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Animal Ambition

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Untitled

Animal Ambition is the fifth studio album by American rapper 50 Cent. Released through G-Unit Records, Caroline Records and Capitol Records on June 3, 2014, it was supported by the singles "Don't Worry 'Bout It", "Hold On", "Pilot", "Smoke", "Hustler", "Chase the Paper", "Everytime I Come Around", "Irregular Heartbeat", "Winners Circle", "Twisted" and "Animal Ambition". The album features guest appearances from Yo Gotti, Trey Songz, Kidd Kidd, Jadakiss, Mr. Probz, Guordan Banks, Prodigy, Schoolboy Q and Styles P.

Background

On December 4, 2013, while doing a press run for the launch of his SMS Audio line of headphones and speakers he announced that a "full body of work", titled Animal Ambition would be released in January 2014.[1] In a December 2013, interview with DJ Whoo Kid, he reiterated plans for the album, saying: "I'm going to drop it in January, it's a full body of work, I wouldn't call it a mixtape because it's a higher grade than the material that I put out on mixtapes. I recorded so many album quality songs that I'm going to put the Animal project out as my viral marketing plan and then it will come out after, Street King Immortal."[2] In January 2014, while visiting the Consumer Electronics Show, he explained his motivation to release new music in early 2014, saying: "I’m so anxious to put out material. It took me so long to get the business portion of music straight, because I had went through an auditing process because it was the last record required for Interscope Records. And now, I got Animal Ambition, I was inspired to write this. It really has to be current. If it’s not like right now, what I feel is like the hottest thing, I know it’s done right, but it’s not necessarily what I should be doing right now."[3]

In a January 2014, interview with Sonic Electronix, he said that he was recording heavily in preparation for both of the album's saying: "I want to put Animal Ambition out in the first quarter. And then it’ll lead up to Street King Immortal. So it’ll be twelve weeks. That’s why I’m working so hard, when I leave here I go straight back to record again."[3] He also said that Animal Ambition has a shared sound and theme throughout, saying: "With Animal Ambition, the project is about prosperity. I got an interesting way of writing it, ‘cause I wrote it from a distorted vision or viewpoint. When Biggie was doing ‘Damn, niggas wanna stick me for my paper, damn,’ that’s about when you get something, the effects of others responding to you doing better. The jealousies connected to it, there’s so many different ways to write it, that the album has those facets to it. The overall theme is ambition and prosperity."[3]

In a January 2014, interview with Complex, he announced that he would release the album before Street King Immortal, saying:

"There’s an album I am putting out before Street King Immortal. The title is called Animal Ambition. It’s an untamed desire to win. The record is overall about prosperity, ambition, and has an entrepreneurial energy—it’s all from a distorted perspective. I just been really excited about the concept, been writing and had a lot of time to create material for the release because it’s taken so long. So when you listen the record, you’ll see it because I told you it, it’s about ambition. If I didn’t say that, you wouldn’t listen to the record and say what’s that song called? Cause when Biggie was saying, "Damn, niggas wanna stick me for my paper," that’s writing prosperity, but the effects of it from others. Jealousy is created from you moving forward. I wrote it from a lot of different angles in order to create an album with all the facets I was comfortable with so it could all have one thing."[4]

On February 20, 2014, 50 Cent left Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records, after a 12-year union and subsequently signed himself and G-Unit Records to Caroline Records and Capitol Records.[5] On the same day, he announced that the album would be released on June 3, 2014.[6] In a February 2014, interview with Forbes detailing his departure from Interscope 50 stated, "I’m a special case and situation. It’s also because of the leverage of having the strong relationships with Eminem and Dr. Dre. They don’t want me to be uncomfortable. They value our friendship to the point that they would never want [to jeopardize] it over that little bit of money."[7]

Release and promotion

In a May 2014, interview with the Business News Network, he spoke about the album's promotional campaign, saying: "I actually decided to create a campaign for the actual record that can sustain the audience. Because it has to sustain your interest for one week until the next song comes, until the next song comes, until the next song comes. And the actual visuals match the song so if you weren’t impressed by the music you’ll understand creatively why it’s the way it is when you see the images. It’s obviously a more complex presentation because you have to be really premeditated. You have to know what each one of your songs are gonna feel like. We only needed to know what three looked like. With three records because we’re only shooting three music videos before you sold millions of records. The adjustments are technology."[8]

Singles

On February 21, 2014, the music video was released for "The Funeral".[9] On March 18, 2014, the songs "Don't Worry 'Bout It", featuring Yo Gotti and "Hold On", were released via digital distribution, as the album's first and second singles.[10][11] On March 18, 2014, the music video was released for "Hold On".[12] On the same day, the music video was released for "Don't Worry 'Bout It" featuring Yo Gotti.[13] On March 25, 2014, the album's third single "Pilot" was released.[14] On the same day, the music video was released for "Pilot".[15] On March 31, 2014, the album's fourth single "Smoke" featuring Trey Songz and produced by Dr. Dre was serviced to mainstream urban radio in the United States.[16] The following day, the music video was released for "Smoke" featuring Trey Songz.[17]

On April 15, 2014, the album's fifth single "Hustler" was released.[18] On the same day, the music video for "Hustler" was released.[19] On April 21, 2014, the music video for "Chase the Paper" featuring Prodigy, Kidd Kidd and Styles P premiered on MTV Jams.[20] The following day, "Chase the Paper" was released as the album's sixth single.[21] On April 29, 2014, the album's seventh single "Everytime I Come Around" featuring Kidd Kidd was released.[22] On the same day, the music video was released for "Everytime I Come Around".[23] On May 6, 2014, the album's eighth single "Irregular Heartbeat" featuring Jadakiss and Kidd Kidd was released.[24] On the same day, the music video was released for "Irregular Heartbeat".[25] On May 13, 2014, the album's ninth single "Winners Circle" featuring Guordan Banks was released.[26] On the same day, the music video was released for "Winners Circle" featuring Guordan Banks.[27] On May 19, 2014, the music video was released for "Twisted" featuring Mr. Probz.[28] On May 20, 2014, the album's tenth single "Twisted" featuring Mr. Probz was released.[28]

