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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
If the Game's G Unit-fuelled debut--the most anticipated CD of early 2005--is supposed to be the Answer like Iverson, then what was the question? Well, when an emcee gets to rifle through 50 Cent's Rolodex to hand-pick top flight producers Timbaland, Just Blaze, Kanye West) it's a can't miss scheme, right? In this case, uh-huh. "Westside Story" is Game's opportunity to remind crunk-come-lately's that his region is still rap relevant. On the Dr Dre produced "Higher" he snorts: "I got 'em (Impala's) in every colour, yeah I'm a known stunna." Yep, he's rich now too, and drives whips that cost more than most make in a year. It doesn't even matter much that he's a B minus rhyme spitter, or that he spends way too much studio time name dropping. His real life 50 Cent-esque narratives (been shot, involvement in "subterranean" activities) makes cuts like the introspective, Havoc-hemmed "Don't Need Your Love" with Faith Evans that much more compelling. Boasting a half-dozen plus other sure-fire hit singles including the Kanye burner "Dreams," few albums can match up to The Documentary--the only Game in town.--Dalton Higgins
Review
Mainstream hip-hop in 2005 is a pretty contradictory beast: corporate, lawless, angry, humorous, moralistic, sentimental, clever and stupid - often in the space of a single track, from the lips of the same rapper.
Breaking it down, the divide looks pretty simple. On the one hand you've got your fantasy world of MTV Cribs: That's ostentatious displays of wealth, pimped-up rides, booty shakin laydeez and enough ice for a rink. On the other you've got your street. That's hustling, surly men in vests, fallen soldiers with a taste for pitbull breeding.
Those living the latter want the former. Those living the former need the latter. Credibility means 'keeping it real' (ie getting shot five times), and credibility is all. In this vacuum, where fantasy ends and reality begins, exists the genre of gangster rap.
And into this scenario, enter Compton resident Jayceon Taylor, aka The Game, the latest in the long line of hip-hop survivors and one whose encountered two slices of good fortune. First when he survived a three-day coma after taking those five bullets, and second having Dr Dre there to greet him when he woke up.
With such a CV the music is probably irrelevant. But sonically-speaking, The Documentary is one of the best major label hip-hop albums of recent years. The guest producers- includingDre, Kanye West, Just Blaze and Eminem - proffer a near faultless succession of hi-tech beats and ominously catchy hooks.
Its basically G-Funk 05-style, and as a successor to Straight Outta Compton, The Chronic, Doggystyle and Get Rich Or Die Trying, The Documentary is a worthy one.
The only downfall is lyrical. Taylor may spin a great life story, but he's a pretty mediocre rapper rarely able to transcend either his heroes (this is a man who sports an NWA tattoo) or the clichéd thuggery of the genre.
The result is probably the ultimate fanboy album - musically brilliant, but otherwise curiously sterile. The Game ticks all the requisite boxes and will no doubt get propelled to Crib heaven off the back of it, but whether he remains a long-term fixture is open to question. --Adam Webb
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Man i love this album, i bought this album since the day it was released and it's still in my cd player and i just keep listening to it. To be honest i wasn't expecting Game to be this good, he has everything a good rapper should have and if he continues to do what his doing at the moment, than in a couple of years time his name will be remembered in hip-hop along with Pac, Biggie, Nas, Dre, Jay and all the other rap legends.
But i have to say this album wouldn't have been this good without the magic touch of Dre, no one can match his producing skills, every album he touches or every song he touches becomes a big hit. i can't wait for his new album Detox.
Anyway back to The Game, i love almost every song in this album.
Here's my favourite 5 songs:
But i have to say this album wouldn't have been this good without the magic touch of Dre, no one can match his producing skills, every album he touches or every song he touches becomes a big hit. i can't wait for his new album Detox.
Anyway back to The Game, i love almost every song in this album.
Here's my favourite 5 songs:
Hate it or Love it-This song is the bomb, great production by Dre, great verses from 50 and Game, deep lyrics.
Don't need your love-This is my second favourite song on the album, not many people like this one, i don't know why because this song has great lyrics with a good message, and Faith does a great job on the hook.
