The Game’s Last Certified Gangsta?(L.A.X. Is On Sale Today)
Where does Game rank against the hardest rappers of all-time?
Article by Michael Partis
“All these motherfuckers been patiently waitin/ Since the West coast fell off, the streets been watching/The West Coast never fell off, I was sleep in Compton”
“Westside Story”-The Game
He’s had numerous beefs, feuds, and battles; He did 120 Bars, then 200 Bars and Runnin’, and then 300 Bars and Runnin’; he went from not wanting beef with Jay-Z, to then wanting beef with Jay-Z. Now, The Game’s 3rd album, L.A.X., will be his last as he plans for “retirement” (this despite recent rumors that he’ll be replacing Mack 10 in the group Westside Connection).
No matter what, it is undeniable that Game has left his imprint on the industry. A multi-platinum freshman album, two Billboard number one debuts, and a devoted fan base that voted him into the Final Four of VIBE Magazine’s “The Best Rapper Alive” Tournament (rating him as a better MC then fellow West Coast representers Crooked I, Snoop Dogg, and veteran Busta Rhymes). (WRITER’S NOTE: Us over here @ Real Talk NY did not vote in the tournament. Direct all issues and complaints with the results to the good folks at VIBE)
The range of accomplishments in the artist’s short career leads to the question of where does The Game compare all-time to other Gangsta rap greats?
There’s the initial question of classic albums. A classic album certifies you as an all-time great. Whether it be 5-mic’s, critical acclaim, or Hip-Hop heads willing to debate about how hot your album was, a classic is a necessity.
In the vein of The Chronic, Illmatic, Reasonable Doubt, Aquemini, or any other classic Rap album you want to throw out there, Game does not have a release that quite reaches those heights. Yet the exceptional work on the album that introduced him to the world (2005’s The Documentary), and the solid offerings from the sophomore release of Doctor’s Advocate, allows The Game to hold his own.
What about charm? Charisma? Swag? While they do count for something: 1) Does a gangsta rapper need charisma? (Like would you describe Styles P or Kool G Rap as charming?) 2) Swag is a funny thing in the Hip-Hop game. Swag can sometimes be eternal (Big Daddy Kane, Tupac, B.I.G., they will, or would of, always have it); or it can be for the moment (name any rapper who had it, then fell off the planet—never to be the same again). We’ll take it out of the equation for this time.
One thing is certain, most people have to be co-signed. Either the streets has to love you, or somebody else’s favorite rapper has to put you on. Hov put on Beans. Dre put on Snoop and Eminem. The streets certified The Lox. Dre put on Game. And 50 plus a slew of East Coast rappers (Jim Jones and others) certified that the Cali dude was official. Game’s cred must be emphasized. For a dude that: 1) goes back and forth every five seconds on who he wants to beef with, and who he doesn’t want to beef with, 2) was on a TV dating show (in case you forgot Google Game and Change of Heart), 3) Tattooed a butterfly on his face, 4) and cried (or practically cried; I’ll let you choose how to describe it), 4) lost the backing of his two main supporters (50 Cent and Dr. Dre), it’s kinda amazing that anyone still likes Game. Yet, he’s still standing. So he gets major points for this.
And then, there is the matter of talent. Lyrically where does Game stand in terms of narratives, metaphors, punchlines, and intricacy?
Game first gained notoriety through his appearances on the mixtape circuit (most notably those rhymes dropped on 50 Cent’s G-Unit Radio mixtape series and some tracks on various DJ Clue tapes). Rhyming like he had something to prove, the young gun came hardest when paired with some of the most talented MC’s. Peep the witty couplets and one-liners from the “Jackin For Beats” freestyle (f/Fabolous):
“Out here they call me ‘All-Star Game’
And every nigga with a gun is waiting on the ‘04 All-Star Game
So while you in the Staples parking lot
I’m watchin the corners, with the safety on like Ronnie Lott”
Or the street pathos on Cassidy’s “Aim for the Head:”
“why niggas wanna see me R-I-P
empty the clip in a nigga before I D-I-E
prayin on my downfall like B-I-G
I be in the cockpit ridin dirty like T-I-P
po-po pull me over wanna see I-D
searchin my shit tryin to find my 3 times 3
they don’t know I got 4 times 4 in the backseat
wit enough bodies on it to get a nigga 5 times 5″
Game does not blow listeners away with the book-learning infused rhymes of a Talib; he lacks the
poetic quality of Lupe or Nas; he does not quite bring the gangsta message with the smooth, laid-back flow of Snoop, or the clean delivery of B.I.G.; and he certainly can be blamed for too much name-dropping, and a border-line compulsive habit of borrowing too much from an classic album’s style. However, creative narratives in songs like “Dreams;” the wit and word-play seen in “Runnin;’” the raw emotion and vulnerability conveyed in “Like Father, Like Son,” or “Doctor’s Advocate”—these are aspects of Game’s music that often go under-looked by critics, but endear him to many fans.
