The Massacre
The Massacre | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 5, 2005 | |||
Recorded | 2004-2005 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 77:22 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
| |||
50 Cent chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from The Massacre | ||||
|
The Massacre is the second studio album by 50 Cent. It was released on March 5, 2005, by Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records. The album debuted and peaked at #1 on the US Billboard 200, selling 1.15 million copies in its 1st week. Upon its release, The Massacre received generally positive reviews from music critics. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, but lost to Kanye West's album Late Registration at the 48th Grammy Awards.
Background
The Massacre has a music video for every track (with the exception of "Gunz Come Out") on the special edition version of the album. The original title for the album was revealed as St. Valentine's Day Massacre and was arranged to be released on February 14, 2005. However it was postponed, and the album title was shortened to simply The Massacre. The censored version of the album censors out most profanity, violence, and all drug content. The track "Gunz Come Out" has inconsistency in the editing, and contains some profanity. The opening track "Intro" removes the shooting sequence, and is cut down to 20 seconds. In comparison, the album is not as heavily censored as his previous album Get Rich or Die Tryin', but it is still a very highly censored album ranking in severity with albums such as Jadakiss' Kiss tha Game Goodbye (2001), along with Tony Yayo's Thoughts of a Predicate Felon (2005) and Nas' Stillmatic (2001).
Commercial performance
The Massacre sold 1.15 million copies in its first four days of release, becoming the 6th-largest opening week for an album at the time since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991.[1] This is the third best opening week for a hip hop album, behind Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP (2000), which sold 1.76 million copies in its 1st week, and The Eminem Show which sold 1.32 million copies in its 1st week.[2] As of 2015, the album has sold 5.36 million copies in the United States and 15 million worldwide.[3][4]
In 2005, The Massacre was ranked as the number one album of the year on the Billboard 200.[5]
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 66/100[6] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [7] |
Blender | [8] |
Entertainment Weekly | B−[9] |
The Guardian | [10] |
Los Angeles Times | [11] |
NME | 8/10[12] |
Pitchfork | 7.0/10[13] |
Rolling Stone | [14] |
Spin | B−[15] |
The Village Voice | A−[16] |
The Massacre received generally positive reviews from music critics; it holds a score of 66 out of 100 at Metacritic.[6] Vibe magazine found it "full of finger-pointing panache" and wrote that "50 delivers a taut, albeit less explosive, album aimed at both silencing his detractors and keeping the ladies satisfied".[17] NME observed "a new depth to the murderous lyricism" from 50 Cent on the album.[12] Greg Tate, writing in The Village Voice, said that, like Tupac, 50 Cent is "a ruffian who knows the value of a good pop hook", and called The Massacre "the most diabolically sensous collection of baby-making gangsta music since Pac's All Eyez."[18] Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times found the album to be "nearly as addictive as its predecessor" and called 50 Cent "a crafty songwriter, specializing in obvious but nearly irresistible tracks that sound better the more you hear them."[19] In his review for The Village Voice, Robert Christgau said that 50 Cent's "ugly gangsta lies" are "incidental to the mood of the piece, which is friendly, relaxed, good-humored, and in the groove."[16]
In a mixed review, Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club said that, although its strengths lie in 50 Cent's "dark charisma" and "fluid delivery", the album is marred by flaws typical of "big rap releases: At nearly 78 minutes, it's far too long, wildly uneven, and not particularly cohesive sonically or thematically."[20] Uncut magazine wrote that, despite 50 Cent's "cool menace", "not even tight productions from Eminem and Dre can stop things from flagging midway."[21] Lynne D. Johnson of Spin felt that it lacks "originality" and makes artistic concessions: "He's tryin' too hard to be everything to everybody."[15] In a negative review for The Guardian, Alexis Petridis panned him as a lyricist and felt that the album lacks "any of the factors that make the best gangsta rap disturbingly compelling ... There's nothing except a string of cliches so limited that repetition is unavoidable".[10]
