by 50 Cent
Released February 6, 2003 via Interscope / Aftermath / Shady / G-Unit
Reviewed February 17, 2023
Top tracks (based on community voting)
Many Men (Wish Death) (79%), In Da Club (58%), 21 Questions (26%)
Few debut albums in hip-hop have ever been as prolific as Get Rich or Die Tryin’. 50 Cent came out guns blazing with multiple Billboard toppers and a profound bag of deep cuts that still ring out some 20 years later. For innumerable reasons, a rapper marrying the exploits of their life on the street with newfound fame and fortune is an experiment likely to go wrong. On at least a surface level, 50 Cent’s versatile act as equal parts grim, confident, and charming certainly accelerated the marketability of the “gangsta rapper” as we know it in the 21st century. While not an amazing emcee, 50 spoke with a sense of gravitas that magnetized an audience. The several multi-level hit singles are largely thanks to 50’s versatility, his ear for beats, and his prowess as a writer of infectious hooks. Despite being slightly bloated overall, Get Rich or Die Tryin’s incredible concentration of culturally impactful material will always have a place in hip-hop’s hall of fame. – DeVán (8/10)
Alan: 9/10 | Jacques: 9/10 | Pax: 8.5/10 | Jared: 8/10 | DeVán: 8/10 | Dominick: 7.8/10
Community Reviews:
Get Rich or Die Tryin’ one of the best breakout albums in Hip Hop. Hard music that shaped an era from beginning to end. – Jonas Brown (8/10)
While it is 50 Cent’s best album, it gets overrated just as 50 himself does in the grand scheme of things. – @zachkrukowski (7.5/10)
