All Hip Hop lovers and sympathizers know that Dr. Dre has been in the rap game for over 20 years. In fact, he was one of the pioneers of gangsta rap, helping create the West coast sound of Hip Hop. He created a reality that needed to be heard as the East Coast could be best known for metaphors and vivid descriptions and exaggerations of reality, the West Coast held a more different poetic stance. They spoke as if they were reading from their very own diaries. They spoke of things that forced Suburban America to pay attention, far beyond their glass houses a grimer picture was painted revealing the harsh struggles in the world. The East Coast continued to deliver a crafty method and mathematical timing of Hip Hop that either preached social change or gave a comical view of urban America, NWA boldly announced this statement, “Fuck The Police”, “Express Yourself”, “Dopeman” amongst countless others, all sharing to the world their reality and not apologizing one bit for it. Dr. Dre was also in the presence of Tupac as he gave us another added dimmension of reality. Since Dr. Dre left Death row in late 1996 he has built a new company -Aftermath and has made it one of the most powerful labels in hip hop. In fact Aftermath is the winning dynasty that has closed the gate on its competitors. With multi-platinum acts like Eminem and 50 cent, Dre has shaped and given a new face to hip hop and has guided these stars to superstardom. Now he has added large hip hop acts like Busta Ryhmes and Eve and has produced hits for all the heavy weights in the game.
Some would say Dre has nothing left to give hip hop or anything left to prove. Dr. Dre ‘s legacy as a hip hop legend is in place and undoubtly has nothing left to prove. Or maybe he does? Dre might not tell you his inner motivations but actions are a clear indication of any man, He actually owed himself something the ability to pay homage and give back to where he came from. He owes the place that helped made NWA a legend and DR. DRE an icon- COMPTON. Dr. Dre didn’t only come back to his home state of California to find the new face of the west coast; he came to his own back yard, his old hometown of Compton and found himself in the GAME.
Hailing from the same mean streets of Compton that Dre and Eazy E hailed from. GAME molded by the streets, by pain, by reality, by death, by new life, Dr. Dre saw everything that he experienced in this new found Aftermath soldier. At 25 yrs old and only a rapper of 3 yrs Game already has the savvy of a seasoned Jay-Z, and the in depth rhymes of the streets own Edgar Allen Poe NAS. Yes and although I have named 2 east coast artists and some West coast main stays would be offended to know he has combination and sound of East Coast rappers. But that is only one dimension of this multifaceted artist Game has the attitude of the young NWA. Game fearlessly speaks his mind, its almost as if he is not intending to offend, but that’s how his very fabric is made. He openly speaks what many of us dare not to even think in a world of “politically correct” and “fake happiness”. The Hip Hop game was becoming just that, we got new Blood. This is what west coast rap and gangsta rap was and is based on realities, honesty, candor that is unheard of. In a time when rappers want to talk about what they have seen in a movie or the hard lives others have had to endure. Game is a refreshing ray of light in Hip Hop. We all know there are times in our lives that we don’t really want to know the truth, we are scared to find out the truth, but deep within our nature, our fabric, we know the truth is what we need. Not taking away from the other genres that emerged, but reality has a soothing effect on everyone’s psyche no matter the good or bad, everyone underlying needs the truth. And The Game is definitely the truth.
