midi Mafia | Nate Dogg | 3:44 |
| 15 | "Don't Push Me" | Eminem | Lloyd Banks & Eminem | 4:08 |
| 16 | "Gotta Make It to Heaven" | Megahertz | 4:00 | |
| 17 | "Wanksta" (bonus track) | John "J-Praize" Freeman | 3:39 | |
| 18 | "U Not Like Me" (bonus track) | Red Spyda | 4:15 | |
| 19 | "Life's on the Line" (bonus track) | Terence Dudley (USA) | 3:38 | |
| 20 | "P.I.M.P. (Remix)" (bonus track) | Denaun Porter | Snoop Dogg, Lloyd Banks & Young Buck | 4:48 |
External links[]
- ↑ XXL Magazine | Features | 2005 | June | Shots Fired
- ↑ [http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.1129/title.bruce-williams-the-real-doctors-advocate-pt-3 Bruce Williams: The REAL Doctor's Advocate Pt 3 | Features -> HipHopDX.com