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Ever since The Game (Jayceon Terrell Taylor) reportedly threw his gold N.W.A. chain (gifted to him by Golden State Warriors 'We Believe' era, West Coast NBA legend Baron Davis) into a crowd, he's been known to throw caution to the wind. And not afraid to go against the storm of whoever has thrown him under the bus. No matter how big a Superbowl name. The former 'Doctor's Advocate' went after Jay-Z when he was a mixtape murdering King on Boost Mobile commercials with Kanye and Ludacris. Being prescribed as the next big-thing coming from Dr. Dre's office. Head-to-head with 50 Cent as the best member of G-Unit (that's just 'How They Do'), 'Hate It Or Love It'. All before falling out with said clique right after his debut classic 'The Documentary' dropped. Since then, it's been up and down for Jayceon, although his tailor made records have never taken a quality hit...even if they have in sales. But who else hasn't suffered from this like the last of one of the CD artists before we shuffled to streaming? 'LAX', 'The R.E.D.' album. Californian classic after Californian classic, came after. From 'Jesus Piece' to '1992'. Two sequels to his sought after 'Documentary' ('The Documentary 2' AND '2.5') and more mixtapes than you can tie a bandana 'round a steering column with. And now burning the couch on the beach, whilst he suited and booted gets his hair braided, The Game is far from over with the heart and mind of his 'Illmatic' to 'Stillmatic' Nas honouring album and his first since 2019's Snoop Dogg (original 'Where You From' "WestSIDE") artwork like 'Born 2 Rap'. The almost 30 track, 120 minute long 'Drillmatic-Heart vs. Mind'. All eyes on he, no double-disc. 'Sav(ing) The Best For Last' with Rick Ross, 'A Father's Prayer' like X and the 'Universal Love' with Chris Brown, Chloe and Cassie, sampling Janet's 'Got Till It's Gone' like Joni Mitchell never lies and SWV 'Right Here'. One mixtape like loaded LP that even features a 10 minute diss of one of the best, from the man who once gave us a mega remix that many minutes long. One blood.
And 'One Time' like Wyclef for the man with a reverence to California rap culture like no other. Forget who calls it the work of a vulture! Drilling for gold when no one goes platinum anymore, except Adele, Gaga and Bey. Getting into the concrete of the street with no other than the man, the myth and the West Coast legend that is Ice T. The former 'Cop Killer' lyric filler bringing New Jack to the city for a Game album that shows us almost 30 for 30 that he's back like Jordan's spell with the Wizards, but far from past his best. "I am a nightmare walkin', psychopath talkin'/King of my jungle, just a gangster stalkin'/Livin' life like a firecracker, quick is my fuse/Vendettas of death back the colors I choose/Red or blue, cuz or Blood, it just don't matter", Ice chills to a T, as Game raps, "One time for my n####s in the graveyard/Confused about religion 'cause God couldn't save y'all/Prayed to Allah like I was suited with a bow tie/Prayed to the Most High, then I went multi-/Platinum with hits, still fuckin' low-level bitch." Still crusin' on that love for 'Eazy' with Kanye West (also picking him Dreezy and CHILLER up on the Indian flute of Timbaland's 'Fortunate'). A standout, despite the fact that 'Ye needs to lay off this Pete Davidson stuff. No joke. The couch cutting continues on the Fivio Foreign assisted 'Burnin' Checks' and the 'Voodoo' pins with BOA QG , on the best of the West that sounds as cool as that coast as LeBron, AD and Russ. AKA the Los Angeles Lakers. And for these times, it's a winning one for The Game on a 'Home Invasion' that burns everything, including the kitchen sink and the straight cash 'O.P.P.' with YoungBoy Never Broke Again. But 'Go Outside' with YG and you'll really feel the heat as other rappers are merely on 'Training Day' with Game taking you on a ride around like Ice Cube of the real 'La La Land', once upon a time outside of Hollywood ("Tourists get they hand shot off throwin' up a dub/Since n####s killed Pac, ain't no California love/O.T. and Snoop C-walkin' in the middle of the SoFi/My braids to the back, no cap like I don't lie/Miss my n#### Nip, on the hood, wish we both died/If you see the red rose on Slauson, I got love on both sides"). Even if a Nipsey Hussle track is milk carton missing after his brother removed it like the "la, la, la" of a Kelis 'Milkshake' sample on a Beyoncé 'Renaissance'. 'Chang(ing) The Game' with Ty Dolla $ign and his own dynasty of a Jay-Z sample that brings back the late, great song writing genius of Static Major. And he is such.
