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

I don't get it.

Well actually I probably do. While everyone was busy claiming that 50 Cent and his G-Unit crew were ruining hip hop, The Game was the only G-Unit Records artist (now ex-artist) to escape such condemnation and receive more positive reviews.

A coupla things might explain this. For one thing, he can easily out-rhyme 50, which isn't especially hard in the first place. Plenty of people seem to think the production on this album's hot too, which I'll agree with to an extent, though despite all the big-name talent there are some definite disappointments.

However, a few things work against Game here.

1) His flow is boring
2) His voice is boring
3) His delivery is boring
4) And his LYRICS...well, read on

People complain a lot about how 50 Cent just recycles gangsta cliches. True -- but at least he does it with a distinct persona and swagger. The Game lacks that key element. His flow barely varies throughout the album, and basically just sounds like he's talking on-and-on with nothing to grab your attention. Lyrically, The Game is pretty unique...but not in a good way. You see, all he does is name-drop West Coast and other famous rap artists ad nauseam and brag about how he's bringing West Coast rap back, with the occasional gangsta ish thrown in. I suppose it all makes sense when you look at his name -- "The Game?" Like the rap game? It may've been a clever concept, but it doesn't exactly work over an entire album, 'specially when Game makes puts absolutely no clever twists or punchlines on it. His voice has a kinda raspy tone to it that also may've worked if he had put a certain spin on things, but as is it just makes him sound even more boring.

There's really not much else to say about The Game himself on this album. He can rhyme fairly well, but when you lack a distinct flow or personality, that doesn't mean a whole lot. Just like I don't mind standard gangsta lyrics if they're done well, I wouldn't mind Game's repetitive lyricism...but he does nothing to make it interesting.

Which brings me to my next point -- The Game may just be the biggest Dr. Dre creation (project?) to date. Sorry -- make that a Dre and 50 Cent co-creation. If it wasn't for the catchy beats on the singles "How We Do" and "Hate It or Love It" (the latter of which isn't a Dre beat -- more on that later) and 50's catchy sung hooks on both of those, no doubt this album would've tanked. Take away the album's production, and Game himself has no mainstream appeal.

So as much as I think all the A-team production here would've been better-suited for an artist who's actually talented, I can't say it's not solid. "How We Do" is typical club ish, but it has some incredibly catchy keyboard notes and a cool synth effect that makes you not care about Game and 50's lyrics. I'm convinced that Dre is incapable of making a bad beat when he's working with his keyboardist/co-producer Mike Elizondo, excepting Eminem's Encore -- but that's another review.

"Hate It or Love It" has more laid-back, soulful vibe to it, produced by the then-obscure Cool & Dre (no relation to the Doc) production team. Another catchy chorus here, this time split between 50 and Game, who raps, "Go 'head envy me, I'm rap's MVP/And I ain't goin' nowhere, so you can get to know me." Since their silly little feud started, 50's claimed that he wrote that bit for him... them's fightin' words, I know. All that aside, the song manages to have that catchy mainstream appeal, and features a nice opening verse from 50, who kicks the "reflective gangsta" deal well enough.

Elsewhere, the album mostly works when the production's upbeat. Timbaland laces an absolutely bangin' beat for "Put You on the Game" -- even the goofy vocal sounds thrown in manage to work somehow. It's just something you can't help but nod your head to, disregarding Game's subpar lyricism. Just Blaze gives Game a nice amped-up horn-driven beat on "Church for Thugs," though I've definitely heard better work from him (see: Jay-Z) -- bit repetitive here, and once again, Game doesn't help matters.

It's some of the "introspective" BS on this album that drags it down more, both beatwise and Gamewise. The only notable exception is "Don't Worry," which features a lovely Dre-produced piano loop and serves as further proof of my grand unified theory that Dre and Elizondo are incapable of bad production. Drelizondo? Anyway, the beat's nice enough that you once again don't care about Game's rapping, and Mary J. Blige does a good job with the chorus.

Meanwhile, "Special" and "Start from Scratch" represent the negative end of the "I'm a sensitive thug" deal, the latter of which unfortunately features a dull Dre/Scott Storch keyboard-based beat and some very unconvincing emoting from Game. The only real bomb on this album, though, is the Hi-Tek-produced "Runnin'," which features some bland synth sounds and vocals that're marred further by a guest verse from G-Uniteer Tony Yayo, their one member who's made a really negative impression on me -- irritating, abrasive voice. A disappointment from Hi-Tek too, since I've heard good work from him for both Talib Kweli and G-Unit (the conscious vs. the gangsta?)

The rest of the album's production is generally solid, if not quite as impressive as the aforementioned highlights. "We Ain't" is one track I'll come back to sometimes -- production is typical synthed-out dramatic Eminem ish, but I generally enjoy his style more than most seem to, even though there's definitely plenty've room for improvement. Em actually has a decent verse here too. He's talkin' the same old same old, and he uses practically the same rhyme scheme as Game, but his flow and tone're good enough that he livens up the track a bit -- and proves that he still has it in him to spit better verses than all the crap he's been laying down for the last coupla years.

There's not much else on the album that really stands out, although "Westside Story" has a nice thugged-out vibe thanks to Dre and Scott Storch's hard-hitting piano keys. But all the solid-to-dope production simply cannot disguise Game's deficiencies as a rapper. Normally I'm a sucker for hot beats, but even I can't ignore how dull he is -- he needs to work on establishing his own style and personality, cuz I don't care about hearing nonstop references to N.W.A, Dre, Snoop, Pac, and whoever else he wants to idolize. He just makes all the production talent here seem like somewhat of a waste. While there's enough quality cuts for me to give a slight recommendation, you may be better off just getting those individually.