Every so often there comes a rapper who single-handedly shifts the climate of hip hop. 50 Cent transformed the mood from the prevalent love rap to a gun-toting gangsta vibe with his debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin. Kanye launched the backpacker movement with his first album a year later. Well, it's the streets turn again. G-Unit's newest soldier, The Game, is ready to take hip hop back to the days of N.W.A. with his premiere effort, The Documentary.
The album features an all-star cast of producers. Kanye West's soulful samples and rapid percussion serve as the perfect ambiance for "Dreams," on which The Game reflects on his journey from a hospital bed to the Aftermath roster. Timbaland lays the track for the funky "Put You on The Game" and Dr. Dre blazes the lead single, "How We Do" and underground smash "Higher," both of which are sure to be heard booming from car speakers from New York to Compton. Just Blaze does exactly as his name suggests on "Church For Thugs," as Game spits that Compton thug rap over Blaze's blaring horns: "I'm gangsta, let the 40 cal blow in public / More hatred inside my soul than Pac had for Delores Tucker." Bail-jumping G-Unit affiliate Tony Yayo fits in perfectly on "Runnin'," as he and Game rhyme over Hi-Tek's eerie organs and a morbid moaning that could serve as theme music for a horror movie.
But this Compton-Blood has more to offer than empty thug braggadocio. He delves into his past on the drunken "Start From Scratch" and gives a vivid minute-by-minute description of his son's birth on "Like Father, Like Son"- "11:46, the head out, she's screaming making crazy noise / Pain is love, my stomach folding like a lazy boy." Mary J. Blige joins alongside Compton's prodigy on "Don't Worry," as they create a musical matrimony, combining Game's rugged rhymes with Mary's signature street soul over a chilling piano backdrop, courtesy of Dr. Dre.
Unfortunately, The Documentary does have a few forgettable tracks. The Eminem-assisted "We Ain't" sounds out of place. Its synthesized beat does not compliment Game's rhyme style, as Eminem steals the show. "Special" is another track begging to be skipped, as Game's ode to that "special" lady sounds forced and uninspired.
It's his gangsta sincerity and cleverly constructed rhymes over top-notch production that makes his debut a remarkable one. However, the album's extravagant production sometimes overshadows his monotone delivery, making it easy to miss some of the gems he delivers. While The Documentary may not be hailed a hip hop classic, it is an exceptionally solid debut and a bright start to what should be a great career. Get ready, The Game has just begun...
Copyrights
John Kennedy. The Game- The Documentary. Copyright 2005 Vibe.com.
