Formulas are a double-edged sword. They are the telltale mark of a conservative. Conservative people, once they've found a formula that works, stick unflaggingly to the same routine. The problem is that, in a world a formulas, nothing new would ever be created. Even so, 50 Cent's formula of two-to-three half-assed verses and a poorly-sung hook wasn't all that interesting in Formulas are a double-edged sword. They are the telltale mark of a conservative. Conservative people, once they've found a formula that works, stick unflaggingly to the same routine. The problem is that, in a world a formulas, nothing new would ever be created. Even so, 50 Cent's formula of two-to-three half-assed verses and a poorly-sung hook wasn't all that interesting in the first place. To be fair to 50, by now the actual recording process is most likely just a formality for him. He doesn't make his money by spending a lot of time on making great songs, now does he? He makes his money by keeping himself on the news and selling Vitamin Water. So I hesitate to even review this album, as it's almost unnecessary. But alas, I will. To be fair to 50 though, I'll try to keep it brief. The intro is a clip from the 2002 film Shooters, which really has nothing to do with 50 Cent or this album, except for the fact that it features a lot of guns. So I'm guessing the intro serves to let us know that 50 Cent likes guns and movies about guns; and that he's probably going to rap about guns. Well what do you know? The first track is called "My Gun". It's produced by Adam Deitch and Eric Krasno but the beat is a clear ripoff of a circa-2003 Eminem production. 50 Cent even style-bites his employer a little bit. The next track "Man Down" is about guns and killing people too. So is the next track, "I'll Still Kill" (not surprisingly). It features Akon, who has the impudence to guest on everything from socially critical tracks with India.Arie, to a song called "Bartender" even though he is an avid non-drinker, to songs about murdering people with 50 Cent. The beat to this sounds a lot like Dre/Eminem as well. I like "I Get Money", partly because it's the only completely honest song on the album. Being rich is one thing that 50 Cent doesn't have to lie about, and despite 50's trademark laid back flow, you can tell the extreme boost of charisma he has on a song about something he actually participates in currently. Beyond that, the old-school drum rhythm works perfectly with Fiddy's bouncy flow, and the 90's-style sampled hook is a needed departure from the terrible singing that's usually found in his choruses. Speaking of choruses, Justin Timberlake provides a strange one for "Ayo Technology". 50 Cent, Justin Timberlake, and Timbaland should never collab again. Or maybe if they do, they should consider something other than a double-timed song with a beat that sounds like something from an Nintendo game. Also I think this song is about watching pornography, which is kind unique, but also kind of weird. Strangely enough, the collab with one white-guy-who-does-black-music fails, but the collab with the other white-guy-who-does-black-music kind of works out. "Follow My Lead" featuring Robin Thicke sounds alot of like the previous hit "21 Questions", but that song was good so that's okay, and as we've established anyway, 50's a man of formulas. More songs about being rich and killing people, and of course "Amusement Park", which is the logical follow up to "Magic Stick" and "Candy Shop" as the obligatory corny double-entendre single. Unlike its predecessors, however, the beat (created by the Dangerous LLC production team) for "Amusement Park" is delightful, and its a shame that it was wasted on such a dumb song. A lot of the songs sound like the producer was specifically requested to mimic Dr. Dre or Eminem's style; I suppose because that's part of 50's formula. There is a song produced by Eminem though, and one produced by Dr. Dre. The former, "Peep Show" features Eminem on the mic as well, and his verse is the best verse on the album. He actually doesn't try to act "hard" like he usually does when he's within ten feet of 50 cent. On this track he's the psychopath that America fell in love with seven years ago; turning 50's peep show into a "creep show". Dr. Dre's production features Young Buck on the pre-chorus and Nicole Scherzinger (you know, the only Pussycat Doll that's talented). Scherzinger's presence is a welcome break to 50's general monotony, and the combination of her sexy vocals and an authentic Dr. Dre beat gives the song a little boost. Unfortunately 50 Cent still has to rap on it. Like I said, 50 knows that he doesn't have to be creative, or even interesting (beyond the general appeal of being a guy who used to sell crack and shoot people) to sell records, and Curtis is evidence of that fact, especially considering this album came out two days ago and has sold about a half a million already. And Curtis isn't creative, and not very interesting either. The production is fairly solid, but it pales in comparison to the mostly-Dre produced Get Rich or Die Trying and even The Massacre which featured Eminem, Dr. Dre, Scott Storch, and Hi-Tek among others. Well-produced and interesting tracks like "I Get Money" and "Follow My Lead" help, but overall the album is a snooze-fest.… Expand
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