Review Summary: I graduated from Dre. School, top of my class: Treat my switches like my bitches, got em droppin that ass! Still bangin The Chronic like Doggystyle came wit it, and I roll up sticky on my bitch back when I hit it!
Pioneers of hip hop like DougEFresh, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-ONE (Check out track "history) 90s rappers like Nas, Common, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, WU-TANG clan, newer rappers from Lil Wayne to Ludacris all have called The Game a legendary rapper. Meanwhile The Game is one of the only artists teaching the new generation about the forgotten artists of the Golden Age of hip hop and also the political reasons the movement formed and existed, and of course hes re-payed by mainstream critics who say hes "name dropping".
The Game has established himself as a legendary MC because hes true to the history of hip hop. Critics are always caught up on wordplay and anxious to hear meaningless multi-syllable rhymes which Game doesn't attempt. In other news The Game, someone whose "a product of hip hop like spray paint on a freight train... i got my first boombox in 85. i was maybe 5. or maybe 6. so what im tryin to tell you is ive been fuckin wit hip hop since the 80s BITCH!" understands what hip hop is. No its not something in your shampoo and no it wasn't originally a music genre, its was, and to many still is: a lifestyle and political movement.
The first thing you need to know about this album is that The Game WROTE and co-produced this entire album, including the guest's hooks etc., which is only true for this album and LAX. The Game's first album, The Documentary, sold over 6 million copies. After Game left G-Unit for refusing to take 50-Cent's side in beefs with rappers such as Fat Joe and Nas, Game began to hear G-Unit members claiming his first album's success was mostly due to 50 cent.
The Game released a diss-mixtape called 'Youknowwhatitis Vol 3' that dissed G-Unit on basically every song with possibly the funniest and most clever diss lines heard in 21st century hip-hop. One notable song that wasn't a diss on that album called "Never be Friends" is about the death of Game's longtime childhood friend Justo, which was clearly a turning point in his life that occurred just before the creation of The Doctor's Advocate. In this album The Game takies his first and biggest steps on the path to making mature, enlightened and focused music.
Its true that The Game's lyrical content and cleverness only improve album by album, and the previous album, The Documentary, has 2-3 times more songs you that you will hear on the radio; but the thing that sets this album apart from his others is its authenticity. The Game had much more influence in producing this album than any others (except possibly LAX) because he had just left Aftermath/Interscope recording label (and eventually resigned for The RED Album). As a result, this album is by far the least 'mainstream' of Game's four major albums and has the best sound for people trying to hear witty wordplay and cleverly told stories, not pop-stars singing hooks thanks to corporate big wigs trying to sell albums to America's largest demographic: fat 10 year old girls.
If you have the time, listen to the album from start to finish. If not make sure you listen to Compton, Too Much, Scream On Em, One Night...
The 1st song "Lookin At You." 8/10.
Semi-Intro song but has great verses.
The 2nd song Da Shit 8/10.
This song was probably named for 50 cent shitting himself after he heard it for the first time.
3 Its Okay-One Blood 8/10
TGame kills a beat by Junior Reed like mainstream hasn't seen in years.
4 Compton 9/10
Will.I.Am production on this song is insane... so is Games lyrics. This song is FUNKY and hardcore.
5 Remedy 9/10
While the first couple of songs on this album sounded like old west coast 90s songs, this song outdoes old 90s songs with cleverer lyrics and a beat that would make Dr. Dre jealous. Some of Game's best lyrics on this song. NOTE: You need a good bass for this song to sound good at all.
6 Too Much 10/10
Incredible. Game really knows how to make upbeat songs that mesh really well with Nate Dogg, who was the only returning artist from The Documentary.
7 Wouldn't Get Far 8/10.
This song is hilarious. Kanye West makes a beat that goes perfectly with the Game dissing video-sluts like Vida Guerrera and Melissa Ford.
8 Scream on Em 10/10
This is possibly Game's most lyrically technical song. Swizz Beats Production is adrenaline pumping.
9 One night 10/10
Hard to even compare this song to any other album or rapper, this is Game at his truest, greatest and most original. Tracks 9, 10 and 11 Game clearly wrote when he was drunk.... so he leaves nothing unsaid. Track 9 is about his friend's betrayal.
10 Doctor's Advocate 7/10
Bhusta Rhymes, who is close friends with the Game since he signed with Aftermath, makes an appearance but it is not impressive for Bhusta's standards. Kinda sounds like hes crying so its not a song iI listen to a lot.
11 Ol' English 10/10
Before you listen to this song go to 711 and buy a blunt and a 40 of OE,brings back memories... this song belongs in the 90s. "i got a lotta dead homiez some blood, some crip, this is life stop watchin that boyz in the hood Sh1t". This song will go down as a hip hop classic when its all said and done. If you are going to judge Game by one song this might be the one to do it by.
12 California Vacation 9/10
Game's verse on this song is especially impressive and much better than Xzibit or Snoop Dogg. This is when you entirely realize Game is nothing to fuck with and is truly a protege of Dr. Dre like his album title suggests.
13 Bang! 9/10
Kinda has a club sound to it, but you would only hear this song being played in the 90s among "The Next Episode" or "Whats My Name", not today's club music.
14 Around the World. 7/10
Jaime Fox doesn't really mesh well with the game's style but the Game is so versatile that the song is still good. Makes you feel like your traveling the world (that is, if you actually finished the 40 and blunt by now).
15 Why You Hate the Game. 9/10
Nas helps Game out on this song but the Game holds his own with lyrics in this song. Motivational song that talks about everything from slavery to Game easing up on his beef with 50 cent out of respect for the rap game that got them both where they are.
You come away from this album with a new perspective of the Game's career and life in Compton. In this album The Game takes you through every step of him maturing from a kid into a man, something represented with his one year old son on the album cover. You gain huge respect him for telling his story candidly and realize he is quite talented lyrically.