Fitty avoids sophomore slump

Even for someone possessing the brash bravado of Curtis Jackson (aka 50 Cent), following up a record as brutally loaded as his own debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', would prove an overwhelming task. With 11 million copies sold, Get Rich threw 50's intimidatingly talented hat in the ring while doing its part to bring back some of rap's ferocity lost after the deaths of Biggie and Tupac. It's also become somewhat of a modern rap classic.\n50's second LP, The Massacre, opens with the double shot of "In My Hood" and "This Is 50," back-to-back tracks that mirror the violent vehemence of Get Rich's finest moments, even if they pale in comparison in terms of sheer wordplay. Massacre only truly kicks into full gear with the spectacular "Piggy Bank," an all-encompassing diss track with a hard-charging beat that starts more beefs than any mere mortal can realistically handle.\nAside from select tracks produced by Eminem, Dr. Dre and Scott Storch, 50 mostly employs lesser-known beatmakers on Massacre. This decision gives the album a more freewheeling feel than Get Rich, which often felt like it was perpetually bearing down on you. Hi-Tek, Needlz, Sha Money XL and others craft competent grooves around 50's confident flow, resulting in an album with no weak or skippable tracks to speak of, even though some could be better if they were less laid-back.\nMassacre contains its fair share of dance club hits, namely the already heavily rotated "Candy Shop" and "Disco Inferno," as well as the Dre-produced "Outta Control" (an album standout and worthy successor to "In Da Club"), but this time around 50 shows not only his sensitive side with the moving "Build You Up" (the most graciously non-misogynistic rap song in ages), but also his conceptual side on "Baltimore Love Thing," in which he takes on the persona of heroin as he taunts and scolds a female addict.\n50's rhyming skills are as impressive a display as ever on Massacre, though missing is some of the playful humor of its predecessor. This could indicate that 50 now takes himself more seriously, a notion that is backed up by the insert booklet's photo spread (witness 50 walking on water and mimicking James Bond). Regardless, aside from Eminem and Jay-Z, 50 is probably the best rapper in terms of base skill recording today and reserves the right to take himself as seriously as he sees fit.\nAll told, Massacre's contents add up to an album that, while broader in scope and vision than 50's debut, doesn't pack quite the same visceral punch. Late in the album, 50 claims he's "the biggest crook from New York since Son of Sam." Get Rich made you believe he was a serious badass, but Massacre makes you wonder if he's not become content to roll amongst his stacks of cash while drinking Formula 50 Vitamin Water, pimping his line of Reebok G-Unit sneakers and conjuring up feuds with inferior rappers just for the sake of sport. It's no matter. When you're on top of the game, you might as well enjoy it.