G-Unit
For about eight years, G-Unit had the Rap game in a chokehold. The group then consisted of the head-honcho 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks Tony Yayo, Southern rapper Young Buck, Compton rapper The Game, and over hyped R&B artist Olivia. After 50’ debut album dominated the Billboard charts, he quickly used his new found fame and used it to propel his G-Unit brand. Their group album went platinum, as did Lloyd Banks, Young Buck and The Game’s solo efforts. The G-Unit sneakers were selling like they were Air Jordans and everyone was rocking G-Unit clothing. It seemed like everyone was hollering “Gah, Gah, Gah, G-Unit.”
Like all great empires, they crumble due to a leader’s power trip. Fiddy booted The Game from the group—the highest selling artist aside from himself—he fabricated beefs with lyrical monsters D-Block, Tony Yayo did not hit platinum, Mobb Deep’s debut album on G-Unit Records flopped, Lloyd Banks and Young Buck had a second-album jinxes, Marc Ecko cut ties with G-Unit clothing, Young Buck was kicked out of the group, their second group album failed to make an impact on the charts and finally the impossible happened, 50’s latest album, Before I Self Destruct, couldn’t even break 180,000 copies in its first week (even though it was his best album since Get Rich or Die Tryin’.)
The industry and the streets are wondering whether the G-Unit dynasty has diminished. Rumors are swirling that Interscope Records are about sever their ties with G-Unit prompting 50 to sign to an independent label. It will be funny to see Fiddy bite his tongue, because everyone remembers him saying independent labels, Koch in particular, are the graveyard for artists. Despite these several misfortunes, the Unit is still producing exceptional material, but in order to regain their dominance in the Rap game, they need to follow two simple tips:
They need to dead their beefs with former group-mates The Game and Young Buck. Both rappers are open to a reunion, but 50 and friends continue to shun the idea. I mean, let’s face it, G-Unit are the Hip-Hop bullies and no one enjoys the seeing the bad guys succeed. It’s a time in Hip-Hop where beefs are banal and the desire for reunions is resurgent. The fact that 50 is refusing to free Young Buck from his contract is only creating bad publicity for the clique from Queens. A reunion will definitely create substantial noise in the music industry and fans can guarantee that classic sound from the reunion of the Hip-Hop “Beatles.”
50, Banks and Yayo need to collaborate with other rappers in the industry. Even though Banks and Yayo have recently worked with underground New York artists on mixtape material, they need to collaborate with rappers from other regions. This will demonstrate that their open to create associates in the industry rather than lyrically attack them. Instead of coercing rappers, they need to collaborate with these artists, because that’s what the fans want to see. Especially 50, he needs to create material with mainstream artists like, T.I., Kanye West, and just imagine a track with Jay-Z (they collaborated on remixes, but we want to hear a song they produce from the scratch.) The Unit should also establish a tour with D-Block and Dip Set (hopefully, they also reunite.) Some type of collabo with the New York’s strongest groups would put the Empire State back on the map and ultimately make each group stronger than ever.
G-Unit is not finished. They are still alive and kicking. Lloyd Banks has single—with fellow New York artist Juelz Santana—called “Beamer, Benz, Bentley,” Tony Yayo has few new tracks swirling the net, and 50 continues to garner money from movies and other business endeavors, but the bottom line is that they are not as dominant as they once were. By following these two pointers, G-Unit can return to their Hip-Hop highchairs.
Share