50 Cent

50 Cent's debut smash lives up to the hype and then some. Powered by impossibly great singles "In Da Club" and "P.I.M.P.," Get Rich Or Die Tryin' is the next step for crossover rap -- hard in the right spots, smooth where it counts and, with Dr. Dre producing four of the cuts, sufficiently connected to the old school to absolve you for knowing every song by heart.

By now, 50 Cent's coronation as the new king of hardcore hip-hop is all but assured. Check
his credentials: Years before the 8 Mile soundtrack introduced him to the world, 50 Cent
established himself as one of the underground's best MCs, turning out dozens of bootlegs
and mix tapes full of hilarious disses and first-rate freestyles. He was touted as "the illest
motherfucker in the world" by none other than Eminem, who signed 50 Cent to... More >

Gets no cuter as his character unfolds ("What Up Gangsta," "Patiently Waiting") (Grade - **)