Critical Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Guardian[29]

Killian Fox of The Guardian wrote "unchanged are his limitations as a rapper, both technically and in his choice of subjects." Also adding, "The theme here, we are told, is prosperity and its discontents, but he doesn't do much more than flaunt it and berate people for hating his success."[30]

Track listing

No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Hold On"Frank Dukes3:46
2."Don't Worry 'Bout It" (featuring Yo Gotti)Charli Brown Beatz4:01
3."Animal Ambition"Swiff D3:08
4."Pilot"Shamtrax3:20
5."Smoke" (featuring Trey Songz)Dr. Dre, Dawaun Parker, Mark Batson3:51
6."Everytime I Come Around" (featuring Kidd Kidd)Steve Alien3:10
7."Irregular Heartbeat" (featuring Jadakiss and Kidd Kidd)G Rocka, Medi3:39
8."Hustler"Jake One3:05
9."Twisted" (featuring Mr. Probz)JustHustle, Kyle Justice[31]3:14
10."Winners Circle" (featuring Guordan Banks)Ky Miller3:23
11."Chase the Paper" (featuring Prodigy, Kidd Kidd and Styles P)Ty Fyffe4:17
Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)[32]
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
12."The Funeral"Jake One2:52
13."You Know" 3:01
14."Flip On You" (featuring Schoolboy Q)Nascent3:19

References

  1. ^ by Emmanuel C.M. (December 6, 2013). "50 Cent Putting Out New Project In January - XXL". Xxlmag.com. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  2. ^ Meara, Paul (December 8, 2013). "50 Cent Reflects On Nelson Mandela's Legacy & Importance". HipHop DX. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c Balfour, Jay (January 9, 2014). "50 Cent Details "Animal Ambition" Release Plans". HipHop DX. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  4. ^ "50 Cent Talks New SMS Lineup, Google Glass Fears, and G-Unit Reunions". Complex. January 11, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  5. ^ Tardio, Andres (February 16, 2014). "50 Cent Leaves Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment & Interscope Records". HipHop DX. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  6. ^ Tardio, Andres. "50 Cent Animal Ambition Release Date". HipHop DX. Retrieved February 20, 2014.
  7. ^ "50 Cent Explains How He Left Interscope, Debuts 'Funeral' Video". Forbes. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  8. ^ Balfour, Jay (May 11, 2014). "50 Cent Details $23 Million Interscope Records Payout". HipHop DX. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  9. ^ "Video: 50 Cent – 'The Funeral'". Rap-Up.com. February 21, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  10. ^ "Hold On – Single by 50 Cent". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved March 18, 2014. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  11. ^ "Don't Worry 'Bout It (feat. Yo Gotti) – Single by 50 Cent". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved March 18, 2014. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  12. ^ "Video: 50 Cent – 'Hold On'". Rap-Up.com. March 18, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  13. ^ "Video: 50 Cent – 'Don't Worry 'Bout It'". Rap-Up.com. March 18, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  14. ^ "iTunes - Music - Pilot - Single by 50 Cent". Itunes.apple.com. March 25, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  15. ^ "Video: 50 Cent – 'Pilot'". Rap-Up.com. March 25, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  16. ^ "Frequency News". Frequency News. March 31, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  17. ^ "Video: 50 Cent f/ Trey Songz – 'Smoke'". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  18. ^ "iTunes - Music - Hustler - Single by 50 Cent". Itunes.apple.com. April 15, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  19. ^ "Video: 50 Cent – 'Hustler'". Rap-Up.com. April 15, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  20. ^ "50 Cent f. Styles P, Prodigy & Kidd Kidd - "Chase The Paper"". HipHop DX. April 21, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  21. ^ "iTunes - Music - Chase the Paper (feat. Prodigy, Kidd Kidd & Styles P) - Single by 50 Cent". Itunes.apple.com. July 6, 1975. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  22. ^ "iTunes - Music - Everytime I Come Around (feat. Kidd Kidd) - Single by 50 Cent". Itunes.apple.com. April 29, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  23. ^ "50 Cent f. Kidd Kidd - "Everytime I Come Around"". HipHop DX. April 29, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  24. ^ "iTunes - Music - Irregular Heartbeat (feat. Jadakiss & Kidd Kidd) - Single by 50 Cent". Itunes.apple.com. July 6, 1975. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  25. ^ "Video: 50 Cent f/ Jadakiss & Kidd Kidd – 'Irregular Heartbeat'". Rap-Up.com. March 25, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
  26. ^ "iTunes - Music - Winners Circle (feat. Guordan Banks) - Single by 50 Cent". Itunes.apple.com. May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  27. ^ "Video: 50 Cent f/ Guordan Banks – 'Winners Circle'". Rap-Up.com. May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  28. ^ a b "Video: 50 Cent f/ Mr. Probz – 'Twisted'". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  29. ^ http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jun/01/50-cent-animal-ambition-review-business-as-usual
  30. ^ http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/jun/01/50-cent-animal-ambition-review-business-as-usual
  31. ^ "50 Cent – 'Twisted' (Feat. Mr. Probz) (CDQ)". HipHop-N-More. January 24, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2014.
  32. ^ by C. Vernon Coleman (May 3, 2014). "50 Cent's 'Animal Ambition' Deluxe Edition Contains Three Additional Tracks, ScHoolboy Q Feature - XXL". Xxlmag.com. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
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