The buzz around the release of Guess Who's Back?, which combines New York rapper 50 Cent's unreleased Power of the Dollar 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". Guess Who's Back 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. --Louis Pattison
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