Curtis (50 Cent album)
Curtis is the third studio album by American rapper 50 Cent; it was released on September 11, 2007, by Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album features production from Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Timbaland, among others. Music writers have noted that 50 Cent divides between "hard" and "soft" songs on the album.
Curtis received generally mixed reviews from music critics upon release. The album debuted at number 2 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 691,000 copies in its first week. After years of slumping sales, the album's competition with Kanye West's Graduation (2007) and the resulting record breaking performances both albums displayed was considered to be a "great day for hip hop."
Background
Initially, 50 Cent's 2007 album which was planned to be Before I Self Destruct. However, he decided to push back its release date to 2008, and instead to release Curtis in 2007. The album's title was changed twice. For the first time, it was changed from "Curtis" to "Curtis S.S.K.". The second time, the title of the album was changed back from "Curtis S.S.K." to "Curtis". The "S.S.K.", which stood for "SoundScan Killer", was intended to show the pressure 50 Cent felt to succeed. The "S.S.K." also stands for "SouthSide King" and "Shoot, Stab, Kill". 50 Cent stated that the album was inspired by his life before his commercial debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. He also stated that he chose the album's title because he was known as "Curtis" before he became famous. In January 2007, DJ Whoo Kid predicted the album to be a double disc LP, with one CD having a "crazy club-bangin' ridiculous" theme and the other having a "hard-core killer sh--," theme. However this did not materialize.
Podcasts:
Follow My Lead
[Chipmunk]
Hi world, whats poppin?
Tryna fight the game, they just cock blockin
Aiming for the top and I am not stopping
They gassed up and im balloon poppin
Real leader. need help, holla me
Caaah if twitter had a twitter I bet it would follow me
Chyeaah, feel the presence when I come through
New or old, I run school
[Bridge]
And I was never blinded by the lights
But ive always had stars in my eyes
So whether open or closed my vision's in line
and maybe that's the reason why
[Chorus- Eric B]
Im one step ahead of you, you never catch up to me
Everybody else is just following me
So just follow my lead, you can follow my lead
Im'a star i'll show you the way [x2]
[Chipmunk]
Cheaah, try test me on stage, you'll be left burning
I kill bills, Uma Thurman
You get tired diorrns, I get lie-in morns
You don't think you're the best, why you lying for?
Cleaning up caah been a mess
Me, I never rest. Im rest-less
Im F up you sex-less
The vocabs are stubbing
Popstar p.s wordsmith im killing it
Gimme 25, then imagine my level when im 25- scary times
Mc's on my level there's none
I don't feel anyone im nummmbb
[Bridge]
And I was never blinded by the lights
But ive always had stars in my eyes
So whether open or closed my vision's in line
and maybe that's the reason why
[Chorus- Eric B]
Im one step ahead of you, you never catch up to me
Everybody else is just following me
So just follow my lead, you can follow my lead
Im'a star i'll show you the way [x2]
[Chipmunk]
Yeah and ima come up there with running their mouth
And now they silent like the B in doubt, no doubt
I didn't wanna be the boy with the rhymes,
that spent years in the game but never made no clout
and when I see others success I rate, to me enough of them can't relate
its cool- you aint even gotta feel my pain, just feel my rain
[Chorus- Eric B]
Im one step ahead of you, you never catch up to me
Everybody else is just following me
So just follow my lead, you can follow my lead