Yet it is the unapologetic effort to rep his city (and coast), the dope aspects of his rhyming skills, and some ability to exhibit perseverance that allowed The Game to excel and reach a certain level of super stardom in the music scene. Time will tell can L.A.X. (or any other future work) maintain that success.
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http://www.myspace.com/hiphopthought
The Game Makes It Clear He Wants Beef With Jay-Z
Tags: The Game
August 26th, 2008 at 4:42 am
Well first of all it’s “vein” not “vain” in the instance you used.
And when you wrote “oh you need a classic album to be great,” you never clarified WHO is the one SAYING its a classic. Who is the authority?
Also, while I can’t say I was bored, there was no real point. You raised questions on every aspect of “ranking” yet never got at any specifics.
And when you wrote “Yet it is the unapologetic effort to rep his city (and coast), the dope aspects of his rhyming skills, and some ability to exhibit perseverance that allowed The Game to excel and reach a certain level of super stardom in the music scene.”
If you took out Game’s name from that sentence, that paragraph could have been written about ANY rapper. No one would know who you’re talking about if you censored his name. Meaning, your conclusion was typical.
And when you say “they need to be co-signed”….and then you list all these things and say “he gets major points for this”….OK how many points? Where is your point system throughout the article?
Also…”(WRITER’S NOTE: Us over here @ Real Talk NY did not vote in the tournament. Direct all issues and complaints with the results to the good folks at VIBE)”
that seems so self-indulgent. just write. don’t act as if you need to defend your writing, BEYOND the actual writing.
it was a nice read, but i’m going to ask myself one question. what did i take away or learn from this opinion?
not much. sorry.
August 26th, 2008 at 5:32 am
Fuck that Nigga G-unit T.O.S dun know
August 26th, 2008 at 5:44 am
New Lloyd Banks Freestyle..
Lloyd Banks—–Brand New Car..
http://www.zshare.net/audio/176452495a691c25/
I Think Banks Poppin At The Game..
August 26th, 2008 at 5:54 am
the game is w.e…tryna start beef with jay to sell records. he aint never gonna be the hardest out with all that shit that happened to him with g unit.
http://www.myspace.com/jimmykingsaugacity
August 26th, 2008 at 5:59 am
i cheked a few of the other hip hop sites… and this guy put it the best…. Niggas wont apreeciate games talent and music and until his gone like biggie and pac… dats wen niggaz gunna relise game was 1 of the best of his time and maybe if he dropped a few more classic albums he may have been in the top ten list of greatist MC’s of all time
August 26th, 2008 at 6:12 am
The world is crazy how can you compare Notorious B.I.G. & 2 Pac going to The Game pulling a fake retirment ? His not that great, surely its not that hard to name drop in every song he does ? He is overrated as fuck and people are starting to realize that at last. He will never be in the top ten list unless you’re a groupie, he had one dope album and thats it. His turning into Fabolous will all them features on every album, can’t he make a album without so many features ? L.A.X. flopping at a store near you….
