50 cent / albums

Nipping at the heels of his chart-topping Get Rich or Die Tryin' was this two-disc set, including an hour-long DVD, and a ten-minute CD -- the emphasis falling squarely on the video portion (and not just because it was the first disc). The DVD for The New Breed begins with a half-hour documentary, in which 50 Cent discusses the streets, the competition, his son, Jam Master Jay, his first deal (with Columbia), getting shot, and his posse G-Unit (including Lloyd Banks, manager Sha Money XL, and Tony Yayo, the latter of whom gets a five-minute interview from jail where he was sent for possession of a firearm). A six-track live show appears next, recorded at Detroit's State Theater in February 2003 (with Eminem and D-12 as guest stars), though since rap shows always lose a lot from witnessing them live, this portion is less entertaining. Videos for "Wanksta" and "In da Club" also include some great behind-the-scenes footage with 50 and his son, 25 Cent. The CD portion focuses more on G-Unit, with pride of place on the new track "True Loyalty," as well as their own remix of the Eminem production "8 Mile Road." Unsurprisingly, though, 50 himself gets the best shot, a flip-side track of "In da Club" called "In da Hood" (featuring Brooklyn) with an ominous Dr. Dre production. Interscope could easily have sold this as a normal DVD for $20, but the reduced price (and compact-disc packaging) paid off in a big way: it joined Get Rich or Die Tryin' in the top five records for the week after its release. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide