G-Unit "God's Plan" (Mixed by DJ Whoo Kid, 2002)

God's Plan is the third mixape released by G-Unit. It was initially distributed as an independent release on November 1, 2002, but was later re-released in 2006 by BCD Music Group. God's Plan emerged during a prolific era for G-Unit, preceding 50 Cent's official debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', in 2003. The mixtape features a collection of tracks where the group showcased their lyricism over instrumentals from other artists. This approach of reinterpreting existing beats allowed G-Unit to infuse familiar sounds with their distinct style, creating a unique listening experience that resonated with fans. The cultural importance of God's Plan extends beyond its tracks. By rapping over instrumentals from other artists and releasing it for free, 50 Cent and G-Unit helped create a model that other artists would later follow. In recognition of its impact, God's Plan was named the 9th best mixtape ever by XXL magazine. God's Plan not only showcased G-Unit's raw talent and adaptability but also underscored their strategic approach to music distribution, challenging traditional industry norms and paving the way for a new era in hip-hop. By the time God’s Plan dropped, 50 Cent was already building a strong buzz from Guess Who’s Back? and 50 Cent Is the Future. But God’s Plan was another level—it made it clear that he wasn’t just an underground sensation; he was about to take over mainstream rap. The energy, the aggressive delivery, and the raw storytelling on God’s Plan were all previews of what he’d refine on Get Rich or Die Tryin’, which went on to be a classic (certified 9x Platinum as of 2020). Listen to God's Plan...

Where does God's Plan place in your favorite mixtapes?

50 Cent "Guess Who's Back?" (April 26, 2002)

Months before 50 Cent burst into the mainstream with Get Rich or Die Tryin', his "In da Club"-highlighted debut for Shady/Aftermath, the highly touted rapper cleaned out his closet with Guess Who's Back?. The skimpily packaged album, released by the indie label Full Clip and documented by no credits whatsoever, compiles what it terms as "underground classics and freestyles." Unless you're connected to the New York mixtape circuit or happen to own a bootlegged version of 50's unreleased 2000 debut album for Columbia, the Trackmasters-produced Power of the Dollar, none of the 18 songs here are going to be familiar -- they're all previously unreleased, legally that is. However, if you're indeed down with the underground, either via the streets of N.Y.C. or the bandwidth of cyberspace, many of these songs will be familiar. About half come from Power of the Dollar, including such highlights as "Life's on the Line," "Ghetto Qua Ran," and "As the World Turns," while the others, such as "That's What's Up" (a G Unit posse track over the beat to Wu-Tang's "Ya'll Been Warned"), "Too Hot," and "Who U Rep With" (the latter two featuring Nas, who is sampled for the hook to "F*ck You" also), come mostly from mixtapes. A few of the inclusions suffer from shoddy sound quality, particularly the trio of freestyles that close the album, while a few others sound like mixtape tracks, lacking commercially orientated production and verse-chorus-verse structures. It's this occasional underground sense, though, that makes Guess Who's Back? such a worthwhile listen for fans. Granted, this album isn't an authentic N.Y.C.-style mixtape, but it's awfully close, definitely modeled after one and therefore representative of precisely why 50 went on to become the most talked-about upcoming rapper in a decade. There's a reason a million-dollar bidding war broke out for 50 in 2002, and Guess Who's Back? showcases that reason better than any other legal release out there. Before 50 was "In da Club" with Eminem and Dr. Dre, he was here, releasing a plethora of mixtape tracks for the underground with hopes of one day getting rich or dying trying. - AllMusic.

A definitive classic mixtape, hit the archives for more...

50 Cent "Get Rich or Die Tryin" (February 6, 2003)

“Realness,” in hip-hop terms, is the true wealth of any gangsta worth his tough talk. And right now, no rapper is richer than 50 Cent. How else do you characterize a man who admits he was still dealing crack when he received the advance from his first record deal? Whose first single, 1999’s “How to Rob,” was a heist fantasy that sparked a beef with nearly every rapper in the business? Who was stabbed in a March 2000 fracas with rival Ja Rule’s crew, shot nine times (once in the jaw) in an unrelated incident two months later and was dropped by his label, Columbia, for fear of more violence? Granted, mayhem is no guarantee of skills; there have been plenty of genuine thugs-turned-rappers who couldn’t properly rhyme the couplets from Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham if they read them off a Teleprompter. A 27-year-old from Queens, New York, 50 is prodigiously skilled, although not in the lyrical-acrobat manner of Jay-Z or Eminem. Instead, his talent is seeming clever and likable in the midst of menace. Call it an Everythug appeal. Despite having been shot more times than Cindy Crawford, he still cracks nonchalant, loading his hit “Wanksta” with this deadpan outlaw boast: “N!ggas say they gon’ murder 50, how?/We ride around with guns the size of Lil’ Bow Wow.” 50’s outrageousness and charismatic, lazy drawl caused a frenzy last year when he released multiple mix tapes with his G-Unit clique, supplying them directly to street vendors and generating the biggest buzz in hip-hop since the heyday of Biggie Smalls. These tapes found a booster in Eminem, who signed 50 to his Shady Records label for a reported $1 million. Review cont'd below...

