The Documentary [PA] - Game (The) (CD 2005)

The rise of the newest emcee to get a record deal from Dr. Dre and Eminem's Aftermath/Shady conglomerate is Game. You may have heard of him. Over the past few weeks hype has been building, hype similar to that experienced by 50 Cent before his 2002 debut, about "Cali's Last Hope" Game. Commercially, Game's hyped debut album "The Documentary" can't fail; he has the right blend of thuggishness, hot beats, hype, and big-time promotion. More importantly; does he deserve to? The promise behind The Documentary was sizeable; is Game more talented than the rest of his WACK AS FU*K G-Unit posse? Can he deliver with a coherent, solid album and bring the West back? Let me exclusively reveal all...

What's interesting before even listening to "The Documentary" is the debate that's raged around Game; the excellent lead single "Westside Story" has Game stating "the Westcoast never fell off, I was asleep in Compton" and that he's "bringing C.A. back... got Compton my back", over Dre's trademark pounding piano lines and funky basslines. Criticism has been levelled at the emcee that he "sounds Eastcoast" and simply runs with the mixtape-punchline-rapper style used by NY cats such as Jadakiss and Fabolous instead of his own authentic, Westcoast style. Well, this is true in some respects; Game uses the occasional punchline, and has a gravely, deep voice, but a good quarter of The Documentary benefits from Dre's musical touch, giving a blend of Cali-authenticity AND bi-coastal appeal in terms of production. This leaves ambiguity; but on the solid "Where I'm From" Game leaves no doubt; he's representing for Compton, CA. The Title Track is a dramatic, pounding song, the kind of song G-Unit fans love. Game sounds re-energized, alongside di*kriding half the Westcoast scene, this track is effectively a diss song. R.Kelly and Ja Rule are among his targets, the best line though is his squashing of a certain Biggie soundalike: "I take all the credit for putting the west back on the map, if you aint feeling that I guess Im Guerrilla Black". But Game is not a lyrical master, let's get that straight. He occasionally drops a hot line or two, but for the most part he's strictly style over substance; he's got a decent flow, sometimes above-average lyrics ("'I had dreams of makin a classic / till my world went dark like I was looking out of stevie wonders glasses"), a good voice and an excellent delivery. Better than anyone else in G-Unit, but that's not saying much... he's certainly NOT: "Dre, Eazy, Cube, King Tee and Ren rolled in one", like he thinks he is.

No, The Documentary is an album that's all about production. Along with Dre, the production line up is all-star: Hi-Tek, Timbaland, Havoc, Just Blaze, Kanye West amongst others, and they all combine to create one of the best produced albums I've heard in a while. "Dreams" has the oriental-sounding strings and drawn out vocal samples of a Kanye West beat. Hi-Tek gets a nod for best beat of the album with the unbelievably sick "Runnin"; the atmospheric, brooding production SCREAMS vintage 2001/Chronic Dr. Dre - except its done by the man behind Talib Kweli. Just Blaze drops a frantic, old school throwback effort for "No More Fun and Game" - replete with interspersed chants from various N.W.A. songs (more di*kriding). Cool and Dre, whoever they may be, provide the perfect minimalist chimes and muted horns for the introspective "Hate it Or Love It"; the album's best song, with a great performance from Game and SHOCK HORROR, a dope guest verse from 50 Cent. It's Dr. Dre who comes through on The Documentary with some of the best work I've heard in a while - certainly better than the crap found on Encore. Lead single "How We Do (Fresh 83)" is completely formulaic but it is still fire, "Higher" is more creative; its non-stop bouncing hydraulic melody and in-ya-face chanted chorus goes for a different tempo and mood to much else found here. "Don't Worry" is relaxed, with a smokey, lounge room style atmosphere: Mary J Blige lends vocal class, and Game proves he's sometimes more than just a thug rapper. This last R&B effort is similar to a couple of others scattered tactfully throughout the album - welcome relief in the middle of the smoky, violence-filled haze of The Documentary's world.

So far, things are looking very good. However, a couple of fatal flaws stop Game from getting an outstanding album - first up, the usual problem of a couple of weak cuts. Eminem's a wack producer, we all know this, well Game recognised this by limiting a formerly talented MC to only one beat, which is the strictly okay "We Ain't". And "Put You On the Game" could have done with complete removal. The overrated Timbaland's crunk-bounce fails to inspire me; and the song sounds completely out of place. But having dissected all of the album's 15 tracks several times now, the album's main problem is: I still don't know what Game is about outside gang reppin, violence, or shoutin out other cats. He rarely moves outside of this basic blueprint, thus, a majority of The Documentary's tracks can never be 5 star material. And yes, I've hinted at it before, but I've honestly lost count of the number of times he shouts out rap artists: Dre, G-Unit, N.W.A., Biggie, Pac, Jay, The D.O.C., Nas, etc al. It makes Jay-Z's Biggie di*kriding look amateur; it gets really irritating...Game, stand on your own two feet man. I know you're putting your peoples on, but when it's half the industry it's excessive.

So ok Game generally rehashes thug cliches, he is obsessed with shouting out other people, and his subject matter is limited. But that makes The Documentary a product of its era: style over substance, and with it's blend of 2005's best production (mark my words), solid lyrics and little filler... for what it is, this is style over substance in its finest form. Oh yeah, and it takes a big great sh*t over ANY other G-Unit album. Definitely worth a listen.

4 mics

1. Intro [interlude]
2. Westside Story (****)
3. Dreams (*****)
4. Hate it Or Love It [feat 50 Cent] (*****)
5. Higher (****)
6. How We Do (Fresh 83) [feat 50 Cent] (**** 1/2)
7. Don't Need Your Love [feat Faith Evans] (****)
8. Church For Thugs [interlude]
9. Put You on the Game (***)
10. Start from Scratch [feat Floetry] (****)
11. The Documentary (*****)
12. Runnin' [feat Tony Yayo] (*****)
13. No More Fun and Games (****)
14. We Ain't [feat Eminem] (***)
15. Where I'm From (****)
16. Special [feat Nate Dogg] (*** 1/2)
17. Don't Worry [feat Mary J Blige] (****)
18. Like Father, like Son [feat Busta Rhymes] (****)