G-Unit
The Beauty Of Independence
2014, G-Unit
In the decade since G-Unit's major label debut, there has been a huge change in the climate of hip hop. Remember that Beg For Mercy was released before anybody could have predicted that Lil Wayne would one day be a household name. While Kanye was just another of Hov's producers. Before young weirdos like Odd Future or Kendrick Lamar would change the game via Instagram and Youtube accounts. It's funny to realize that there was once a time that 50 was the biggest name in hip hop and G-Unit were the ones pushing the boundaries of mixtapes - ruling both the underground and overground at the same damn time. And in those years the G-Unit camp has gone through enough drama to make even the thought of a reunion seem ridiculous. But here we are. Of course they still haven't rekindled their partnership with The Game, so there's still room for wishful thinking, but 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks and Young Buck are all in the same booth again along with newcomer Kidd Kidd. And the result is so much better than it has any real right to be. With relevance something of a past tense for the group, with years of in-fighting an elephant in the room, with a new rookie member to try to learn to flow with, The Beauty Of Independence should be an airball. It should be forgotten just as abruptly and quietly as it was released. But instead it is a resounding statement of worth. It is a reminder of why G-Unit ever mattered to begin with. This is an EP brimming with confidence and skill from MC's that aren't just showing off their talents, but also reveling in them just as much as the listener. The fact that 50 openly addresses falling outs with Interscope and Dr. Dre, and the group touches on more personal issues with "Changes" also makes it a compelling listen for fans of the behind the scenes. The Havoc-produced opener "Watch Me" is a perfect note to start on with all MC's in top form. Though the base EP is just six songs, a Best Buy edition adds two more - one of which, "Ease Up" is worth tracking this version down for by all means. And though it clocks in at just around a half hour, it's nice to see that they went for quality over quantity here. Surely those eight tracks could have been padded by skits, guest-shots and outtakes from Animal Instincts to stretch it into an album. The fact that they didn't shows a wise new beginning for G-Unit, and I'm more than looking forward to what else might be in store for us from this unexpected renaissance.