I hate gangsta rap. I won’t even acknowledge it as a genre. If ever there was “gangsta rap” it was born, raised and killed with Straight Outta Compton. The only people that use the term gangsta rap are old folk and the media. There’s either good hip hop or bad hip hop. I won’t approach one artist as representing a certain sub-genre just the same as I won’t approach a Dilated LP with the term backpackers in mind. If Gangsta rap does exist then it is in the form of a type of entertainment made by po’ black folks for middle class crackers who take some voyeuristic pleasure in the struggles of drug dealing and black on black murder set to music. It’s not hip hop. That said one of the finest albums this decade was just that “The Documentary” and was a masterpiece when I neither expected nor wanted it to be. The biggest reason, despite the Dre production was The Game himself.
As an artist The Game is utterly riveting. He is a rare genuine character in this musical landscape of PR’s and soulless bland imagery. The Game is the real deal and has some kind of lunatic unpredictability that, at this moment in time, puts him in the same category as an Old Dirty Bastard or a Kurt Cobian. The music on here is very good but what propels his new album, Doctors Advocate, to the next level is The Game. His well publicised beef with 50 Cent and his being dropped by Aftermath and Dre after the release of The Documentary plus his arrests and family fallings out have not dented but in fact made The Game stronger just when it seems he couldn’t take anymore sheet. One of my favourite moments is Doctors Advocate where our hero is rapping as if he is drunk and pouring his heart out to Dre in an open apology “I love you Dre…” which is either a/ stupid or b/ a clever tactic of double crossing his former mentor. Either way it’s unintentionally humorous and lent an even greater comedic value when Busta Rhymes chips in with his confirmation that The Game is just a kid. Another stand out moment is on California Vacation where Xzibit tells any foe to “Fuck Off” which I have never heard an MC use before so top marks for originality there Mr. Pimp My Ride. Wouldn’t Get Far with Kanye is another brilliant track despite its dubious dissing of my black sisters.
Form the opening track onwards there is a lot to get your teeth into and although the subject matter seldom deviates from how real he is/killing brothers and slanging rock it is seldom dull. Tracks like One Blood, Let’s Ride and Too Much prove that The Game doesn’t need Dre to put out more excellent material. There are some stinkers on here though, especially the Will-I-Am produced Compton and the Swizz turd of Scream On Em and unfortunately this is what holds back the album from being classic. The Documentary was quality all the way through where as this is good but has a few too many fast forward moments to be able to compete. So to sum/arise I say buy this before this true musical maverick kicks the bucket or sells out. Game on. 8/10.