Vincent Johnson
    Staff Writer

Ten years ago, The Game released his critically acclaimed, classic debut album, “The Documentary.” Classic singles like “Dreams,” “Hate It Or Love It,” and “How We Do,” are what made the original Documentary such a legendary project. Songs like these truly showcased Game’s talent, creativity, and storytelling ability. This year, The Game set out to recapture the hunger, pain, and ambition that made his debut such a classic by releasing a sequel in the form of the double disc effort, “The Documentary 2,” and “The Documentary 2.5.” During his promotion campaign he explained that he chose to make the sequel a double disc album for a variety of reasons. For one, it was just another achievement that he wanted to add to his legacy. “All the greats had double albums,” he explained. “Tupac had one, Biggie had one, so it was just something that I wanted to add to my belt, ya know?” The other reason that he chose make the sequel a double disk was because there were two different directions that he wanted to go in creatively. “The first disc, which is titled the ‘The Documentary 2,’ is an album that I made for my fans, I wanted to give them the music that I know they love. The second disc, ‘The Documentary 2.5,’ is an album that I made personally for myself. It’s just music that I wanted to make for me. It’s all me.” Personally, I enjoyed the second disc, “The Documentary 2.5” more. It’s just something about an artist being free to go where they want creatively that makes the music more personal and authentic. In “The Documentary 2.5,” Game is rapping on another level, most of the songs are stuffed with some element of narrative which makes the album title of “Documentary,” more than appropriate.

The album begins with “New York Skit.” On this track, which is essentially just a skit, The Game speaks with radio show host Sway Calloway and reminisces on the early days of his career. The main thing that they talked about during their conversation was Game’s beef with fellow rapper and former friend 50 Cent. Shortly after this conversation, which took place in a car, Game, who is an openly admitted member of the Piru Bloods has an exchange with rival gang members who pulled up on his car. After this exchange Game explains how it is seemingly impossible to escape his violent origins, and then the album flows right into the first song, “Magnus Carlsen” featuring Anderson .Paak. As Anderson sings “Tie on a bandana then we lay him out, fighting over two colors in a crayon box, it’s no love… it’s no love… 40 oz in my cup I’m po’d up. We out her killin’ each other but so what,” and Game raps, “What’s happenin? My nigga just died from Aids. What’s happenin? Isis throwing grenades. What’s happenin? White boy shootin’ up a church. What’s happenin? My nigga Tu Tu just got some work,” listeners are given an authentic glimpse into the The Game’s world from his perspective.  One thing that has always made Game’s albums so enjoyable is the way each track seems to flow into the next seamlessly, and the transition from the skit into “Magnus Carlsen” is a prime example. As he mentions the haunting nature of gang life in the skit, he makes it a point to focus the song on that same concept.

Another standout track from “2.5” titled “Last Time You Seen,” which features the legendary lyricist, Scarface, finds The Game speculating on the death of Tupac. After reciting the painful refrain of, “When the last time you seen Tupac?” Game makes a mysterious, yet gripping proclamation, “I know who killed Pac nigga! The police know who killed Pac nigga! Suge Knight know who killed Pac nigga! He died at the carwash the world heard the shots nigga!” Game seems to be eluding to the idea that although Pac’s murder is supposedly unsolved, the identity of the murderer(s) is not a secret to certain people. He also seems to be setting himself up for a stretch later in the song where he would solidify these ideas into accusations, “I think it’s a conspiracy theory, illuminati. They killed Pac and two months later they killed Kadafi. Then they killed Bontry Al and Heron, they gettin’ sloppy! LAPD, these niggas worse than the Nazis!” Although it may seem like harsh comparison to some, Game is merely illustrating the situation from his point-of-view. And in doing so, he compares the multiple unsolved murders, which he believes were orchestrated by the LAPD, to the Holocaust, in which over 10 million Jews were mercilessly massacred by Nazi terrorists. Although the narrative of this track is rooted in the past, it is interesting how much of the social commentary is still relevant to today’s world, as the black community still continues to battle with problems like police brutality.

The album’s final track, “Life,” is an appropriate closing track to an extremely dense and emotional album. For all of the blood, sweat, and tears that were illustrated in the previous songs. “Life” stands to provide clarity. Where songs like “Magnus Carlsen” and “Last Time You Seen” focus on the past. “Life” finds Game focused on his present, and where he’s at in his life currently. The song begins with a recording of Game’s youngest son, King Justice declaring, “My daddy ain’t going nowhere, Never!” and then goes straight into a sample of Whitney Houston’s “You Give Good Love.” “Life” was produced by production group Tone Mason. It doesn’t take long for Game to start spitting, when the beat drops he goes straight in, “Whether we dribble out this mothafucka, wrap rock or riddle out this mothafucka, we gon get up out this mothafucka!” Lyrics like serve to paint a picture of Game’s ambition and desire to be great, by any means necessary. As Game continues he reminisces on significant life-changing events. One in particular was the murder of his brother. When he says, “That’s how it was before my brother caught them slugs and I watched coroners chalk him out, That ain’t my brother in that box, what niggas talking bout? Couldn’t Paul Bearer cause I was too weak to walk him out,” the pain is present. “Life” also finds Game sharing his feelings on some of the issues that have plagued our nation in 2015, lines like, “I done been to Africa, seen niggas in Attica cops killing our youth, these numbers ain’t adding up, like that white boy sitting in a prison cell, killed 9 people in a church, how he living still?” exist to resonate with listeners on a personal level. The bulk of the end of the song finds Game rapping about his family life, and the pride that he takes in being a father to his children, and serves as a fitting ending to an amazing song.

Overall, “The Documentary 2.5” is an excellently crafted album. From the first song to the last the cohesiveness is present and the title is befitting. It’s refreshing to hear The Game able to create such a solid project this far along in his career. Songs like “Magnus Carlsen,” and “Last Time You Seen,” showed that Game is still just as hungry and passionate about rapping as he’s ever been, as they showcase his tremendous story telling abilities. And songs like “Life” stand to magnify his growth. Not only as an artist, but as a man, and a father as well. Ultimately, I think that Game has achieved what he set out to achieve musically with the sequel to “The Documentary.” Regardless of whatever the record sales turn out to be, this album was a success. I will be copping a physical copy. And The Game will die a legend.