No Mercy, No Fear

No Mercy, No Fear
A photo of G-Unit, holding pistols, wearing white T-shirts and gray baggy pants, against a white background. 50 Cent is squatting in foreground, while the other two members are standing behind him. In upper left corner is the text "g unit" made of images of a pistol. In bottom left corner is the text "50 Cent", "No Mercy, No Fear" and "Collectors Edition" in a mix of red, black, and white colors.
Mixtape by
G-Unit
ReleasedAugust 1, 2002
Recorded2001–2002
Genre
Length50:30
LabelBCD Music Group
Producer
G-Unit chronology
50 Cent Is the Future
(2002) 		No Mercy, No Fear
(2002) 		God's Plan
(2002)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Spin[1]

No Mercy, No Fear is the second mixtape by hip hop group G-Unit, released on August 1, 2002.[2] Originally released independently as a free mixtape,[3] it was re-released in 2006 by BCD Music Group.[1] No Mercy, No Fear was recorded after the group's de facto leader 50 Cent had signed a $1 million deal with Aftermath Entertainment and Shady Records following the release of his 2002 compilation album Guess Who's Back?.[4][5] It featured the hit single "Wanksta", which was added onto the 8 Mile soundtrack album and later as a bonus track on his 2003 commercial debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin'.[6][7] It also contained the freestyle to Puff Daddy's song "Victory", from the album No Way Out, which was later used on Bad Boy Records's compilation album Bad Boy's 10th Anniversary... The Hits.

Described by Billboard magazine as a classic,[7] No Mercy, No Fear was released during 50 Cent's and G-Unit's 2002 mixtape run,[8] in anticipation of his debut album.[9] According to Billboard, the mixtapes caused "tremendous buzz amongst hip-hop fans and artists".[10] Vancouver Sun wrote that the mixtapes "widely circulated" for several years after the release.[11] By rapping over instrumentals from other artists and then releasing it for free, with No Mercy, No Fear and the other contemporary releases 50 Cent revolutionized hip hop mixtapes,[12] creating a blueprint for later artists, such as Lil Wayne, Young Jeezy, and Drake.[13] The mixtape was ranked No. 5 on XXL's Top 20 Mixtapes list.[14]

  1. ^ a b Aaron, Charles (July 2007). "Discography: 50 Cent". Spin. New York. p. 84. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Berry, Peter A. (November 16, 2020). "50 Cent Projects Worth Listening to and Those You Need to Skip". XXL. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  3. ^ Ex, Kris (February 12, 2003). "Original Pirate Material". The Village Voice. New York. pp. 71, 123. Archived from the original on February 20, 2003. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  4. ^ Schwartz, Danny (November 3, 2016). "#TBT: G-Unit". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  5. ^ O'Connor, Roisin (November 7, 2018). "50 Cent and Ja Rule: A beef history". The Independent. Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  6. ^ Kelley, Frannie (November 12, 2009). "The Decade In Music: 50 Cent's 'In Da Club' (2003)". NPR Music. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Horowitz, Steven J. (February 6, 2013). "50 Cent, 'Get Rich Or Die Tryin" at 10: Classic Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  8. ^ Cummings-Grady, Mackenzie (September 9, 2022). "Lloyd Banks On G-Unit's 2002 Mixtape Run: 'That Was My Favorite Year'". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  9. ^ Juon, Steve 'Flash' (February 11, 2003). "50 Cent's "Get Rich or Die Tryin'"". RapReviews. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  10. ^ Williams, Stereo (April 5, 2018). "The 10 Most-Anticipated Debut Albums in Hip-Hop History". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 26, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  11. ^ Derdeyn, Stuart (August 31, 2023). "B.C. hip hop greats look back at 50 Cent's Get Rich Or Die Tryin'". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  12. ^ Markman, Rob (May 22, 2012). "50 Cent And DJ Drama Craft Street Music For 'Lost Tape'". MTV. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  13. ^ "50 Cent's Mixtape Firsts". XXL. December 8, 2011. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  14. ^ "Hustler Musik: Top 20 Street Albums". XXL. No. 84. New York: Harris Publications. September 2006. pp. 134–140.