Accolades
The Massacre was nominated at the 2006 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album,[22] but lost to Kanye West's Late Registration.[23] It was ranked the twenty fifth best album of the year by Rolling Stone.[24]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Intro" | Lindsay Collins | Eminem | 0:41 |
2. | "In My Hood" |
| 3:51 | |
3. | "This Is 50" |
|
| 3:04 |
4. | "I'm Supposed to Die Tonight" |
|
| 3:51 |
5. | "Piggy Bank" |
| Needlz | 4:15 |
6. | "Gatman and Robbin'" (featuring Eminem) |
|
| 3:46 |
7. | "Candy Shop" (featuring Olivia) |
| Scott Storch | 3:29 |
8. | "Outta Control" |
| 3:21 | |
9. | "Get in My Car" |
| Hi-Tek | 4:05 |
10. | "Ski Mask Way" |
| 3:05 | |
11. | "A Baltimore Love Thing" |
| Cue Beats | 4:17 |
12. | "Ryder Music" |
| Hi-Tek | 3:51 |
13. | "Disco Inferno" |
|
| 3:34 |
14. | "Just a Lil Bit" |
| Storch | 3:57 |
15. | "Gunz Come Out" |
|
| 4:24 |
16. | "My Toy Soldier" (featuring Tony Yayo) |
|
| 3:44 |
17. | "Position of Power" |
| J.R. Rotem | 3:12 |
18. | "Build You Up" (featuring Jamie Foxx) |
| Storch | 2:55 |
19. | "God Gave Me Style" |
| Needlz | 3:01 |
20. | "So Amazing" (featuring Olivia) |
| J.R. Rotem | 3:16 |
21. | "I Don't Need 'Em" |
| Buckwild | 3:20 |
22. | "Hate It or Love It (G-Unit Remix)" (bonus track) (featuring The Game, Tony Yayo, Young Buck and Lloyd Banks) |
| Cool & Dre | 4:23 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
22. | "Window Shopper" (bonus track) |
|
| 3:12 |
23. | "Best Friend" (featuring Olivia) (bonus track) | Jackson | Hi-Tek | 4:14 |
- Notes
- Sample credits[26]
- "Intro" contains elements from "What Up Gangsta" performed by 50 Cent.
- "This Is 50" contains elements from "Things Done Changed" performed by The Notorious B.I.G..
- "I'm Supposed to Die Tonight" contains vocal samples of "Vocal Planet" performed by Spectrasonics.
- "Gatman and Robbin'" contains replayed elements from "Batman Theme" composed by Danny Elfman.
- "Candy Shop" contains a sample of "Love Break" performed by The Salsoul Orchestra (uncredited).
- "Outta Control" contains an interpolation from "Set It Off" performed by Strafe.
- "Ski Mask Way" contains elements from "What Am I Waiting For" performed by The O'Jays and resung elements from "Cell Therapy" performed by Goodie Mob.
- "A Baltimore Love Thing" contains elements from "I'll Be Waiting There for You" performed by The Dells.
- "God Gave Me Style" contains elements from "Each Day I Cry a Little" performed by Eddie Kendricks.
- "I Don't Need 'Em" contains elements from "Nobody Knows" performed by S.C.L.C.
Personnel
Credits for The Massacre adapted from Allmusic.[27]
|
|
Charts
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[36] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Belgium (BEA)[37] | Gold | 25,000* |
Canada (Music Canada)[38] | 3× Platinum | 300,000^ |
France (SNEP)[39] | Gold | 100,000* |
Germany (BVMI)[40] | Platinum | 200,000^ |
Greece (IFPI Greece)[41] | Gold | 10,000^ |
Ireland (IRMA)[42] | 2× Platinum | 30,000^ |
Japan (RIAJ)[43] | Platinum | 0^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[44] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Russia (NFPF)[45] | 3× Platinum | 60,000* |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[46] | Platinum | 40,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[47] | 2× Platinum | 600,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[48] | 5× Platinum | 5,360,000[49]^ |
Summaries | ||
Europe (IFPI)[50] | Platinum | 1,000,000* |
Worldwide | — | 11,000,000 |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
The Massacre (Special Edition)
The Massacre (Special Edition) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 6, 2005 | |||
Recorded | 2004–2005 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 73:47 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
| |||
50 Cent chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from The Massacre | ||||
|
Background
The album was re-released under the name The Massacre (Special Edition). It was re-released on September 6, 2005 with a remix of "Outta Control" featuring Mobb Deep. The remix replaces the original version of the song as track 8. The re-release included a bonus DVD with music videos for all of the songs (except for "Disco Inferno", "Gunz Come Out" and the Intro), and the trailer for the movie Get Rich or Die Tryin'. The album excludes track 22, the G-Unit's remix to "Hate It or Love It", due to the ongoing feud between 50 Cent and The Game, leaving the original 21 tracks. The re-release helped the album re-climb the charts to number 2 in the United States. The original version was also re-issued using the special edition track listing leaving out the parts for the DVD.