The feverishly anticipated Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is a dark, despair-ridden collection of sociopathic vignettes. On “Heat,” 50 celebrates the joy of firearms over a Dr. Dre–produced track that perversely substitutes gunshots for drum snares. The nasty, Southern bounce–style “Blood Hound” features the fractured refrain “I love to pump crack/Love to stay strapped/Love to squeeze gats,” which he spits like a gleeful schoolkid during recess. Even at their most nihilistic, these 16 songs (plus three bonus tracks) resonate melodically, like Eminem’s most haunting material. Credit 50’s gift for crafting indelible, sing-songy hooks, epitomized by “Wanksta”, his bubbly cadence on the Dre-produced radio monster “In da Club” and “21 Questions,” which sounds like his next big smash. It’s the closest thing to a love song he’s ever recorded: 50 imagines scenes of misfortune — falling off, jail time, working at Burger King — and gently quizzes a girl about whether she’ll stick by him. Of course, most of 50’s material is far less sensitive — at least toward others... Abetted by a suitably dramatic Eminem-produced beat, “Patiently Waiting” addresses the threats that follow 50: “If I get shot today my phone’ll stop ringin’ again.” Em’s guest verse on the song even cryptically likens 50 to slain rap gods Biggie, Tupac Shakur and Harlem cult hero Big L — a comparison likely to make 50 hug his ever-present bulletproof vest even tighter. “Many Men (Wish Death),” a frightening composition in the vein of Snoop Dogg’s “Murder Was the Case,” is the most powerful track. Starting with a dramatization of 50’s shooting, the song unravels as an inner conflict as he turns alternately enraged, arrogant, contemplative, desolate and tormented, his mood swinging with each line. Then it concludes with an eerie, vengeful announcement about his attacker: “In the Bible it says what goes around comes around/Homie shot me, three weeks later he got shot down/Now it’s clear that I’m here for a real reason/’Cause he got hit like I got hit, but he ain’t fuckin’ breathin’.” 50 is as much a threat to his adversaries as to himself. And the warrior title of his wild debut might be wrong: He might get rich and die trying. - Chairman Mao. An era-defining album, revisit it today...

Lugz Promo Commercials (1999-2001)

Lugz first made a name for itself in October of 1993, bringing its first line of boots to market, with the initial product consisting of two styles of boots, a quilted vest and a pair of jeans. Soon Lugz was endorsed by key players from the world of hip hop and continued to do so through out the years. One such collaboration led Lugz to breathe life to a whole new category of footwear with the introduction of the first ever celebrity-endorsed “Funk Master Flex” urban driving shoe. This was only the beginning as support then lead to a collaborative line with hip-hop superstar Bryan “Baby” Williams, aka “Birdman” with his own series of sneakers and boots. Seen as a money-grab throughout the industry, these collaborations looked funny in the light. Before that, however, there were numerous advertisements and collaborative commercials between hip-hop artists and Lugz. Some spots ran between around 1999-2001, and included artists like 50 Cent, De La Soul, Erick Sermon, Pharoahe Monch, KRS-One and Rahzel, among others. Pharoahe Monch rewriting "Simon Says" for Lugz always hurt my feelings, but I understood the business, lol. You can revisit those specific tracks below, but please don't take it too seriously, lol. Hopefully it doesn't get taken down.

50 Cent "Get Rich or Die Tryin" (2/6/03)

Get Rich or Die Tryin' is the debut studio album by 50 Cent. It was released February 6, 2003, by Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, Interscope Records and Universal Music Group. Its initially planned released was pushed 7 days ahead due to heavy bootlegging and internet leakage. The album was produced by Dr. Dre and Eminem, and featured guest appearances from Eminem, Nate Dogg, Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo. The album debuted and peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200, selling over 872,000 copies in its 1st week. It generated over 5 singles, including the #1 hits "In da Club" and "21 Questions", and the international hit "P.I.M.P." By 2016, Get Rich or Die Tryin' sold 8.4 million copies in the United States and is certified 6x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Upon its release, the album received favorable reviews from most music critics and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap album, losing to OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below at the 46th Grammy Awards. It ranked #37 on Rolling Stone's list of best albums of the 2000s (for what that's worth). Very few artists have lived up to their hype on a debut album like 50 did on Get Rich. The hit singles carried the album to its success, but "What Up Gangsta" and "Many Men (Wish Death)" still hold the most replay for me in 2020. Revisit it below...