Game rhymes and talks about what he has seen for 25 years of his life, but manages to connect with men who are in prison who have been there for 25 years of their lives, and manages to connect with disheartened women, unrealized dreamers, and the people that society has forgotten about. Game holds no punches or tears back about the life not only he lives, but the life all kids who grow up in Compton or any urban hood or disenfrachised home had to endure. Instead of trying to glorify a fictious gangster life that most rappers only know about through movies or word of mouth, Game puts a spotlight on the life of kids who grow up in the hood and more importantly the streets of Compton, forcing us to ask ourselves is this really a life that we want for our children, for our future? Did we forget about this life when we forgot about Dr. Dre? As the cycle of Hip Hop went from East to South to Midwest, the extremely painful reality begin to wash away with pimps, luxuries, dancing, and women. Like Tupac, Game doesn’t talk about what he sees he talks about what he knows. After the attempt on his life and his dreams of becoming a basketball star unrealized, Game tapped into the artistic and creative genuis that lies within us all. And although he says that he started studying all the greats of Hip Hop while recovering from the ambush, a man this poetic had a creative force that was always within, but just simply needed to be tapped. After a year of gaining buzz on the underground of California and working with an independent underground force. Fate stepped into Game’s life when Dr. Dre got handed the natives demo. After hearing his demo it’s then that Dr. Dre realized that he had come full circle in the Game.
The Documentary is a classic for 3 reasons: Dr. Dre, perfect timing, and Game’s undeniable artistic skills. Each song screams classic even the intro encourages us to understand the concept of economic advancement for the West Coast by playing the GAME, and the West Coast is definitely back and playing. Westside Story vividly places us into a California anthem and it reminds us that the West was restless, with hardcore street beats, you can’t help but visualize Compton. Dreams is a universal song not because we all have them, but because each one of us are driven by our dreams, and Game taps into that. For those that think that he is just one dimmensional talking about “Gangster Rap”, Martin Luther King Jr and Hughey Newton would’ve been happy to know that each of their dreams for social change was remembered by this generation. Hate it or Love it doesnt apologize for their reality, hate it or love it that’s the life they chose, because of the cards that were dealt. Start From Scratch makes anyone who has tear ducts cry. This song pulls on every heartstring in the world. I am sure you get the point that this CD is in autorepeat and in every car. And it’s not just because it’s the West Coast it’s because everyone has their own documentary.
Game shows he is not just a soldier, but a general by creating and being the CEO of *THE BLACKWALLSTREET*. Game plans on using this corporation not only for music but for all sorts of endeavors to give back to Compton and the place that gave life to him and his family and friends. Big FASE is the COO of the company the blackwallstreet, some calling him the Keyser Soze of the neighborhood, he is a quiet, brilliant strategic thinker, and gives Game a strong family foundation.. Game is set to win, because within their organization they are not only long time friends but they have brilliant minds like “The Negotiator” Phat Rat, Internet Specialist G-ride, Deal Maker D -Mack, Baron Davis (NBA sports) and countless others by his side. You won’t know who is who some maybe dressed like gangsters, some with business suits who can speak 2-3 languages, but all of them having a skill that is unbelievable. Game has set the foundation by intelligent strategic planning, with bringing in proven leaders from outside his circle like Shemia Miller, dubbed as the Global International Business Consultant, having allies all over the world. The only unfortunate member not present about this movement is his longtime best friend Billboard. He was murdered before Game released his album and finally put his stamp on hip hop. He was lost to the streets like countless others due to gang violence, Game and The Black Wall Street will continue to carry his legacy. Unfortunately he will not be able to physically see how far Game has come and the others who grew up in his troubled town did, but his family will be able to benefit. The Blackwallstreet is set to do what the original Black Wall Street in Oklahoma was going to accomplish, because the leaders in the company are not apologizing for taking over. They have “warriors” some have brief cases, and some are said to have guns in those brief cases, but they aren’t letting anyone penetrate and stop The Game, and the expansion of The Black Wall Street. They live for everything and die for nothing. That’s their motto. Game, Big Fase, Phatrat, and The Black Wall Street are keeping everything family by having its base actually be on the block in Compton where his brother and others grew up. With his determination and creation of this organization, Game shows us its not the cards life deals you that matters, it’s how you play the game. Now Game is poised to be the New Nigga Witta Attitude, perhaps he will do what Dr. Dre did when he found game; give back to the west coast and Compton. Like Dr. Dre, Game is poised to come back full circle.
Written by Darnell Metayer & Tonya Mitchell
