Curtis (50 Cent Album)
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''Curtis'' is the third studio album by American rapper
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and television producer. Born in Queens, a borough of New York City, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 1996. In 1999–2000, ...
. It was released September 11, 2007, by Shady Records,
Aftermath Entertainment Aftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre in 1996. It operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed through Interscope Records. The label's roster includes artists ...
,
G-Unit Records G-Unit Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group. Founded in 2003 by rapper 50 Cent, the label was operated by Interscope Records until February 2014. Thereafter, distribution of G-Unit operated under Caroline Records a ...
,
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...
, and
Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, ...
. The album features production from
Dr. Dre Andre Romell Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, and actor. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and co-founder of ...
,
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...
, and
Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer and rapper. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he is widely acclaimed for his distinctive production work and "stuttering" rhythm ...
, among others. Music writers have noted that 50 Cent divides between "hard" and "soft" songs on the album.Gailes, Arthur (September 11, 2007)
50 Cent – Curtis
RapReviews. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
The album went through many changes in the lead up to its release and was heavily anticipated after the success of 50 Cent's two prior albums, ''
Get Rich or Die Tryin' ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'' is the debut studio album by American rapper 50 Cent. It was released on February 6, 2003, by Interscope Records, Eminem's Shady Records, Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, and 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. After si ...
'' (2003) and '' The Massacre'' (2005). ''Curtis'' received generally mixed reviews from music critics upon release. The album debuted at #2 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 691,000 copies in its first week. This gave 50 Cent his third consecutive top five album in the country. After years of slumping sales, the album's competition with
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
's ''
Graduation A graduation is the awarding of a diploma by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it, which can also be called Commencement speech, commencement, Congregation (university), congregation, Convocat ...
'' (2007) and the resulting record-breaking performances both albums displayed was considered to be a "great day for
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
." ''Curtis'' was supported by the hit singles, " Ayo Technology" which reached the top ten on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number five, and " I Get Money" which reached the top 20.


Background

Initially, 50 Cent's 2007 album was planned to be '' Before I Self Destruct''. However, he decided to push back its release date to 2008, and instead to release ''Curtis'' in 2007. The album's title was changed twice. For the first time, it was changed from "Curtis" to "Curtis S.S.K.". The second time, the title of the album was changed back from "Curtis S.S.K." to "Curtis". The "S.S.K.", which stood for " SoundScan Killer", was intended to show the pressure 50 Cent felt to succeed.Reid, Shaheem; Kash, Tim (April 27, 2007)
50 Cent Talks Timberlake Collabo, Star-Studded New LP ''Curtis''
MTV. Retrieved August 18, 2007.
The "S.S.K." also stands for " SouthSide King" and "Shoot, Stab, Kill". 50 Cent stated that the album was inspired by his life before his commercial debut, ''
Get Rich or Die Tryin' ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'' is the debut studio album by American rapper 50 Cent. It was released on February 6, 2003, by Interscope Records, Eminem's Shady Records, Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, and 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. After si ...
''. He also stated that he chose the album's title because he was known as "Curtis" before he became famous. In January 2007, DJ Whoo Kid predicted the album to be a double disc LP, with one CD having a "crazy club-bangin' ridiculous" theme and the other having a "hard-core killer sh--," theme. However, this did not materialize.


Recording

50 Cent wrote parts of the album in his grandmother's old house in South Jamaica,
Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...
. He flew to
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
to work on the track titled " Ayo Technology" with
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and dancer. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Prince of Pop", ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' honored him as the b ...
, and the song was finished in
Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
. While ''
Get Rich or Die Tryin' ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'' is the debut studio album by American rapper 50 Cent. It was released on February 6, 2003, by Interscope Records, Eminem's Shady Records, Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, and 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. After si ...
'' and '' The Massacre'' featured mostly G-Unit and
G-Unit Records G-Unit Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group. Founded in 2003 by rapper 50 Cent, the label was operated by Interscope Records until February 2014. Thereafter, distribution of G-Unit operated under Caroline Records a ...
artists respectively, ''Curtis'' features artists that 50 Cent has never worked with before, such as
Akon Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam (born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon (), is a Senegalese-United States, American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, businessman, and philanthropist. An influ ...
,
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and dancer. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Prince of Pop", ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' honored him as the b ...
,
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
, Robin Thicke,
Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer and rapper. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he is widely acclaimed for his distinctive production work and "stuttering" rhythm ...
and
Nicole Scherzinger Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Scherzinger ( ; ; born June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She was a member of the girl group and dance ensemble the Pussycat Dolls between 2003 and 2010. With ...
from
The Pussycat Dolls The Pussycat Dolls were an American girl group and dance ensemble, founded in Los Angeles, California, by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995 as a neo-burlesque troupe. At the suggestion of Jimmy Iovine, Antin decided to take the troupe mainstrea ...
. When asked about his choice of working with artists outside of his company, 50 Cent stated, "The album, for me, was finding a space where I am content and comfortable with my career, where I can go off and create with other artists and experiment a little bit". 50 Cent wrote a significant amount of the guests' lyrics. In an interview with '' XXL'', he said,


