CURTIS - 50 CENT
Delayed release dates, slow-moving singles and G-Unit restructuring made 2007 a rough year for Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. Now, “Curtis” seems to be a mirror of where the MC is in his career: muddled. Though the album is good, for an artist of 50 Cent’s caliber, it’s not great. “I Get Money,” “Man Down,” “My Guns Go Off” and the Mary J. Blige-assisted “All of Me” partially redeem his pop forays, and it’s nice to hear his gruff street stories and charming lyrics. Sadly, those aren’t in abundance on songs that too often sound like 2007 versions of earlier hits. “Fully Loaded Clip” successfully updates “How to Rob,” but neither “Follow My Lead” nor “Amusement Park” truly recaptures monster smashes like “21 Questions” or “Candy Shop.” In the end, “Curtis” just doesn’t offer enough of the old slick-talking, charismatic 50 Cent. Curtis
