“Guess who’s back on the West Coast track
It’s the muthafuckin’ messiah of Gangsta Rap
Still dippin’ in 64′s, still puffin’ on the same chronic
Haters mad cuz I still got it
I never fall off – even without the Doc
You nigga’s sellin’ your soul trying to stay on top
Bitch nigga check your Kotex
You niggas ain’t movin’ shit like the hand on a fake ass Rolex
I’m 5 million sold, the cover of last album the only time you see me sitting on gold
I’m the most anticipated, most celebrated
Most loved and the muthafuckin’ most hated
Keep rollin’ like gold Dayton’s
Nigga’s got The Game fucked up like Hennessey with a Coke chaser
You gotta deal with me I’m the West Coast savior
Nigga’s think of me every time they’re ’64′s scrappin’”
“Lookin’ At You” off Doctor’s Advocate
Those lyrics came to mind as soon as I saw that pic.
Dr. Dre, Compton, & a droptop ’64 (or ’63) Impala are the themes that run at the root of 99.9% of all his verses. The dude is a polarizing figure who causes you to pick a side, there’s no straddling the fence with him. Either you love his bravado, love for Hip-Hop’s history, and dilligence in keep Gangsta Rap alive. Or you hate him for name dropping too much, relying on Hip-Hop’s history to tell his story, and being to emotional. Personally I’d be on the former side of the argument if there was figurative line in the sand (or bar).
But no matter what, you have to respect his ability to pick his self up after falling out with the G-Unit/Shady/Aftermath trifecta. Especially Dr. Dre. There are countless people who’ve been linked to the good doctor only to have been swept under the rug only to show up on a milk carton later on.
But not The Game. Looking at the picture above, it’s evident that he has the presence to always be his own man – even in the presence of one of his idols. He commands attention and is fully aware of who he is as an artist, which is why he’s still around today.
What made Doctor’s Advocate so great was that he went ahead and made a Dr. Dre album without Dr. Dre’s involvement. When most people would have gone and got a track from the hottest producers and put together an album that sounded like a compilation, he stuck to what he knew. Add the real hurt and emotion he felt after being shunned by Dr. Dre and you have the makings of a great album. Not classic or perfect, but great nonetheless.
When’s the last time you gave it a spin?
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tru…”got the game mad…n i aint talkin bout homie in L.A….”
Game is overrated
I was playing it last night. I think Gotty threw up both “The Documentary” & “The Doctor’s Advocate” on Saturday & I decided to have a Chuck Taylor marathon as I shut it down last night. Go back & listen to either one of those albums (both of them could be viewed as modern day classics) & tell me with a straight face that “L.A.X.” isn’t a regression.
Game looks like he’s about to cry in that picture.
I like “Old English”. Beat is dope and so is his verses. Thats the only one off D.A. I really give spins. but to be honest the name droppin is distractin so I don’t really listen to games music
I wound up always skipping to Why Do You Hate The Game.
… he don’t talk about his guns he Just Blaze.
Doc Adv= 4.5 Cigs.
used to be everyday on the real..but damn there are only so many hours in a day.
@Amp: I agree it was a regression, I was a little disappointed with how LAX came out, had some dope tracks but as an overall album it was lacking. I was expecting it to be better than DA but not as good as Documentary. I think Doctor’s Advocate is a great album. Documentary is a classic for me, not just cuz it bangs, but it came out when I was like a sophomore in high school and you know how some albums that come out at a certain time in your life hit you more? it was like that
I never really noticed the name dropping until heads started complaining about it. Dude makes good music IMO and has my respect as an artist and an individual.
L.A.X.‘s biggest flaw is it’s varied soundtrack. “Cali Sunshine” and “Bulletproof Diaries” have no business being on the same album. Too much night and day.
However.
With the exception of like two cuts (coughmoneylaxfiles), Game cooked up that crack muzik and the songs work well with their intended environment. “Touchdown” in the grown n’ sexy, “Dope Boys” @ a live venue, “Let Us Live” when you riding, “Letter To The King” while meditating…so on and on. Dude knows how to crank out a banger. L.A.X. is just an example of selecting the best cuts made with diseregard for album flow. But then again someone can argue that a CD full of good songs makes for good album flow so…
Man, I don’t know. I’ve NEVER been able to vibe to the Game. I always find him to be mediocre and can’t find any reason to listen to him. And I wouldn’t give any of his albums over a 3.5- but since most people crown the documentary as classic, I’m probably just missing something.
DA had 9 straight bangers to open up the album. Listen to the production, its fantastic. You think it peaks with the two Scott Storch beats (that let’s face it, sound more like Dre than Dre in the past 3 or 4 years), and then Kanye comes in and serves up “Wouldn’t Get Far.” Shit. The sequencing on that album is really well done. Only truly weak and out of place track is “Around the World,” (which annoys the hell out of me).