Some extra promo items from Get Rich or Die Tryin' in 2003...

The Original 50 Cent (Documentary, 2005)

During the late 1980s, at the height of New York's brutal crack cocaine epidemic, one man terrorized the city's most notorious gangsters. Armed with a bulletproof vest and an arsenal of weapons, he robbed, killed and extorted Brooklyn's biggest hustlers. A cold-blooded crook, he was the 'hood's version of Billy the Kid, bragging that - one day - he would get rich or die trying... His name was Kelvin Martin. Most knew him simply as "50 Cent", as told on the this 2005 documentary entitled, The Original 50 Cent by Froi Cuesta and Tony Turner. The documentary is hosted by veteran journalist, Bonz Malone, and there are cameos from DJ Scratch, Eric B, 50 Cent and more. If the documentary gets pulled by YouTube, please give me a headsup, so I can update this AGAIN. 

50 Cent 'Next' Feature In Vibe Magazine (October, 1999)

50 Cent was covered in Vibe Magazine's spotlight series 'Next' in October of 1999. 'How To Rob' had hit the streets 2 months prior, and 50 was all the buzz. The article discusses how Mariah Carey took offense to one of the lines in the song ... I guess at that point it hadn't been removed but it was indeed replaced on the version that blew up on radio. In May of 2000, 50 Cent was shot 9 times and despite all the marketing and promotion, the shooting and controversial records led to 50's debut 'Power Of The Dollar' being shelved and then heavily bootlegged. I still own one of the original promo cassettes that were sent out with album snippets mixed with Hot 97 interviews. I also have the original white label 12" back when the song was called 'Schemes Of Robbing An Industry N!gga.' I copped it at Rock & Soul (sorry Fat Beats) in the summer of '99. CD sales will never return to the way they were when 50 dropped 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' and 'The Massacre,' but his other successful business ventures more than compensate. As a fellow Queens native, I'd also like to remind artists not to poke the bear in the zoo, 50 will forever remain an artist you do not want to play with, lol. If you're interested, Next features with Jay-Z and Capone-N-Noreaga.

50 Cent "Guess Who's Back?" (Mixtape, 4/26/02)

On this day in 2002, 50 Cent released 'Guess Who's Back?,' a compilation of hits from past street albums and mixtapes. It was this mixtape/compilation that would gain the attention of Eminem (through 50's attorney), and ultimately lead to 50 Cent signing to Interscope. 'Guess Who's Back?' was released independently on Full Clip Records and was the first 'official' release since his 2000 (unreleased) album, 'Power of the Dollar.' It features production from Trackmasters, Clark Kent, Sha Money Xl, and more. For a release of its kind to chart on Billboard was an impressive feat and rumor has it that a lot of the tracks were recorded in Canada because studios in the states wouldn't work with him. For years, 50 also stayed in the Poconos area of Pennsylvania, and when my mom and sis moved to East Stroudsburg, it wasn't uncommon to see the G-Unit crew. From this release and signing with Interscope, 50 Cent would go on to become a mega-artist selling 10s of millions of albums with his debut & sophomore albums. Of course, his success has also extended beyond music to movies, liquor, vitamin water, headphones, and more. A true hustler from Queens!

Stream the mixtape above, original artwork is below...

50 Cent "50 Cent Is The Future" (Mixtape, 2004)

Even before he had everyone in the club working it out, 50 Cent knew he had to appeal to the masses. The Future is the genesis of a new subgenre: gangsta pop. Though 50 and his fledgling crew of pals pack this protean effort with plenty of grimy street dreams, the seeds of a rap balladeer were firmly planted here. A triumph of muscular melody. - Vibe, March 2007. Any idea what they just said? lol. To summarize: 50 Cent Is The Future was a classic mixtape on the streets... 50 Cent and G-Unit had it on lock at the time. The G-Unit Radio series; God's Plan; No Mercy No Fear, even Guess Who's Back before them - he had fans captivated and his solo debut release Get Rich or Die Tryin overdelivered on all his promises of greatness. While greater success and access to more revenue streams have taken him further away from music as of late, 50 Cent's legacy was cemented early, and it's still enjoyable to go back and listen to this early material. That said, listen to 50 Cent Is The Future below and way off topic, that Carl Banks (Giants) jersey is still dope to this day too!

Check out the tracklist and a copy of the Vibe review below...

