Download: 50 Cent – 5 (Murder By Numbers) [free album]

Damn does 50 Cent want back in the game. If you haven’t been following (who can blame you), it’s been since 2009 since the once unstoppable juggernaut that is Curtis Jackson released a genuine LP. There’s been a lot of learning for the MC along the way – for those invested, even if you never liked the guy’s music, it’s simply interesting to watch a titan struggle with relative irrelevance. It may happen to artists every year, but for those that recall Get Rich… and The Massacre selling a bajillion copies, it’s a bit different.

This year, the G-Unit general has tried his hand at generosity, releasing not one but two free projects, The Big 10 and The Lost Tape. The drama really started when he began to threaten to release his 5th LP, regardless of label promotion, on its slated date, no matter what. Not surprisingly, Interscope wasn’t fond of the idea of Eminem and Dr. Dre tracks being offered free, and the release of 5: Murder By Numbers altered into another free hype project, which you can grab over at 50’s site.

Today’s release of the project coincides with 50’s 37th birthday, a good publicity stunt, as the effort’s been #1 trending on twitter. No Em or Dre, but Schoolboy Q does make a welcome lengthy appearance on the last track. Now the rapper’s genuine LP, Street King Immortal (of course), is slated for November. Maybe the date will even stick.