Power of the Dollar
Studio album by
50 Cent
Released
  • 12 September 2000 (2000-09-12) (EP)
  • Unreleased
(Album)
Recorded1998–2000
StudioBearsville Studios, Bearsville, New York
Genre
Length63:01
Label
Producer
50 Cent chronology
Power of the Dollar
(2000) 		Guess Who's Back?
(2002)
Singles from Power of the Dollar
  1. "How to Rob"
    Released: August 10, 1999
  2. "Thug Love"
    Released: September 21, 1999
  3. "Your Life's on the Line"
    Released: October 12, 1999

Power of the Dollar is the debut EP and unreleased debut studio album by American rapper 50 Cent. The EP version was released September 12, 2000 by Columbia Records and Trackmasters Entertainment. The album version was originally set to be released as 50 Cent's major-label debut on July 4, 2000, but he was ultimately dropped by Columbia Records after being shot nine times and the album was shelved.[1] Subsequently, the album was heavily bootlegged.[2] As of 2024, Columbia has no plans to release the album.

The EP features guest appearances from Destiny's Child, Noreaga, and the Madd Rapper. The album version was set to feature all the artists included on the EP as well as Bun B and Dave Hollister. The album's production was handled by Trackmasters, Red Spyda, Sha Self, DJ Scratch and Erick Sermon, among other producers.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Source[4]

AllMusic writes that the tracks utilize "penetrating wit and funk-infused beats, accompanied by grand orchestrations of commanding horns, pronounced percussion, and various string elements".[3]

Singles

The album's lead single, "How to Rob", was released on August 10, 1999, and was also included on the Power of the Dollar EP and the soundtrack to the film In Too Deep. The single attracted significant controversy due to its content, which was him comically telling how he would rob several high-profile hip-hop & R&B artists.

The second single, "Thug Love" featuring Destiny's Child, was released on September 21, 1999 and was also featured on the EP release.[5] Days before 50 Cent was scheduled to film its music video, he was attacked by a gunman in the infamous shooting incident that left him with nine gunshot wounds and gave him his dimple scar; an event that 50 Cent often references in his lyrics.[6][7] While hospitalized, he signed a publishing deal with Columbia Records; however, he was dropped from the label after it was discovered that he had been shot.[8] The track, "Ghetto Qur'an (Forgive Me)", has been speculated to be the reason for the shooting.[9]

The third and final single, "Your Life's on the Line", was released in 1999. The song was produced by Terrence Dudley, and was perceived as a diss song to Ja Rule, which would begin their highly publicized feud on records. 50 mocks Ja Rule's catchphrase "Murdaa!", on the chorus of the song, rapping "Murdaa, I don't believe you/Murdaa, Fuck around and leave you/Murdaa, I don't believe you/Murda Murda, your life's on the line". A music video for the song was shot on the streets of New York in 1998. The song was included on the Power of the Dollar EP, and would later be included on both 50 Cent's debut mixtape, Guess Who's Back?, and his officially released debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', in 2003, as a bonus track.

Songs officially released

Of the 19 songs featured on both the EP and album versions of Power of the Dollar, 9 have been officially released.

Track listing

Unreleased LP
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"  1:11
2."The Hit" Randy Allen3:41
3."The Good Die Young" Al West4:02
4."Corner Bodega (Coke Spot)" L.E.S.1:36
5."Your Life's on the Line"
  • Jackson
  • Terence Dudley
Terence Dudley3:38
6."That Ain't Gangsta" Trackmasters3:25
7."As the World Turns" (featuring Bun B)Ron FrancoisRed Spyda4:20
8."Ghetto Qur'an (Forgive Me)"
  • Jackson
Trackmasters4:34
9."Da Repercussions" Kurt Gowdy3:28
10."Money by Any Means" (featuring Noreaga) 
  • Trackmasters
  • Teflon
4:03
11."Material Girl" (featuring Dave Hollister) Trackmasters4:35
12."Thug Love" (featuring Destiny's Child)
  • Jackson
  • Rashad Smith
  • Joshua Michael Schwartz
  • Brian Kierulf
  • Nycolia "Tye-V" Turman
3:16
13."Slow Doe" Trackmasters3:54
14."Gun Runner" (featuring Black Child)
  • Jackson
Trackmasters1:55
15."You Ain't No Gangsta"
  • Jackson
  • Clervoix
Sha Self3:37
16."Power of the Dollar" Trackmasters3:26
17."I'm a Hustler"
  • Jackson
  • George Spivey
  • C. Elliot
  • Rufus Blaq
  • K. Kiss
DJ Scratch3:55
18."How to Rob" (featuring the Madd Rapper)
  • Jackson
  • Jean-Claude Olivier
  • Samuel Barnes
  • Deric Angelettie
  • Harry Wayne Casey
  • Richard Finch
Trackmasters4:25
Total length:63:01
Released EP
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Thug Love" (featuring Destiny's Child)
  • Curtis Jackson
  • Rashad Smith
  • Joshua Michael Schwartz
  • Brian Kierulf
  • Nycolia "Tye-V" Turman
  • Rashad Smith
  • Joshua Michael Schwartz
  • Brian Kierulf
3:16
2."I'm a Hustler"
  • Jackson
  • George Spivey
  • C. Elliot
  • Rufus Blaq
  • K. Kiss
DJ Scratch3:46
3."Da Heatwave" (featuring Noreaga)
Erick Sermon3:56
4."Your Life's on the Line"
  • Jackson
  • Terence Dudley
Terence Dudley3:44
5."How to Rob" (featuring the Madd Rapper)
  • Jackson
  • Jean-Claude Olivier
  • Samuel Barnes
  • Deric Angelettie
  • Harry Wayne Casey
  • Richard Finch
Trackmasters4:24
Total length:19:06

References

  1. ^ "50 Cent live at The Tunnel NYC 1999". YouTube. 2008-11-07. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
  2. ^ "50 Cent Biography". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 11, 2016. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  3. ^ a b link All Music Guide review of Power Of The Dollar. Accessed Aug 17, 2008.
  4. ^ Gotti (August 2000). "Record Report: 50 Cent – Power Of The Dollar". The Source. No. 131. New York. pp. 227–228.
  5. ^ 50 Cent | Thug Love CD | Album. MTV. Accessed May 21, 2008.
  6. ^ Ninja (December 2002). 50 Cent Interview. Dubcnn. Accessed May 21, 2008.
  7. ^ Admin (December 9, 2002). 50 Cent - Teflon MC Archived 2010-01-02 at the Wayback Machine. Sixshot. Accessed May 21, 2008.
  8. ^ Jonah Weiner, April 2005. Dear Superstar: 50 Cent Archived 2008-12-18 at the Wayback Machine. Blender. Accessed May 21, 2008.
  9. ^ Surveilling 50 Cent Archived 2007-05-09 at the Wayback Machine. The Smoking Gun (September 6, 2005). Accessed May 21, 2008. In 2003 50 Cents mixtape 24 shots was released, which includes 8 tracks from the Power of the Dollar LP.
Categories