50 Cent captured before the show

50 Cent hit New York City’s Highline Ballroom last night for a sold-out show celebrating the release of his latest album, Before I Self Destruct.

The show, presented by MySpace Music and Hot 97FM, featured an amped 50 alongside his G-Unit entourage (Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks and DJ Whoo Kid), who smashed the stage with hit after hit.

50 and G-Unit hit the stage

DJ Cipha Sounds rocks the crowd

With police in full riot mode inside and outside the venue, DJ Cipha Sounds warmed the mostly male crowd up with a fiery set of East Coast hip-hop classics (including numerous Jay-Z tracks, funny enough). Around 10pm, 50 opened up his show with “Crack A Bottle” and from that first cut, gave one of his most enthusiastic performances in a long time.

Crowd-pleasers included “What Up Gangsta” (it felt like the roof would cave in at this point, the energy was so high), “Crimewave” (where the assembled “goons” sprung into action) and “Baby By Me”, one of his many female-friendly tracks that had ladies losing their mind.

50 performs to an adoring crowd

Beanie Sigel joins 50 on stage

The undercurrent of the night reached crescendo when Beanie Sigel was brought on stage (joining the 30-odd other guys already milling around). No shots were aimed at Beans’ former employer, although watching him play Pinocchio to 50′s Gepetto was indeed awkward. Beanie ran through hits like “Do It Again” and “Mack B*tch” with the crowd appreciating every minute of his performance.

While Jay’s name wasn’t mentioned, the NYPD presence was, with 50 remarking to the attentive crowd, “You gotta watch ‘em [NYPD]. They act like I’m a terrorist or some s*it”.

After running through a barrage of more hits (including Yayo’s “So Seductive”, “Just A Little Bit” and “Magic Stick”), DJ Whoo Kid cued “21 Questions” to which 50 yelled out, “I don’t wanna do that song! Everybody watch my feet; I’m gonna rock this muthaf*cker without moving my feet.” Whoo Kid then dropped just a snippet of “Window Shopper” (thankfully) then a “Wanksta” snippet, then finally “Many Men” in full.

While 50′s style choices are always a hit and miss affair, he decided to keep it simple for his hometown crowd, rocking a tight white thermal, premium denim jeans, Timberlands and a diamond crucifix.

All in all, the G-Unit general provided a solid show for his New York fans to celebrate the release of Before I Self Destruct, with minimal drama, an extensive catalog of hits and maximum effort. Can’t ask for too much more.

Crowd waits patiently in line at the Highline Ballroom

Getting hype inside the venue

Hot 97′s Peter Rosenberg with DJ Whoo Kid

The show’s set list

Images: MySpace Music

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