Music and lyrics

Stylus Magazine ''Stylus Magazine'' was an American online music and film magazine, launched in 2002 and co-founded by Todd L. Burns. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog. Addi ...
's Jayson Greene writes that "the beats on ''Curtis'' sound about as dated and cheap as any Koch record", and that "each no-name producer (Veto and Roomio? Jake One?) provides the comfort food they know he'll lap up".
Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music magazine founded in 1996 by Ryan Schreiber in Minneapolis. It originally covered Alternative rock, alternative and independent music, and expanded to cover genres includin ...
's Ryan Dombal also comments that 50 Cent "should be able to work with producers who could conjure his hit-making abilities, but instead the MC mostly sticks with tried-and-failed
G-Unit G-Unit (short for Guerilla-Unit). was an American hip hop group formed by longtime friends and East Coast rappers 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks. After amassing a string of self-released mixtapes in the early 2000s, the group released ...
stalwarts and Dre-aping up-and-comers that do him few favors". Dave de Sylvia of Sputnikmusic writes of the production on " Ayo Technology", "
Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer and rapper. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he is widely acclaimed for his distinctive production work and "stuttering" rhythm ...
's shred-guitar-goes-keyboard melody is just mesmerising enough to work". RapReviews editor Arthur Gailes states that "there is no dip in quality lyrically; 50 is often criticized for not being a good lyricist, but he's exceptionally witty in his writtens", and adds that 50 Cent "manages to cover different themes very well", noting his "seduction" on "Follow My Lead". Greene writes that 50 Cent is trying to "revisit the raw fatalism that defined the best tracks on ''
Get Rich or Die Tryin' ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'' is the debut studio album by American rapper 50 Cent. It was released on February 6, 2003, by Interscope Records, Eminem's Shady Records, Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, and 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. After si ...
'' ", quoting lyrics from "My Gun Go Off" as an example: "You know tomorrow's just a day away / If you can just keep your heart beatin' and your ass awake".Jayson Greene (September 11, 2007)
50 Cent – Curtis Review
. ''Stylus Magazine''. Retrieved October 4, 2007.