Add into the mix some well selected guest spots (Busta telling a story to great effect, Kanye going “mad nuts” on WGF, Nate Dogg on “Too Much,” Nas going apeshit on “Why You Hate the Game” ‘pro black, I don’t pick cotton out of asprin bottles,’ The Dogg Pound acting like its the mid 90′s on “Bang”), overall stellar production, and Game making a noticeable, respectable effort to step up his lyricism with varied flows and substantial lyrics, I don’t know how you could justifiably give the album less than a 4.5
Shit, I haven’t even mentioned “Compton” which rattles the shit out of whatever speakers you hook it up to, “Remedy,” which pumps up the bass on a PE classic, or “One Blood,” which was a summer anthem itself and inspired one of the best and most interesting remixes in the past decade.
One more important note, who remembers when the DA Leftovers leaked with some Dre tracks? With the possible exception of “My Bitch” none of those Dre tracks challenged those two Storch tracks production wise.
All Minds are One…I had just started playing Doctor’s Advocate when lo & behold, I pull up the site about 3 minutes into the album &…
the two Scott Storch beats (that let’s face it, sound more like Dre than Dre in the past 3 or 4 years)
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co-sign that. Shit, i co-sign that whole comment. Nice take Jesse.
You think it peaks with the two Scott Storch beats (that let’s face it, sound more like Dre than Dre in the past 3 or 4 years)
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Werd. Nottz’ joint “One Night”, Just Blaze’s “Remedy”, “Compton” & “Ol’ English” have that heavy Dre sound too. Best Dr. Dre produced album not produced by Dr. Dre.
IMO Game is just ok. At this point, outside of the controversey, dude is very average. The Documetary was cool, but I can’t listen to any of his album for more than 20 minutes.
Like I said, you either love him or hate him.
I bumped it last night @ the gym and shit goes hard imo.
Naw, MZ, I neither LOVE or HATE him. He’s ok, to me.
@ Everyone: Why you hate The Game???!!! LOL!!! Nah, I never really bought a Game album until L.A.X. came out (for $9.99 why the fuck not!!! Double-disc special edition I might add!!!), before that I judt killed his mixtape bangaz. Game is a dope emcee, I like him because you can see and hear that he genuinely loves hiphop. I might just have to go back and pick up his first two albums.
Classic in my opinion. I honestly play it more than the Documentary. Something about adversity-will it make or break ya? It made him that much better
I’m not sure if Game’s survival is completely due to his ability as an artist. Once you sell 5 million records, or whatever The Documentary sold, you have a certain ability to command your own future. I think that is the principal difference between Game and an artist like Stat Quo who never got beyond a mixtape. That’s no disrespect to Game, its just a fact.
A certain amount of listeners, whether hardcore fans or not, will pick up your second album on the strength of your first. So, Game built that momentum and used the power with his new label to do the album he wanted to do.
Now, the fact that he maintained his career after DA is to his credit. There was no 50 Cent hook, no Dre beats, no Em guest spot. Yet he’s still around. Props.
But if there’s anyone who should be happy that Game is still successful, its Scott Storch. Or, more specifically, his wife and kid – the ones who ultimately get that production check.
BDub Says:
“…But if there’s anyone who should be happy that Game is still successful, its Scott Storch. Or, more specifically, his wife and kid – the ones who ultimately get that production check.”
Hahahaha!
Sidenote: He’s one of the more interesting rappers of the last decade and he’s skilled to boot. More importantly, he insists on waving the flag for the left coast. I’ll check for him as long as he makes music.
documentary’s sounds are classics. the game is an overrated emcee and a underrated rapper. but his music iz dope. if Nas likes his style, i think, this dude couldn’t really bad (with name droppin’ or without name droppin’) ! maybe doctor’s advocate iz better lyrically. but documentary iz a modern day classic, yes. imagine jayz or nas on all deze beats !!! damnnnnnn. Nas needs for sure, just blaze/hitek/drdre and preemo; to recreate a fuckin’ emulation on this fuckin’ (dead) rap game’s drowsiness !!! hope for 2009 his best of/greatest hits And fo 2010 his real last album with the whole drdre/quik/doc/mcren/icecube/…the west coast side!! so… for his famous and secret The: D.ocumentary O.f C.ompton !!! peace
No doubt he has had moments, but you have to question his greatness then most likely he’s not great. He’s going to be at the Hip-Hop Honors in 15 years……without paying for a tix!
one of the best produced albums of the last few years. this album is definetely underrated. i dont care what you spit, if you manage to assemble an album with such hot beats, you are doing something right. you can’t deny beat selection is an important part of the hip-hop game – word to nas. and i find dude extremely listenable over the beats. he’s not gonna wow you with word play, but that shit ain’t even required over these bangers. he will put everything into a record, which is what i love to see from artists.
oh yeah, and “one night” = one of my favourite trax ever.