August 26th, 2008 at 6:30 am
This nigga has eazy-e tattoed on this arm and a star tattoed in his fucking face this nigga is a faggot for real
August 26th, 2008 at 7:20 am
i cheked a few of the other hip hop sites… and this guy put it the best…. Niggas wont apreeciate games talent and music and until his gone like biggie and pac… dats wen niggaz gunna relise game was 1 of the best of his time and maybe if he dropped a few more classic albums he may have been in the top ten list of greatist MC’s of all time
^^^
The Truth ryt there
August 26th, 2008 at 7:56 am
NOPE,GAME IS NEITHER A LYRICAL GENIUS NOR A POETIC MASTER;HE’S AN AVERAGE WEST COAST RAPPER WHO GENERATES INTEREST AND ATTENTION DUE TO THIS NAME CALLING AND G-UNOT ASSOCIATION.
L.A.X?FULL OF FEATURES,CHEESY HOOKS,RECYCLED FORMULA.BASICALLY,THE ENTIRE ALBUM IS MEDIOCRE AT BEST.
SO WHERE DOES THE GAME RANK?RIGHT NEXT TO THE OTHER GARBAGE WEST COAST RAPPERS.
August 26th, 2008 at 8:12 am
We as the listening public are every so critic of other people work and most people dont actually offer criticism more like hatercism. I have said this many times here before. I am a woman over 40 years ole with a swag of someone much younger, although a couple of years ago i listened to rap music but mainly when driving to work I was never a purchaser until I came across the The Game Vs 50 Cents. Since then I have fell in love with Game’s Style to name drop and his numerous beefs with G-Unit. I love it. Ive learned so much about him and things in general through listening to the beef tracks. That’s one of the reason I am definitely a hater of G-Unit, because I understand exactly what went down between them. For the record I love the name dropping. If nobody brought it to your attention you wouldnt be listening so hard for it. Ive recently heard songs from Nas and many others and I can count the name dropping in their songs as well, but its kewl for them to do it but just not for GAME….I know years from now if I let one of my future grand children listen to Game’s music they can get a feel for that era because of the name dropping. Classic album he at least has one classic album. If your album have replay value many years after it dropped then that’s a classic. I can listen to the Documentary and the Doctors Advocate for years…and I must admit more so the Documentary then the latter. I think because of the beef people are very critical of GAME…but he might not be top 5 of all time, but looking at the other players still rapping out their he can atleast be in the top 10-15 of all time and that’s great…and that’s considering the commercial and underground rappers…..for once give the man some credit for his work. He might only have 3 commercial albums he has a hell of a catalog before signing with Interscope and he has a slew of mixtapes….and by the way LAX will also be a CLASSIC……
August 26th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Its simple he keeps it in the pocket as a rapper he is aight as one of the hardest rappers of all time he doesnt even rank man
August 26th, 2008 at 8:36 am
I bump L.A.X cuz its one of the best album of 08…
..but Game aint top 10…not even top 20!
August 26th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Loyalty is important to me. Game is big enough to put a dude on. I think putting a young rapper on, or even bringing spice one career back would help solidify his status. Right now, he can make top 10 all time. Rap game hasn’t really had that many dudes who were just hot.
August 26th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I thought the album was fire
if this REALLY is his last album is a good way toleave the game
maybe the reason why some of you niggaz is hatin on here is cause ya dont understand the concept of the album…its was basicly about the cali lifestyle..
i think most rappers just drrop album with songs about differnt shit…but game made the album about one thing and every song weas differnt in its own way
i rate it 10/10
fuck what ya niggaz think!!!
August 26th, 2008 at 9:01 am
HE’S A CLOWN ! LIKE #5 SAYED. GOT TATS OF EAZY-E AND NWA, BUTTERFLY THEN CHANGED IT A “LA” LMAO. HE FAKE JUST LIKE: RICK ROSS(FAKE DRUG CARTEL BOSS), AKON(FAKE CRIMINAL), LIL WAYNE(FAKE BLOOD), PILES(FAKE GOON), T.I.(SNITCH) YOU GOT CAUGHT RED HANDED. HOW YOU FACING 15 YRS IN PRISON THEN THE NEXT YOU GET 1 YEAR?. ITS FUNNY TO ME HOW THESES DUDE BE ACTING “TOUGH”.
