50 Cent hardly “Self-Destructs”

Intended to generate the same “can’t stop, won’t stop street thug vibe” with which 50 Cent’s smash debut Get Rich or Die Tryin’ was so successful, Before I Self-Destruct takes 50 back to his gangsta rap roots. The intensity in tracks like “The Invitation” and “Crime Wave” is a little much for the casual listener to handle anywhere except maybe the weight room, though true Fitty fans will probably be pleased with their over-the-top bombastics.

Fifty Cent isn’t the most talented rapper; his flow’s a little slow and slurred and his lyrics class him in a middle ground between the juvenile Soulja Boy and Hip Hop heavyweights like Jay-Z. But what Mr. Jackson does have is a strong personality, an instinctive knack for picking catchy beats and a good friend in Eminem. Slim Shady makes a cameo on “Psycho,” one of the more memorable tracks, due more to its creepiness than quality. Eminem’s rapid-fire rhymes force 50 to match his speed, and the duo is backed by an anticipatory up-and-down beat as they chant a chorus about drugging people with Nyquil. The best tracks are the more melodic ones. “Then Days Went By” samples a Jackson 5 song and oscillates between 50’s hardcore-sounding rap and the high-pitched soul of The Jackson 5. An appearance from R. Kelly in “Do You Think About Me” likewise lightens the mood and makes 50’s angry rap a little more manageable. The hottest tracks on the album are “Hold Me Down,” “I Got Swag” and “Baby by Me,” with all three combining the catchy melody/gangsta rap juxtaposition with an urge to bum rush the dance floor.

Before I Self-Destruct is not Get Rich or Die Tryin,’ but it ultimately comes much closer to the quality of 50’s debut than any of his other albums.