50 Cent called us on the phone

If you saw a guy who looks like 50 Cent roaming around Boston yesterday, it was probably 50 Cent.

The rapper was in town to screen his directorial debut, “Before I Self Destruct,’’ at the AMC Loews Boston Common. He called us from the Liberty Hotel last night, just before the screenings. He said that seeing the hotel, which he knew used to be a jail, is the closest he’s come to sightseeing in Boston. “I don’t really get the chance to explore Boston,’’ he said, explaining that whenever he’s in town, he’s too busy performing to go anywhere.

Anyone who buys 50’s new album, which comes out Nov. 16, will also get a copy of the DVD of the movie “Before I Self Destruct.’’ The rapper not only directed the picture, he also wrote it and stars in it. He explained that the album and movie are packaged together because the music inspired the film - like a reverse soundtrack. He added that he loved writing the screenplay because he could get deep. Apparently, you can only get so far with lyrics to a three-minute song. “With records, there’s only enough time to create descriptions. You don’t have time to create a cause and effect.’’