Curtis Jackson's been a busy young man of late; as if a world tour and starring in his first movie wasn't enough, he managed to find the time to put together the soundtrack for Get Rich or Die Tryin'. Hustler's Ambition comes straight off that soundtrack, which is a showcase of the G-Unit stable's talent and expansion.
The problem with such diversification is that the results can end up on the wrong side of good. The first 20 seconds of Hustler's Ambition do nothing to allay these fears. Frankie Beverly's intro isn't bad, but it's hardly inspiring to those expecting a slice of raw hip-hop. Ggood things come to those who wait, however, and as soon as the track kicks in you can see 50 has once again hit the jackpot.
The chorus is a bit iffy - by and large rappers shouldn't attempt to be melodious - but it grows on you, and you know if you're caught singing along it won't be much worse than the original. The story of getting rich or dying trying is a tad tedious, but somehow Hustler's Ambition pulls it all together to make for a decent track. On the evidence of this and the mixed reviews of his film debut, 50 Cent shouldn't be swap his mic for a life on film sets.