50 Cent "Power Of The Dollar" (Vibe, July 2000)

"With his controversial stickup-kid anthem, "How To Rob," from last year's In Too Deep soundtrack, 50 Cent entered the hip hop world as though he had nothing to lose. His threats of making his peers run the jewels may have burned a few bridges, but his feverish storytelling and humor-filled punchlines made him one to watch in the new millennium. On his debut LP, Power Of The Dollar, the Queens, N.Y., native continues his hunt for props, once again slapping the faces of rappers and trying to boost his 'hood credibility with boasts of his thuggery." The Vibe review goes on to suggest that 50 stole Hov's rhyme style, you can check out the full review below. I don't remember feeling that way at the time ... I don't think? ... although, for sure, 50 and Hov been sending direct and subliminal shots at each other since the late 90s. You could argue that Jigga's early diss to 50 helped his career early with "I'm about a dollar, what the f#ck is 50 cents?," in response to "How To Rob." 50 responded to that with a smile and a "thank you;" they've been trolling each other since, lol.

50 Cent & G-Unit "A History of Violence" (Vibe, 2007)

50 Cent was born in 1975 ... 8 years later, his mother is found dead in her home, due to a mysterious fire. In '94, 50 catches a drug charge ... a month later, while executing a warrant, they find dirt in his Queens home and he's sentenced to 6 months of boot camp in Beaver Dams, NY. 6 years later, he's involved in an altercation with Murder Inc at the Hit Factory ... he suffers a knife wound in the fight. 2 months later - after 50 has recorded and released his hit "How To Rob" - 50 is shot 9 times outside his grandmother's house ... he survives the shooting. 11 months later, in Jersey City, gunmen open fire at 50 and his crew; authorities believed the shooting was directed at 50. A year after that - in 2004 - Young Buck catches a case at the Vibe Awards for stabbing the man who allegedly punched Dr. Dre earlier in the evening. In Feb of 2005, after 50 announces that The Game is no longer a part of G-Unit, an alleged associate of The Game was shot. In February of 2006, Tony Yayo is brought in for questioning over the death of Busta Rhymes' manager, but is never charged. Tony Yayo turned himself in for a separate assault the following year, after its alleged that he attacked the son of Jimmy Henchmen. At the time of this article, the last piece of violence occured in 2007 when Tony Yayo's Queens home is shot up, but no one was hurt. As you can imagine, more has allegedly transpired since, but at this point, who can keep track of it all?

90s Cipher: 50 Cent, Noreaga, Punch & Consequence (Video)

Captured by Kurt Nice & Shades of Hip-Hop is this now-infamous freestyle cipher of a young 50 Cent, Consequence, Punchline, and Noreaga. It's dope to see this flashback of 50 Cent rhyming - before he got shot - and catch his youthful energy, which is matched only by the off-the-wall style and personality of Lefrak City's own, Noreaga. That said, if you ask me, it's Punchline that caught a body! As 1/2 of "Punch & Words" with Wordsworth, Punch was no stranger to the ciphers and Lyricist Lounge days of Hip-Hop; he was sharpening his skills with one of the best lyricists in NYC's underground scene. This video had been floating around for some time, but it was reposted by Nore's peoples, 57th Ave, back in 2010 or so. Props to them for the link, and re-sharing a time in Hip-Hop when MCs were vocally supportive of one another and weren't afraid to jump in a cipher (cameras or no cameras) and do their thing. Worth mentioning: Noreaga was early to support 50 Cent - through Trackmasters - on 50's song, "Money By Any Means" off the "Power Of The Dollar" album. This cipher would've went down around the time Noreaga was recording his N.O.R.E. album, which eventually went platinum on Penalty Recordings. Queens get the money. Peep the cipher...

50 Cent "How To Rob" (XXL, 2000 + Video Interview)

Originally published in the May 2000 issue of XXL, the following interview was published when 50 Cent's controversial single "How to Rob" made noise throughout New York City. "When 50 Cent dropped "How To Rob," last year, he pissed off a lot of people. In the aftermath, several MCs made on-wax responses that were clearly not in 50's favor, to say the least. While he's been quite quiet of late, the Queens-bred troublemaker has returned with his long-awaited debut, Power Of The Dollar. Hoping to prove he's more than a one-hit wonder, one must wonder, does 50 regret any of the drama his song has caused? Don't bet on it." At the end of the short interview above, 50 says, "I'm a newborn, I'm still a baby to hip-hop so it (the attention) affects me, but when I break past this record, I'ma be bigger than the rest of this shit -- a bigger, better artist. I hold myself down to the fullest. You never want it to go there, but if it does, by any means, I'm gonna handle my business." Below, during an interview with a journalist in Germany, 50 Cent goes more in-depth on how his circumstances at the time inspired "How To Rob." Read above + watch an interview below...