"America has turned into a crack house. A place to distribute product, we don't manufacture nothing so we got to get back to that. Even the clothes we're wearing is being shipped back on a slow boat from China."
50 Cent's long awaited fourth album Before I Self Destruct was released on iTunes today, just a week early before its official release on November 16th.
Taking his place back at the top of the charts with his latest hit single “Baby By Me” featuring Neo and produced by Polo The Don, 50 revealed that it wasn't the creative process that stalled the album and caused it to be pushed back for nearly six months.
But in fact, it had more to do with the business and the climate of the recording industry we're in right now. With only two albums going platinum this year so far, Jay-Z's Blueprint III and Eminem's Relapse, 50 wanted to make sure he was in that company.
“They was out of whack (Interscope Records) because they fired half the staff. The person that was in new media is now my product manager. Her responsibility… she's doing the job that three people used to do. Everything just shifted around and is now all crazy. So now I had to go back to redevelop what that system is within the system before we released this record and then it was to sit down with Eminem, Dre, Paul Rosenberg, Jimmy Iovine and Chris Lighty. Then we sit there and go this is the single, this is the second single, this is where we going with after that. Then it's let's launch this project and “Baby By Me” is out.”
When the album officially hits stores next week, a special edition will include two new movies, “Before I Self Destruct” and “Two Turntables And A Microphone: The Life And Death Of Jam Master Jay.” Since downloading and bootlegging is at Mt. Everest and shows no signs of deteriorating, 50 reveled that these additions have to be included with the music nowadays because technology has made people no longer support real art anymore. Citing what will bring about regulation of pirating music, Curtis checked in with V-103's Greg Street while in Atlanta debuting his new fragrance “Power By 50” at Macy's, stating,
“When the blockbuster films that bring in a $120-million a weekend ain't bringing in no money, what's it going to do with our economy? All we got is entertainment in America. Everything you got, all the devices… the TVs, the microphone I'm talking on, it's made in Taiwan. Thailand, China, Bangkok. America has turned into a crack house. A place to distribute product, we don't manufacture nothing so we got to get back to that. Even the clothes we're wearing is being shipped back on a slow boat from China. As far as these clothing companies, when we do license agreements and deals… Sean John's kid's clothing is made by the same person that makes Roc-A-Wear kids clothing [and that] is made by the same person that makes G-Unit's kid's clothing so it's one big manufacturer.”
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 02:52PM 
LLCool J is about to release his second installment of his greatest hits. How many rappers do you know thats been around as long as LL and still hot in the game. Peep the G.O.A.T track listing.
