yeah, I just can't believe how much I used to hate on him, now I gotta outlive all that if Imma start feelin him again... shouldn't have followed the gay ass anti-50 trend.

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Get Rich or Die Trying is exactly what I'm talking about. I've been a fan of 50 since 2000, maybe even 1999. I'm not quite sure, it's whichever year Next dropped their "Nextacy" album. 50 was featured on a track called "I'm a Jerk", about masturbation. Yeah, seems dumb, but 50 was pretty good on it. Maybe it's because I was 12 at that time, but I thought 50 was dope and became a fan. For about 2 years I hadn't heard anything from him except "How to Rob" on the In Too Deep Soundtrack. 2002 came around, and I stumbled upon "Guess Who's Back?", 50's prominent underground release that got him noticed by some mainstream heads like Eminem. I loved that shit, especially "50 Bars" "Get out the Club", and "Ghetto Qu'ran". His shit on the 8 Mile Soundtrack was tight, but Wanksta always seemed a little too pop to me. When GRODT came out, it had at most 5 songs that carried over the hardcore gangsta persona that got me hooked. Those tracks were: "What up Gangsta", "Patiently Waiting", "Many Men", "High All the Time", "Heat". The rest of the album? Bling bling and shit like that. He had a few other attempts at gangsta tracks, but they just weren't good.

And I'm disregarding "Your Life's on the Line" and "You not Like Me", because those were both originally on "Guess Who's Back?".

The underground G Unit was ill. When it was just 50, Banks and Yayo, and before GRODT, they were some of my favorites. 50 went commercial and Yayo went to jail. Banks maintained his dopeness on the mixtape circuit for a while (don't know about now 'cuz I haven't picked up a mixtape in a long time). "The Hunger for More" was crap, only brought along a little bit of Bank's "oh shit!" punchlines and creativity.

In conclusion, G Unit is wack on their commercial stuff nowadays. But back a few years ago, before they were making millions, they were real ill. I suggest everyone go pick up "Guess Who's Back?", even if you hate 50 now. It's good shit, trust me. I recently heard like half of Banks's new album, and I actually thought it was pretty good. Haven't heard it all though, so I'm not sure.

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