In an interview with MTV News, 50 Cent said he plans to take an extended break from the studio following his next to studio albums.

“Em ain’t put out an album in five years,” the rapper said making reference to Eminem. “It builds anticipation because he’s away. And he really doesn’t enjoy what comes with the success. He likes to just be away a lot more, just be shy toward people. And then the less common you appear, the bigger your celebrity. So then he isolates himself, [and] he becomes more popular. People are more excited…

For me, right now, I feel like I love music, so [fans] should expect me to make music afterwards. But I’ll make it organically, like [Dr.] Dre makes a record. It may take five or seven years. … They’ll be looking for my record, like, ‘Yo, come on, when you making a record?’

50 did say the hiatus would follow his September release of “Curtis” and then “Before I Self Destruct” which was originally going to be a follow-up to his sophomore release, “The Massacre. The rapper says he was just five songs away from completing the project but put it aside to create the ‘Curtis’ which he believed to be more important.   Before I Self Destruct’ is tentatively scheduled to be released February 4, which is the anniversary of “Get Rich or Die Tryin’”. 50 did make mention in the interview to a fifth album which he said would be a greatest-hits CD.

I have to give 50 a lot of props because he’s a man…who learns.  He doesn’t go about his business acting like he knows or knew everything.  He’s a man of observation who sees trends, what works, what promotes and what sells and incorporates that into his business.  He bought 10% of Vitamin Water he noticed a shift in the consumer market to the purchase of more vitamin infused water products.  This is an observation skill he acquired from analyzing album sales.  He jumped ahead of the curve purchasing 10% of the Whitestone, Queens based company and last month made 400 Million off the brand’s sale to Coca-Cola.  

He’s applying the same concept here…He has seen what anticipation has done to his mentors Dr. Dre and Eminem.  Most artists are scared to take a hiatus in fear that their fans might forget about them when they come back but both Dre and Em’s fans are practically begging them to put out a new project.  That built up anticipation will spell dollars for the pair when they do end their silence.  Smart businessman.