Critical reception

''Curtis'' received mixed reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
. At
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an
average In colloquial, ordinary language, an average is a single number or value that best represents a set of data. The type of average taken as most typically representative of a list of numbers is the arithmetic mean the sum of the numbers divided by ...
score of 58, based on 15 reviews.
Stylus Magazine ''Stylus Magazine'' was an American online music and film magazine, launched in 2002 and co-founded by Todd L. Burns. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog. Addi ...
observed that "there isn’t an ounce of life in ''Curtis''".
Nathan Rabin Nathan Rabin () is an American film and music critic. Rabin was the first head writer for ''The A.V. Club'', a position he held until he left the ''Onion'' organization in 2013.
of ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' wrote that 50 Cent "has yet to master the art of making a satisfying album rather than delivering a random assortment of demographic-pandering tracks".Rabin, Nathan (2007-09-12)
Review: ''Curtis''
''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
''. Retrieved on 2009-12-25.
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
's David Jeffries wrote that ''Curtis'' "is entertaining but only impressive in that 50 can run in place and still be on top". ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...
'' stated that, "artistically, anyeWest is always moving, while 50 is at a standstill". ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' critic
Greg Kot Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the ''Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busines ...
wrote that "at a time when consumers are expressing their dissatisfaction with music-industry product", ''Curtis'' provides "exactly what they say they don't want: More of the same". Chase Hoffberger of ''
The Austin Chronicle ''The Austin Chronicle'' is an alternative weekly newspaper published every Thursday in Austin, Texas, United States. The paper is distributed through free news-stands, often at local eateries or coffee houses frequented by its targeted demogra ...
'' found 50 Cent "redundant" and said that the album "tires on second-rate beats, juvenile hooks, and rote lyrics about money and guns."
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...
called 50 Cent "one of the worst lyricists alive", criticizing "
Amusement Park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, and events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often fea ...
"'s lyrics and the execution of his metaphors which he "mumbles without a hint of irony or conviction".
Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...
, writing for
MSN Music ''MSN Music'' was a part of MSN's web services. It delivered music news, music videos, spotlights on new music, artist information, and live performances of artists. The website also served as a digital music store from 2004 to 2008. History ...
, named it "dud of the month" with a "B" grade and wrote that 50 Cent, "a
parvenu A ''parvenu'' is a person who is a relative newcomer to a high-ranking socioeconomic class. The word is borrowed from the French language; it is the past participle of the verb ''parvenir'' (to reach, to arrive, to manage to do something). Origin ...
mastering pop music for money", has "turned into a made man running on vanity". In a positive review, ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
''s Steve Jones wrote that its themes of "chip-stacking and sexual prowess ..aren’t new", but stated that 50 Cent "delivers them with unmatched swagger and flair".Jones, Steve.
Review: ''Curtis''
. ''
USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'': D.7. September 11, 2007. Archived fro
the original
on 2009-12-25.
''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' writer Rob Sheffield noted that 50 Cent is "out to prove he's everything he used to claim", and similar to ''The Massacre'', he "divides between hard songs ('Man Down', 'Fire', ' I'll Still Kill') and soft songs ('Follow My Lead')". Sheffield also noted that 50 Cent is for the first time "letting guests sing most of the hooks". Kelefa Sanneh of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' commented that "his mush-mouthed delivery is still charming, and so are his endless provocations".Sanneh, Kelefa (2007-09-10)
Review: ''Curtis''
''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
''. Retrieved on 2009-12-25.
Greg Tate of ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
'' stated, "''Curtis'' is stuffed with tightly wound 21st-century pop songwriting, full of that invisible craft and flow that renders a thing eminently listenable even if it's gratuitously raunchy, politically reprehensible, and sexually retrograde."Tate, Greg (2007-09-04)
Review: ''Curtis''
. ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
''. Retrieved on 2009-12-25.
On his mixtape
The Big 10 ''The Big 10'' is a mixtape by American rapper 50 Cent. It was released on December 9, 2011 via his community website ThisIs50' as a free download. Page 8" WhoSampled. Retrieved January 12, 2012. * "Body on It" samples " Risin' to the Top" by ...
(2011), 50 made references to the mixed reception of ''Curtis'' on the opening song "Body On It": "If a n**** say I fell off all I want you to do is ask him when ? What they gonna say ? The ''Curtis'' album? Okay so number one's not good enough. I gave you "Ayo Technology" that was number one. "I Get Money", that wasn't hot ? So tell me when I fell off ?"


Accolades

''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' magazine ranked the single "I Get Money" number six on its list of The 10 Best Songs of 2007. ''Time'' critic
Josh Tyrangiel Josh Tyrangiel is an American journalist. He was previously the deputy managing editor of ''TIME'' magazine and an editor at ''Bloomberg Businessweek''.Stephanie Clifford (November 17, 2009"Josh Tyrangiel Named Editor of BusinessWeek"/ref> In Ju ...
praised the song as "hypnotic", observing that its appeal is owed to the "Top Billin" sample, and that 50 Cent's bemusement at his own survival and success "makes the song as wry as it is scary".
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...
editor Josh Timmermann cited " I Get Money" as "the collection's clear MVP, an iron-fisted ode to living large".Timmermann, Josh (September 11, 2007)
Review: ''Curtis''
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, ...
. Retrieved on 2009-12-25.
''Curtis'' earned 50 Cent a win for the Best-Selling Hip-Hop Artist category at the 2007 World Music Awards. However, ''Entertainment Weekly'' placed the album at third place in their list of Worst Albums of 2007.