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Intro" | Lindsay Collins | Eminem | 0:41 |
2. | "In My Hood" |
| 3:51 | |
3. | "This Is 50" |
|
| 3:04 |
4. | "I'm Supposed to Die Tonight" |
| Eminem | 3:51 |
5. | "Piggy Bank" |
| Needlz | 4:15 |
6. | "Gatman and Robbin'" (featuring Eminem) |
|
| 3:46 |
7. | "Candy Shop" (featuring Olivia) |
| Storch | 3:29 |
8. | "Outta Control (Remix)" (featuring Mobb Deep) |
|
| 4:07 |
9. | "Get in My Car" |
| Hi-Tek | 4:05 |
10. | "Ski Mask Way" |
| Disco D | 3:05 |
11. | "A Baltimore Love Thing" |
| Cue Beats | 4:17 |
12. | "Ryder Music" |
| Hi-Tek | 3:51 |
13. | "Disco Inferno" |
|
| 3:34 |
14. | "Just a Lil Bit" |
| Storch | 3:57 |
15. | "Gunz Come Out" |
|
| 4:24 |
16. | "My Toy Soldier" (featuring Tony Yayo) |
| Eminem | 3:44 |
17. | "Position of Power" |
| J.R. Rotem | 3:12 |
18. | "Build You Up" (featuring Jamie Foxx) |
| Storch | 2:55 |
19. | "God Gave Me Style" |
| Needlz | 3:01 |
20. | "So Amazing" (featuring Olivia) |
| J.R. Rotem | 3:16 |
21. | "I Don't Need 'Em" |
| Buckwild | 3:20 |
- Notes
^[a] signifies an additional producer.
- Sample credits
Informations taken from The Massacre liner notes:[26]
- "Intro" contains elements from "What Up Gangsta" performed by 50 Cent
- "I'm Supposed to Die Tonight" contains samples of "Warning" by The Notorious B.I.G.
- "Gatman and Robbin'" contains replayed elements from "Batman Theme"
- "Candy Shop" contains a sample of "Love Break" performed by The Salsoul Orchestra (uncredited)
- "Ski Mask Way" contains elements from "What Am I Waiting For" performed by The O'Jays and resung elements from "Cell Therapy" performed by Goodie Mob
- "A Baltimore Love Thing" contains elements from "I'll Be Waiting There For You" performed by The Dells
- "God Gave Me Style" contains elements from "Each Day I Cry A Little" performed by Eddie Kendricks
- "I Don't Need 'Em" contains elements from "Nobody Knows" performed by S.C.L.C.
See also
- List of number-one albums from the 2000s (UK)
- List of number-one albums in 2005 (New Zealand)
- List of number-one albums of 2005 (Ireland)
- List of number-one albums of 2005 (U.S.)
References
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- ^ Tate, Greg (March 8, 2005). "Married to the Hook". The Village Voice. New York. Archived from the original on July 7, 2009. Retrieved December 25, 2009.
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External links
- The Massacre at Discogs (list of releases)
- 2005 albums
- 50 Cent albums
- Aftermath Entertainment albums
- Shady Records albums
- Albums produced by Buckwild
- Albums produced by Dr. Dre
- Albums produced by Disco D
- Albums produced by Eminem
- Albums produced by Scott Storch
- Albums produced by Hi-Tek
- Albums produced by J.R. Rotem
- Albums produced by Needlz
- Albums produced by Mike Elizondo
- Interscope Records albums
- Interscope Geffen A&M Records albums
- Gangsta rap albums