Game - The Documentary latest review (yikes)

[Matrix Heart]

Game - The Documentary

Release Date: January 18th, 2005

For what could be the most star-laden (production-wise) rap album in hip hop history (the list of producers includes: Kanye West, Hi-Tek, Just Blaze, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Cool & Dre, Timbaland, Havoc, Buckwild and others), the production on The Documentary is solid and not stellar as you might expect. However, that isn't really where this album fails. The Game claims he started rapping by listening to other rappers rap and that's exactly what this album sounds like. The documentary sounds like a collection of other rappers flows, metaphors and concepts. Here is an example of some of the stuff he borrowed, (if you don't know which songs he jacked or who he jacked them from, that's your problem):

"them niggaz breathing the same air as me acting like they don't bleed", "Is Compton in the house? Without a doubt I'm the rapper with clout other niggas rap about", "they say sleep is the cousin of death", "money been rapped since 88", "we the 05 bonnie and clyde", "I gotta Restore the feeling/ And crawl from under the roc after the dogg pound crushed the buildings", "If I die my niggaz/ I did a song wit Mary J. Blige my niggaz"

What's worse is, The Game's title track "The Documentary" has a hook where he weaves the titles of classic albums in it, not unlike when Jay-Z on the black album did the same thing with his own album titles:

Jay-Z Said: "Thank God for granting me this moment of clarity / This moment of honesty The world'll feel my truths / Through my Hard Knock Life time My Gift and The Curse / I gave you volume after volume of my work / So you can feel my truths I built the Dynasty by being one of the realest niggas out / Way beyond a Reasonable Doubt (Yall can't fill my shoes) / From my Blueprint beginnings / To that Black Album endin Listen close you hear what i'm about nigga feel my truths"

Game said: "Im Ready To Die / Without a Reasonable doubt / Smoke Chronic and hit it Doggy Style before I go out / Until they sign my Death Certificate / All Eyez On Me Im still at it, Illmatic And that's THE DOCUMENTARY"

Not to mention that the Dr. Dre produced track is weak and the song features a skit where he is explaining to Ed Lover of 105.1 FM that he wasn't trying to diss Jay-Z on "Westside Story" he was actually dissing Ja Rule. On this song, he ponders why Jay-Z didn't agree to do a song with him. Maybe he kind-of has done a song with you, because you have jacked his flow, lyrics and even a song concept on your album!!

In other ways this album could be called the making of "The Documentary". This is because he spends most of his time rapping about the album itself. Next to the heavy borrowing documented earlier, this is this albums biggest flaw. Rapping about being a rapper, or about other rappers and their albums is just not a lot of fun to listen to, even if you are an incredible lyricist, which he is not. In addition, while rapping about the album, he is literally beating you over the head with a barrage of the names of rappers, singers, athletes, record label execs, and others. I swear he must mention Dr. Dre, 50 cent, G-unit, B.I.G., Tupac, or Eazy-E or Air Nikes (does he have a Nike contract) on every song!! It's crazy!!!!

Maybe this is why The Game's debut single "How We Do" featured 50-Cent and sounded like it was originally a 50-Cent song. Game is not only outshined on the song, he basically copies the structure of 50's verses on the song. On one of the other hot songs on the album "Hate it or Love it" 50 outshines him again and makes Game seem like he was added to the track as an afterthought.

With all of that being said, he did have some of the hottest producers in the game on his album, as well as some of the hottest people in the game overseeing his album and it therefore does have its bright spots. "Runnin" ft. Tony Yayo [produce by Hi-tek] and "Higher" [Produced by Dr. Dre] are songs where the production and the chorus come together to make songs that are undeniably hot. "Like Father Like Son" is a nice [buckwild produced] track which skillfully uses Busta Rhymes on the chorus while "Don't Worry" ft. Mary J. Blige is another successfully pulled off duet. The Kanye West produced "Dreams" is also well executed while the Timberland produced "Put you on the game" has a beat that is ready for the club, in spite of a weak hook and recycled lyrics.

All in all, The Game's debut falls far short of the hype. It is far from classic, but the production, and some good guest performances provide this album with enough good material to make it solid. However, his erratic flow, excessive plagiarism, and non-stop name calling will be very problematic for many as well. As an artist he is still a work in progress: he is a decent lyricist, has a dope voice, and is surrounded by some of the best creative minds in hip hop. Maybe he will be able to see past the almost certain commercial success he will receive, and work to elevate himself to the level he raps about being on. Or maybe he will never bring any real skills to the Game.

[R-Tistic]

I agree with some points. I wouldn't really call it a "negative" review, but they definitely mention much more of the negatives than the positives.

I'd just like to see how they have reviewed all of the other albums to come out in the last year and see how tough they were on those, because from how this dude writes, I could see him sayin Doggystyle was a solid but only above-average album.

[white Boy]

i agree 200%

[boycriedwolf619]

yeah man this album is sketchy

[Juronimo]

That dude was speaking the truth.

[KURUPTION-81]

To me it read as if an east coast journalist wrote it.

[Mr. Humonculous]

That dude was speaking the truth.

[Ðøšïå]

guess we all have an opinion. mine being that every track was fire except the jsut blaze tracks.

[No Compute]

The guy said Westside Story is weak.

[Roman]

Unless you can provide a link I'll just assume someone from a forum somewhere wrote this. The way he writes the review is shoddy at best.

[Gambler]

i can understand some of the points but the review has alot more negative comments than positive. its first few paragraphs trash it, he makes a single paragraph about the positives then closes. i think the album is better than this review lets on anyways ...

[Matrix Heart]

Unless you can provide a link I'll just assume someone from a forum somewhere wrote this. The way he writes the review is shoddy at best.

http://playahata.com

Oh no...haha 

[Bomb-A®]

Unless you can provide a link I'll just assume someone from a forum somewhere wrote this. The way he writes the review is shoddy at best.

http://playahata.com

Oh no...haha 

yeah....where does this come from???



peace

[TraceOneInfinite Flat Earther 96']

I agree with some points. I wouldn't really call it a "negative" review, but they definitely mention much more of the negatives than the positives.

I'd just like to see how they have reviewed all of the other albums to come out in the last year and see how tough they were on those, because from how this dude writes, I could see him sayin Doggystyle was a solid but only above-average album.

Exactly!  This review was a little self-righteous if you ask me.  I don't mind him complaining about Game's subject matter, but this guy wasn't even satisfied with the production of the album.

[GangstaBoogy]

What's worse is, The Game's title track "The Documentary" has a hook where he weaves the titles of classic albums in it, not unlike when Jay-Z on the black album did the same thing with his own album titles:

Jay-Z Said: "Thank God for granting me this moment of clarity / This moment of honesty The world'll feel my truths / Through my Hard Knock Life time My Gift and The Curse / I gave you volume after volume of my work / So you can feel my truths I built the Dynasty by being one of the realest niggas out / Way beyond a Reasonable Doubt (Yall can't fill my shoes) / From my Blueprint beginnings / To that Black Album endin Listen close you hear what i'm about nigga feel my truths"

Game said: "Im Ready To Die / Without a Reasonable doubt / Smoke Chronic and hit it Doggy Style before I go out / Until they sign my Death Certificate / All Eyez On Me Im still at it, Illmatic And that's THE DOCUMENTARY"

told you nima!