Commercial performance

''Curtis'' debuted at number two on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 691,000 copies in its first week. It had the fourth highest sales week for an album in 2007 (topping
Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Agoura Hills, California, in 1996. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn, bass ...
's '' Minutes to Midnight'' which sold 625,000, then outsold by the
Eagles Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...
' ''
Long Road Out of Eden ''Long Road Out of Eden'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band the Eagles, released in 2007 on Lost Highway Records as their first ever double album. Nearly six years in production, it is the band's first studio album since 1979 ...
'', which moved 711,000 units and later
Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...
' '' As I Am'' bringing in 742,000 copies.) It also had the highest sales week for an album by an East Coast-based artist since
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
's '' Kingdom Come'' debuted with 680,000 copies sold several months earlier. However, ''Curtis'' brought in the third-lowest first-week sales of 50 Cent's career, with ''
Get Rich or Die Tryin' ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'' is the debut studio album by American rapper 50 Cent. It was released on February 6, 2003, by Interscope Records, Eminem's Shady Records, Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, and 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. After si ...
'' selling 872,000 and '' The Massacre'' moving 1.14 million copies. The album sold 143,000 copies in its second week of release in the US, 71,000 copies in its third week, 50,000 copies in its fourth week, 38,000 copies in its fifth week on the chart, and 30,000 copies sold in its sixth week, It sold 24,000 copies in its seventh week, 20,000 in its eighth week, 17,000 in its ninth week, 17,000 in its 10th week, 21,000 in its 11th week, 15,000 in its 12th week, 17,000 in its 13th week, 19,000 in its 14th week, and 25,000 in its 15th week. In the US, ''Curtis'' ultimately sold 1,225,000 in 2007. In 2007, ''Curtis'' was ranked as the 36th most popular album of the year on the ''Billboard'' 200.


Competition with ''Graduation''

In July 2007,
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
changed the release date for his third studio album ''
Graduation A graduation is the awarding of a diploma by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it, which can also be called Commencement speech, commencement, Congregation (university), congregation, Convocat ...
'' from September 18, 2007, to the same release date as ''Curtis'', with September 11, 2007. This forced the albums to go head-to-head and compete for higher sales against each other. 50 Cent claimed that if ''Graduation'' sold more records than ''Curtis'', he would stop releasing solo albums. However, he later dispelled his comments. When asked again about his threat to retire, 50 Cent stated that, if he were to lose, he will release an album every time a major
Def Jam Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The ...
artist releases an album. ''Graduation''s first-week sales of 957,000 and ''Curtis''s first-week sales of 691,000 served as only the second time since 1991, when
Nielsen SoundScan Luminate Data, LLC (formerly MRC Data and P-MRC Data) is a provider of music and entertainment data. Established as a joint-venture in 2020, it brought together Nielsen Music, Alpha Data (formerly BuzzAngle Music) and Variety Business Intellige ...
began collecting data, that two albums sold more than 600,000 in a week in the United States; in 1991,
Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 as a merger of local bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band's "classic" line-up consisted of vocalist Axl R ...
released '' Use Your Illusion I'' and '' Use Your Illusion II'', selling 685,000 and 770,000 copies, respectively. The first-week sales totals of ''Graduation'' and ''Curtis'' outsold the first-week sales totals of Guns N' Roses' two albums.Mayfield, Geoff (September 18, 2007)
Kanye Crushes 50 Cent in Huge Album Sales Week
''Billboard''. Retrieved September 19, 2007.
50 Cent would argue that although West sold more units domestically in the US, his album sold more units worldwide. In September 2008, ''Billboard'' released the one-year sales figures for both albums: ''Curtis'' finished with sales of 1,336,000, and ''Graduation'' finished with sales of 2,116,000.


Track listing

Notes * signifies a co-producer. * signifies an additional Sample credits Information taken from ''Curtis'' liner notes:(2007) Album notes for Curtis by 50 Cent. Aftermath Entertainment. *"Curtis Intro" contains dialogue from the motion picture " Shooters". Used courtesy of Lions Gate Films, Inc. & Geops Amsterdam, B.V., by arrangement YONAS with PFG Entertainment, Inc. Dialogue excerpts spoken by Andrew Howard and
Matthew Rhys Matthew Rhys Evans ( ; born 8 November 1974) is a Welsh actor. He gained recognition for playing Kevin Walker in the family drama series '' Brothers & Sisters'' (2006–2011) and Philip Jennings in the spy drama series ''The Americans'' (2013 ...
. *"Man Down" contains elements from "Scooby Doo Theme" (Mook/Raleigh). Mook Bros Music (admin by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp) ( BMI)/Ben Raleigh Music (admin by Music Sales Corp) (ASCAP). Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. *"I Get Money" contains elements from " Top Billin" (Robinson) Songs of Universal, Inc./First Priority Music (BMI)/Hot Buttermilk Music, Inc. (admin ICG Alliance) (ASCAP). Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. Performed by
Audio Two Audio Two was the Brooklyn, New York hip hop duo of rapping, emcee Kirk "Milk Dee" Robinson and DJ Nat "Gizmo" Robinson, best known for their first hit "Top Billin'". History The duo's debut single, "Make it Funky", was released in 1987, bu ...
. Produced under license from Atlantic Recording Corp, by arrangement with Rhino Entertainment Company, A Warner Music Group company. *"Come & Go" contains replayed elements from " Just Be Good to Me" (Jam/Lewis). EMI-April Music, Inc./Flyte Tyme Tunes, Inc./Avante Guarde Music Publishing, Inc. (admin by Universal Music Corp) (ASCAP). Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. *"Movin On Up" contains elements from "Give Me Just Another Day" (Ware). Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. Almo Music Corp. Performed by
The Miracles The Miracles (later known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1955. They were the first successful recording act for Motown Records and are considered one of the most ...
. Used by courtesy of Motown Records, Co, LLP. By arrangement with Universal Music Enterprises. "Do It Baby" (Perren/Yarian). Jobete Music Co, Inc. (ASCAP). Used By Permission. All Rights Reserved. Performed by The Miracles. Used courtesy of Motown Records, Co, LLC. By arrangement with Universal Music Enterprises; "Nuttin But A Drumbeat". Performed by Russell Simmons. Used courtesy of Island/Def Jam Records. By arrangement with Universal Music Enterprises.