August 26th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Free your mind
http://www.thesoleproject.com
Free your mind
http://www.thesoleproject.com
Free your mind
http://www.thesoleproject.com
August 26th, 2008 at 10:14 am
game is an idiot
August 26th, 2008 at 10:14 am
game is an idiot
August 26th, 2008 at 10:14 am
game is an idiot
August 26th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Funny how this thread is tagged under every possible category to get more hits i guess. Its a good read my dude, dont worry about the comments or hits that it generates.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:37 am
the game is a certified lame
hopping from one controversy to another
he the definition of a gimmick
only thing that saves him is his production
August 26th, 2008 at 11:00 am
where does butterfly boy stand next to the hardest rappers of all time?you mean KOOL G RAP and shit?then in that case-nowhere.
August 26th, 2008 at 11:05 am
This writer forgot to mention how this nigga is such a flip artist in everry sense of the word, dude has a butterfly under that redstar Tat on his face. Dude is a Lame str8 up, it kills me how niggas try to cosign this nigga, music not witstanding, cause his music is cool, but i can’t fuck with his character.
August 26th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Dont forget to watch and vote for “The James Gang” tonite on Americas Got Talent… VOTE VOTE VOTE THE JAMES GANG
August 26th, 2008 at 11:18 am
I blame my city of NY on this dude being on right now! If we did’t show this nigga love he would not be on right now! We thought he was cool cuz he was a west coast nigga that could rap with a NY style and 50 who was the hottest nigga on the steet by far at that time co-signed. Not to mention his boss/manager is a OG from brooklyn who get much respect. Its obvious he’s suckin us off crazy. sorry to tell you west coast niggas that but i’m sure the real niggas out there even now that. Bottom line is he a sensitive wanna be thug/gangsta nigga with some talent but his name dropping and eratic behavior over shadow the talent he has. This dude got issues funny thing is that its the issues that keep mr. sensitivity in the news. He gonna be around only cause cali got nobody young that is poppin anywhere close to this nigga and he know it. So we gonna be livin with this nigga in hip-hop for some time. Ice Cube is still the best west coast rapper then Snoop. As a gangsta rapper Game not on their level!
DOPE CALI RAPPERS PLEASE STAND UP!
August 26th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Game is trash and he aint a gangsta.
August 26th, 2008 at 11:56 am
he’s alright but why doe’s he have to cry for attetion from dr. dre every song n every two day’s im not beefing with the unit and then he is i think the game and the unit kind of fell off and the only reason he’s trying to go at jay is to sell record but what he fail to realize jay will destroy like nothing
August 26th, 2008 at 11:57 am
You know Hip Hop is losing when The Game makes somebodies top ten of all time. SMH…..
August 26th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Im a big time g-unit/50 cent/shady aftermath fan by the way.
Game was so sick and influential when it came to the The Documentry – that album can go down in history as one of the most best gangsta rap/hiphop albums ever released – wheather or not 50 cent wrote sum songs. But after that he seemed to lose the passion of rapping for a reason.
But the same goes to nearly every rapper these days, when the money is not coming in u r hungry as soon as ur rich ur motives become different and therefore u rap 4 another reason.
August 26th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Yea Hip Hop really isn’t what it’s supposed to be right now when articles like this even get written. He’s average and how can anyone even put him in the top 20 when he’s never released a single by himself. All his songs have to have someone on it so if you can’t make a song by yourself how can you even be ranked? Makes no sense
August 26th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
He ranks right behind MC Hammer
August 26th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Ya´ll motherfuckers just dont know what real hip hop is anymore…
that´s just soo sad….goo and lick on waynes lollipop mothf****….ya´ll a shame for hip hop to be hatin on a niggan like this…:D:D….and I realy still don´t know what´s wrong with ya´ll…just listen to the fuckin album and ya´ll recognize hip hop…as we all knew it….fuck it…
ya ll motherfuckers are lame…it´s a shame for hiph hop to hear shit like this from all this people….
August 26th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I would have to put game next to (in no particular order)
Da Brat
Jackie O
Trina
I can see the BWS representing with all these pro Game comments.
August 26th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
You didnt even answer the question…
August 26th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Styles P is the hardest ever!
August 26th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
game has his own style — and WEST COST LOVES IT U FKN HOES LOL EVERYONE DOES HIS UNIQE