After my last post about 50 Cent, it looks like Dr. Dre and his associates are planning chart domination this year. Eminem’s the latest of Dre’s pals to resurface for 2009, and his supposed new single Crack A Bottle is already leaking all over the internet.

And Crack A Bottle features the unholy trinity of Eminem himself, with guest appearances by Dre and 50 Cent. (Remember when they used to invite Xibit along to this stuff? He’s too busy pimping rides these days :().

I’m trying to work out where this fits in Eminem’s catalogue. It’s not quite the novelty, funny Eminem, nor is it the rage-filled, scary Eminem either. Yeah, he’s paying lip service to getting wasted and the hip-hop lifestyle: “So crack a bottle, let your body waddle/Don’t act just like a sloppy model, you just hit the lotto” – but none of it’s really convincing me!

What I’m trying to say is that Crack A Bottle is nowhere near as hard-hitting as Eminem’s previous work. From someone who remembers how relevant Eminem’s first few albums were – angry, frustrated and frightening married to sexual deviance and comic-book violence. Back then, Eminem had something to say.

As his career progressed, I wondered what the effect of fame and fortune would be for him. I wondered if he’d still have anything relevant to say or if he’d stray into writing for the cash instead of the outlet. You can guess what I think of this single then, can’t you?

I just wonder if the whole Relapse album will suffer from the same lack of relevance and conviction.

The much-delayed fourth studio album from 50 Cent looks set to finally be released on 3 February 2009. It was originally due to be released back in 2007, but the rapper took the decision to release Curtis (the album) first.

Some people think I changed the title of my album from "Before I Self Destruct" to "Curtis", but what I did was, I changed albums. I had Before I Self Destruct, I recorded twelve songs under that actual topic, and then I created the material that is under Curtis, and I felt like this album should come out right now and Before I Self Destruct is gonna be my follow-up record, so I’m probably like three or four records away from completing my next album at this point.

Mike Burr of Prefix Magazine says that 50 needs this album to move his music to the next level:

[50 Cent] has promised that Before I Self Destruct, his fourth studio album, will revolutionize hip-hop, it will be the culminating statement of the first phase of his music career, and that it is a companion piece to his first feature directing effort. 50 Cent has described Before I Self Destruct as “darker and more aggressive,” with fewer guest appearances and a concept that will set the next phase of his musical career.

The album is going to feature collaborations with Dr. Dre and Eminem, which will make it essential listening for hip-hop and rap fans.

Track listing

1. Intro
2. Came To Win (produced by Red Spyda)
3. Get Up (produced by Scott Storch)
4. Need Your Hate (Produced by Dr. Dre)
5. Here For A Reason (ft. Nate Dogg) (produced by tha Bizness)
6. Good To Be A Gangsta (produced by Ty Fyffe & Sha Money XL)
7. Don’t Mess With 50 (produced by Don Cannon)
8. Trust In Me (produced by J.R. Rotem)
9. Norman Bates Motel (ft. Eminem) (produced by Dr. Dre)
10. Bitch I’m Sorry (produced by Needlz)
11. All For You (produced by Hi-Tek)
12. No Time To Lose (ft. Swizz Beatz) (produced by the Individuals)
13. Lonely At the Top (produced by Play-N-Skillz)
14. You Need Us (ft. Lloyd Banks & Tony Yayo) (produced by DJ Khalil)
15. Different Path (ft. Dave Young) (produced by Havoc)
16. I Get It In (produced by Dr. Dre)
17. Somebody Forgive Me (produced by Jake One)
18. My Reign (produced by Eminem)
19. Ready For War (ft. Dr. Dre) (produced by Dr. Dre)

It’s a well known fact that I got beef with 50 Cent, so I approach any single by the man with a healthy dose of skepticism.

And when the song in question starts with the man blathering about  being ’sumin’ special’ and ‘unforgettable’, the bullshit radar goes off the map.

Ayo Technology is one of those songs, like SexyBack that sports a droning, repetitive backing over which 50 Cent and his companions Justin Timberlake and Timbaland do their respective thangs.

End result? Boring.

In the course of writing this review, I’ve forced myself to listen to the song five times. Grudgingly, the oversexed theme is actually quite good, particularly JT’s line “I’m tired of using technology/why don’t you sit down on top of me?”

Fascinating fact, fact fans! The original title of the song was to be Ayo Pornography before the censors got their hands on it. Basically, it’s a song about preferring a real woman to the er…digital equivalent.

Anyway, enjoy the Ayo Technology video: considering Timbaland shot his recent video in London, it’s interesting to see another big US star do a UK-based vid.

You all know the story – 50 Cent has threatened never to release another album if Kanye West’s new CD outsells his. The full 50 Cent quote is:

Put it like this, let’s raise the stakes. If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I’ll no longer write music. I’ll write music and work with my other artists, but I won’t put out any more solo albums.

Well, so far Kanye West’s in the lead sales wise. I have to say, I believe that Kanye deserves this more – he’s charismatic, he’s passionate, he’s an interesting character. 50 Cent on the other hand doesn’t interest me at all. He’s another by-product from the Dre/Eminem school of rap, but he neither matches or surpasses either of his mentors.

Kanye’s taken rap music to a new place, he’s made it interesting again. 50 is still punting out old style gangsta rap that the mainstream has been getting bored of.

so I’m betting on Kanye West to win, and I’m hoping ‘Fitty’ upholds his end of the bargain by not releasing any more albums. That’d suit me just fine.

Tell me in the comments who you’re hoping will win…