50 Cent Defends Jay-Z
... And says he knows all about the pressures of producing yet another critically acclaimed album...
50 Cent has lent his support to Jay-Z following negative reviews of Hova's comeback album, 'Kingdom Come'.
Speaking to MTV, Fiddy said, " In Jay-Zs case, he just ran into Jay-Z. The critics are comparing him to the old Jay-Z saying, His stuff wasnt as good as the older stuff, he looks too relaxed. I saw (someone say) on a TV show recently, He looks like he belongs in the office.'
"They say all kinda things about him. This is them weighing what his new work is to his old work," he said. "The Jay-Z record is a great record, the (critics) are gonna dawg it. They are just gonna say, 'He is not good as he is.' You see what Im sayin?
And Fifty, who's currently working on his third album, says he's been under the same pressure himself.
"My second album was the toughest. You are in competition with yourself," he explained. "Its always harder. The title of my new album, Before I Self Destruct',, is a reflection of that pressure.
"You know the first thing they say to you after your record is a success? 'You can make music that is a reflection of the environment you were brought up in. Express the harsh realities.' (But) after you do that (you get), 'What are you gonna do now, you are a role model? Are you gonna change your content?'
"As soon as your records and musical content change, the people who were interested lose interest and your ass falls flat on your face. I talked to my Grandma, my Grandma told me that.
"I said, 'Ma, Im gonna do something different.' She said 'Hey, do what you do. The reason why they liked (your last albums) is because you gave them the real you.'"
And after speaking to his gran, Fiddy reveals his confidence is sky-high.
"Nobody can be me; better than me. Thats what the general public has bought into, 50 Cent."
Let's hope Jay-Z feels similarly inspired by these wise words...
SLJ