Guess Who's Back

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
The buzz around the release of IGuess Who's Back?/I, which combines New York rapper 50 Cent's unreleased iPower of the Dollar/i with various of his raps and freestyles, was surely intensified by the news that he had signed to Eminem's Shady / Aftermath label for a reported million dollars. This Queens native doesn't need state-of-the-art production or celebrity affirmation to foster a reputation, though--these eighteen grimy tracks find their creator affirming and reaffirming his street identity like a mantra. "Only time we left the hood," he raps, "Was on Monopoly boards." 50 Cent's bête noir is "rap going commercial"--that's Nelly, Ma$e, but especially P-Diddy, who he spoofs on "That's What's Up" in a thuggish paean to self-awareness in the hood: "Every breath I take/ Every step I take/ Every move I make/ I got a Ruger on my hip". pIGuess Who's Back/I will be lapped up by fans of New York rap kingpin Nas, who makes a couple of quick cameos here. But even alone, 50 Cent is a more-than-capable wordsmith--see stand-out track is "Life's On The Line", where he threatens the rap community to back up their words with bullets as beats ack-ack-ack like tommy-gun slugs. It's the display of a man that thinks he's invulnerable--and a sage observation on "U Not Like Me" confirms it all: "Only the good die young/ I'm not eligible for that. --ILouis Pattison/I

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Customer reviews

review by: The King Of The UK date: 2007-03-19 rating:
A grower
50 Cent is a superstar, and as i prefer his more 'gangsta' persona anyway, the mixtapes and underground songs he has done have always been better, however, this isn't the gem of an album i was expecting, after picking it up at quite an expensive price, i was thinking it would be an absoloute classic, as he was signed to shady on the strength of this, but although the album had killer songs on (Rotten Apple, That's whats up), it lacked something that made 50's debut a classic. I think this is because he didn't have the power of Dre and Em behind him, the quality isn't all that good and, although Nas, G Unit (But without Young Buck, which is a disapointment) and UGK appear, the strength of really good guests. Overall a strong album, but not all it's cracked up to be.

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review by: mwgtn date: 2005-01-20 rating:
the underground king delivers
Compared to the overwhelming success that 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' it would seem 50's other early albums would be overlooked which is a shame because they aren't very good. They're not up to the same quality as his latest but worthy of at least some recognition. In fact, bonus tracks off 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' feature on 'Guess Who's Back'. It is very gangsta with 50 freesyling to his lyrical limits while taking cheap shots at Ja and P.Diddy on songs like 'Murder Murder' and 'Rotten Apple'. Some decent songs if not the ultimate 50 Cent experience. Try it out though

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review by: date: 2003-08-26 rating:
Not Too Impressed Not Worth Buying!
The album wasnt too good "Be a gentleman" was the only track on their which was alright. The track recommended by others "Life's on the line" you can find on his recently released album "Get Rich Or Die Trying" as a bonus track (so it wont be on the back cover when u look but i assure you when u play the cd it has it on as well as "wanksta" which is also not mentioned on the back cover)

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review by: samuel_weissman date: 2003-08-08 rating:
A great collection of 50 songs.
The famous album that Eminem heard that drew his attention to 50 Cent and subsequently caused him to sign him to his label Shady Records, Guess Who's Back is a fine collection of old songs, new songs, freestyles and mixtape tracks from 1999 to May 2002. The album opens triumphantly with the "Killa Tape Intro", which finds 50 exclaiming, "Oh my God!!! My sh*t is so hot right now, I'm in the zone!!" The now-classic Rotten Apple follows, where 50 raps, "Wise men listen and laugh while fools talk, stick up kids don't live long in New York." And "That's What's Up," which features 50's G-Unit comrads Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo is equally vibrant. Other guests include Nas, Nature and the Bravehearts. Although Nas clearly steals the show with both of his excellent guest spots, 50 Cent proves with this collection that he is at the top of the aesthetic zenith of New York rappers, edging towards legends like Nas, Jay-Z and LL Cool J. On the album's closer, the "Doo Wop Freestyle", 50 raps, "I'm the next best thing since Biggie and Pac," and sums up the whole situation when he closes the album with a final thought: "N*ggas don't set trends, n*ggas just jump on d*cks, that's why it's Bloods and Crips, now." If 50 has come for a reason, it's to bring back the authenticity to the rap game that 2Pac and Biggie took with them when they passed, and to establish a buzz which hasn't been felt for four years when Eminem entered the game.


review by: lanchboy2002 date: 2003-07-20 rating:
He does no wrong
50 cent isnt doing to bad for himself shot 9 times stabbed twice and his debut album has gone 4 times platinum not bad for the 26 year old from new york but it gets better.pThis was originally released back in 2002 and created quite an uproar in the hip-hop scenes in the states, this was for most the first hand chance to hear 50's lyrical mastery at work and this album leaves qute an impression.pDont get me wrong get rich or die trying is a better album as it gives a wider variety of sound but if you own get rich then you need to own this also.pWhile this is not technically his debut album as it its a collection of his underground tracks and his diss tunes it is a good selection of songs which you may not have heard before with a few freestyles thrown in to boot.pHighlights for me were U not like me which is a clever working tune which gives off a good underground feel which is what this tune is. Rotton apple is basicly slagging off police informers that grass in black people, this could be an oblique reference to when he was caught crack dealing at the age of 12.pBuy this album you wont be diapointed as it contains quality music from the emerging star of hip-hop. And it will keep you ticking over quite hapilly till the G-unit album drops.

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