Even Roddy Rich can see 'How Far I Came'. But on the part title-track 'Heart vs Mind', The Game brings it to the buzzer with late, great Bill Russell references, rapping "hard to think about myself when Brittney Griner doin' nine" (FREE BG). He wants all the cigar circles. Putin and every thing and one he's put his heart into only to be shown no soul. Even if with Jeremih there's 'No Smoke at the Polo Lounge', Ralph Lauren. Though, 'No Man Falls' when Pusha T states "in my Ukraine, there's no Russias", as alongside 2 Chainz, Game calls himself the "third member of Clipse" with no Malice. Alice finds new hip-hop wonderland with Lil' Wayne and G Herbo on 'Chrome Slugs & Harmony' (what a name for a track) as Tha Carter Weezy talks about picking apart the competition "like pepperoni off a pizza" (we can forgive this sacrilege for the best line since Tunechi said "real G's move in silence like lasagne", but we would have also accepted pineapple). But bumping Mobb Deep, it's the Havoc of 'Start From Scratch II' in sequel that pays tribute to the Prodigy of one of his first classics for the record. 'Flu Game' rapped like the coldest ("Yo son, if that n### Prodigy was standin' in my face right now/He’ll say "Yo, Don, you know I really f### with you"/That's why a n### out here in Kingston, smokin' the loud/Playin’ nothin' but Mobb Deep on this motherf#####' (Get away)/And the first beat I ever had on 'The Documentary' came from that n#### Havoc/So I gotta thank (You)/Looked out for a n####, I owe you one"). Dissing one of the nuanced , nostalgic and event hip-hop albums of an epic classic of a calendar is 'What We Not Gon' Do'. Before a Twista twisting 'Rubi's Rose' pays tribute to the misdemeanours of Missy like 'Is That Yo B####'. Stopping for a 'Drake With The Braids' interlude that explains why we don't have a sequel to the '100' proof (Ministry Of Defence), keeping it exactly that percent (it's not like this is The Game's last album...he always says that). It's a good job Khaled has another one with the party of 'Nikki Beach', inviting French Montana and Tory Lanez. Catching a wave like a great Frank Ocean reference while "the club (jumps) like Earl Manigault", thanks to French on his Tony Montana. Then it's "me vs. everybody", forget heart and mind as 'Talk To Me Nice' with Meek Mill, Moneybagg Yo and Blxst keeps their head ringin'. More of S. Dot is sampled like a 'Song Cry' with A$AP Rocky, saying "WHAT" for the late, great DMX on 'Money Cash Clothes'. While the great Cam'Ron offers Diplomatic Immunity for 'K.I.L.L.A's' like that killer 'Cali classic with Killa. All this and we almost forgot about 'The Black Shim Shady' diss and incredible impression. That even has Hailey responding that it's searching for "relevance" like the time Marshall Mathers warned Ja Rule never to mention his daughters name. Although some fans are claiming keeping a legends name in your mouth is the same thing that Em did with MJ (point). Back to it, Game gets 'Stupid' with Big Sean and Blueface with the '.38 Special', talking of big names. Getting it 'Twisted' with Nipsey Hussle on 'World Tours' (unplayable on streaming services), no matter who tries to Kelis it. Dissing Eminem may seem like a career ending Rule, but you have to admire the balls of someone baiting him to pick up the pen. Telling us this album will help you "understand (why he's) the best rapper alive". Tank (cashing out the game with his own 'R&B Money' this weekend) the king with his Drink Champs response to The Game saying he's better than Eminem ("at what"), although admiring the belief. Because this certainly is "the best album (of his) career", documented. It's Game time again. And he ain't playing. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: This album is almost 30 tracks long. How about the whole damn thing?
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