Personnel

* Producers –
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and television producer. Born in Queens, a borough of New York City, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 1996. In 1999–2000, ...
( exec.), Adam Deitch, Apex, Tha Bizness, Dangerous LLC, Danja, Detroit Red, Don Cannon,
Dr. Dre Andre Romell Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, and actor. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and co-founder of ...
,
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time, he is credited with popula ...
, Eric Krasno, Havoc,
Jake One Jacob Brian Dutton (born May 11, 1976), known professionally as Jake One, is an American record producer and songwriter.Palermo, Thomas (2008)Jake One Readies New Album, XLR8R, September 5, 2008Matos, Michaelangelo (2004)Rocketship Blowing Up", ...
,
DJ Khalil Khalil Abdul-Rahman Hazzard (born October 16, 1974), professionally known as DJ Khalil, is an American music producer and disc jockey, DJ from Los Angeles. The son of National Basketball Association, NBA player Walt Hazzard, he signed with rapp ...
,
Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer and rapper. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he is widely acclaimed for his distinctive production work and "stuttering" rhythm ...
, Ty Fyffe * Audio mixing – Steve Baughman (tracks 2–3, 5, 8–9, 12, 15–17), Demario "Demo" Castelleon (7), Dr. Dre (10–11, 14), Eminem (13), Marcella "Ms. Lago" Araica (4), Mike Strange (13) * Assistant audio mixing engineer – Seamus "Shameless" Tyson (2–3, 7–9, 12, 15–17), Robert "Roomio" Reyes (6, 11, 14), Doug Sadler (4) * Keyboard – Adam Deitch (track 2), Dawaun Parker (6, 14), Jay "Detroit Red" Powell (3), Jeff Bass (13), Mark Batson (6, 14), Mike Strange (13), Tony Campana (13) * Guitar / bass – Eric Krasno (track 2) * Drum machine – Adam Deitch (track 2), Eric Krasno (2) * Multiple instruments – Taj "Mahal" Brown (track 10) * Recording engineers – Tony Yayo (tracks 1–4, 8–9, 11–12, 15, 17), Mauricio "Veto" Iragorri (6, 11, 14), Robert "Roomio" Reyes (6, 14), Eric Krasno (2), Jay "Detroit Red" Powell (3), Alonzo Vargas (5), Demacio "Demo" Castelleon (7), Frankie "Whispers" Zago (10), Mike Strange (13), Tony Campana (13), Phillip "Philly Blunt" Shpiller (16) * Assistant recording engineers – Jacob Gabriel (track 6), Charles "Red" Garcia (14) * Additional music recording – Steve Baughman (track 5), Ted Clayton (5), Gary Hadfield (7), Ian Stewart (7) * Additional audio mixing – Mauricio "Veto" Iragorri (track 8)


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


See also

* List of number-one albums of 2007 (Australia)


References


External links

*
Curtis
' at
Discogs Discogs ( ; short for " discographies") is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. Database contents are user-generated, and described in ''T ...
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Curtis (50 Cent Album) 2007 albums 50 Cent albums Aftermath Entertainment albums Albums produced by Apex (producer) Albums produced by Danja (record producer) Albums produced by Dr. Dre Albums produced by DJ Khalil Albums produced by Don Cannon Albums produced by Eminem Albums produced by Havoc (musician) Albums produced by Jake One Albums produced by Tha Bizness Albums produced by Timbaland Interscope Records albums Interscope Geffen A&M Records albums Shady Records albums Albums produced by Ty Fyffe