Summary
Guess Who's Back? is the debut official mixtape by American rapper 50 Cent, released May 21, 2002 on independent label Full Clip Records in the United States. It is his first official release after his 2000 effort Power of the Dollar went unreleased due to Columbia Records' discovery of a May 2000 shooting where 50 Cent was struck by nine bullets, and was subsequently dropped from the label as a result. The album features production by Trackmasters, DJ Clark Kent, Father Shaheed, Sha Money XL, Red Spyda, and Terence Dudley. Guess Who's Back? received generally positive reviews from music critics and peaked at number 28 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart.[7]
| Guess Who's Back? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Mixtape by | ||||
| Released | May 21, 2002 | |||
| Recorded | 2001–2002, Canada | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 56:11 | |||
| Label | Full Clip | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| 50 Cent chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Blender | [2] |
| Robert Christgau |  [3] |
| RapReviews | 8/10[4] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [5] |
| Village Voice | favorable[6] |
Background edit
The mixtape was recorded in Canada after 50 Cent was "blacklisted" in the recording industry and was unable to find a studio to work with in the U.S.[8]
After releasing the mixtape, 50 Cent was discovered by Midwest rapper Eminem, who listened to a copy of the album through 50 Cent's attorney, who was working with Eminem's manager, Paul Rosenberg, and he was signed to Interscope Records.[9]
The tracks "Your Life's on the Line", "Corner Bodega", "Ghetto Qu'ran" and "As the World Turns" were originally to be released on 50 Cent's shelved album, Power of the Dollar. "Killa Tape" and "That's What's Up" would later appear on the mixtape, 50 Cent Is the Future. "U Not Like Me" and "Life's on the Line" would later appear on 50 Cent's debut studio album, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. As of May 2004, the album has sold over 400,000 copies in the United States.[10]The album's cover art was later used in the video for 50 Cent's song, "Piggy Bank".
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Killa Tape (Intro)" | N.O. Joe | 2:58 |
| 2. | "Rotten Apple" | Haas G | 3:08 |
| 3. | "Drop (Skit)" | 50 Cent | 0:16 |
| 4. | "That's What's Up"" (G-Unit) | True Master | 4:09 |
| 5. | "U Not Like Me" | Red Spyda | 4:10 |
| 6. | "50 Bars" | Sha Money XL | 3:33 |
| 7. | "Your Life's on the Line" | Terence Dudley | 3:38 |
| 8. | "Get Out the Club" | Father Shaheed | 4:22 |
| 9. | "Be a Gentleman" | Nottz | 2:40 |
| 10. | "Fuck You" | DJ Clark Kent | 3:55 |
| 11. | "Too Hot" (featuring Nas and Nature) | Chop Diesel | 3:45 |
| 12. | "Who U Rep With" (featuring Nas and Bravehearts) | Trackmasters | 4:21 |
| 13. | "Corner Bodega" | L.E.S. | 1:34 |
| 14. | "Ghetto Qu'ran" | Trackmasters | 4:29 |
| 15. | "As the World Turns" (featuring Bun B) | Red Spyda | 4:15 |
| 16. | "Whoo Kid Freestyle" | DJ Whoo Kid | 1:15 |
| 17. | "Stretch Armstrong Freestyle" | Carlos "Six July" Broady & Nashiem Myrick (samples "Reverse" by Puff Daddy featuring Shyne, G-Dep, Cee Lo, Busta Rhymes, Sauce Money and Redman) | 1:19 |
| 18. | "Doo Wop Freestyle" | Erick Sermon (samples "Symphony" by EPMD featuring M.O.P.) | 2:25 |
Charts edit
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC)[11] | 82 |
| US Billboard 200[12] | 28 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[13] | 13 |
References edit
- ^ Birchmeier, Jason. Review: Guess Who's Back?. AllMusic. Retrieved on 2009-12-28.
- ^ Weiner, Jonah. Review: Guess Who's Back?. Blender. Retrieved on 2009-12-28. Archived December 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide: Guess Who's Back?". The Village Voice: March 9, 2004. Archived from the original Archived 2013-06-15 at the Wayback Machine on 2009-12-28.
- ^ Juon, Steve. Review: Guess Who's Back?. RapReviews. Retrieved on 2009-12-28.
- ^ Hoard, Christian (ed.) "The Rolling Stone Album Guide". Rolling Stone: p.297. November 2, 2004.
- ^ Ex, Kris. Review: Guess Who's Back? Archived 2013-05-22 at the Wayback Machine. The Village Voice. Retrieved on 2009-12-28.
- ^ Billboard Albums: Guess Who's Back?. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2009-12-28.
- ^ "Surveilling 50 Cent". The Smoking Gun. September 6, 2005. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
- ^ Ninja (December 2007) 50 Cent Interview. Dubcnn. Accessed 22 May 2007.
- ^ Chery, Carl (May 18, 2004). "50 Cent's a Fake, Says Ex-G-Unit Member, Bang Em Smurf". SOHH. 4Control Media. Archived from the original on June 13, 2008. Retrieved 2011-10-13.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "50 Cent | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
- ^ "50 Cent Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ "50 Cent Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
External links edit
- Guess Who's Back? at Discogs