The cover of this album kinda says it all. 50 Cent's empire is crumbling. Some would say it's been a long process beginning around about 2007. You can almost time it with the public's growing disinterest in the record industry's profits. Since the less-than-stellar release of his last album Curtis, most of 50's mystic and gangster appeal is relegated back to the glory days of his first couple albums. At least with his latest effort, Before I Self Destruct (out today, Nov. 17, on Interscope), he spared us the novelty image of his studly shirtlessness. Although within the album itself, not much has changed with hip-hop's baron of beef. Besides the fact that you're not gonna find too many club bangers on this album. No, this is a darker side of 50 that we experience track after track, gun blast after gun blast.