Start from scratch-What a track this is, i heard he was drunk when he did this song and you can tell it from the way he raps, but really emotional song with good lyrics and a great beat.
Higher-My favourite on the album, when i heard this song for the first time, i didn't like this at all, but it just grew on me and it became my favourite song one the whole album, i love the beat, this is a magic from Dre, and Games lyrics make this song a classic.
Special-Game and Nate, good combination and a great song, i like the beat, the lyrics, the hook by Nate, i love everything about this song. Again, great production by Dre.
The rest of the songs are great too, Dreams, Westside story, How we do, We ain't, Whare i'm from, Like father like son.
Basicaly this is one of the best albums i've heard in a long, long time. Good to see some great rappers coming out and showing their talents, we need them instead of this fake rappers like, Lil Jon, nelly, chingy, lil flip, all this b***** can't rap they just talk b*******.
Peace.
OUTLAW
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The Game (real name: Jayceon Tayler) has been sitting on the backburner of Shady/Aftermath for over a year & a half now. During that time, he's been releasing mixtape material & taking shots from Jersey MC Joe Budden. Finally, though, around the middle of 2004, we got a chance to hear "Westside Story", which is undoubtedly one of Game's best tracks. At the end of '04 we saw him in his first video (the remix vid. for "Certified Gangstas" by DipSet's Jim Jones) & then soon after "How We Do" dropped.
When I picked up this album i had read several reviews saying one thing "the beats are hot, the lyrics are not". I was told this was an average album with great production but lyrcially couldn't hold up to any other G-Unit member. I was also told that Joe Budden's album was better (which i believe it is, but Game's isn't as bad as its being made out to be).
Game's album has several high points. Yes, the production does carry some tracks through that otherwise would've been trash ("Put You On The Game", "How We Do", "Higher") but Game shines lyrically on so many other tracks its hard to notice. The uptempo feel-good 50 Cent collabo "Hate It or Love It" comes to mind in this category, seeing as how Game outshines his G-Unit partner throughout the entire track. Other tracks where Game lyrically shines are "Westside Story" (which suffers from being almost a year old before the albums release), "Dreams", "No More Fun & Games" & "Like Father Like Son".
The thing about The Documentary that makes it good, though, isn't the high-standard lyrics but rather the entertainment. On "Start From Scratch" he raps an entire song flat out drunk & it comes off as the best track on the album. Why? Because its entertaining, its something we haven't heard before & its emotional. Another track like this is the title track, which is basically just him linking together classic LP titles in the chorus & name-dropping several times throughout his verses. One way or another, though, it comes off as a really good track.
The only low points on The Documentary are Tony Yayo's verse on "Runnin" (flat out horrible), the fact that Busta Rhymes is only on this album as a chorus singer and the Mary J. song being too dull. The rest of the album is above-average due to its entertainment factors, Game's lyrics or the stellar production.
Best songs:
-Westside Story
-Dreams
-Hate It Or Love It
-Start From Scratch
-The Documentary
-No More Fun & Games
-Like Father Like Son
Overall Rating - 4.5/5
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Before buying this album, i had only heard the track Dreams, and this was for the sole reason it was produced by Kanye West. It was to my surprise just how strong the rest of the album was! In my opinion there is not a single weak track on the album, although there are most certainly stand out tracks. Personal favourites, Westside Story, which was a great choice of track to start the album with. This is then followed by Dreams, which for me is definitely the best track on the album. Being such a big fan of Dr Dre, his trademark beats are all over the album, such as Higher, which another stand out track on the album. Eminem also continues to show his production talents on We Ain't, which again is a very strong track.
In short, this is album shows The Games clear vocal talent, along with production from the best in the industry.
GO BUY IT NOW!!
In short, this is album shows The Games clear vocal talent, along with production from the best in the industry.
GO BUY IT NOW!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
BROKEN CASE
My case is broken for the documentary cd. I cant find a faulty section on the website without having to return it. All i need is a replacement case. Read more
Published 6 months ago by CE
yo
sick album, hes not the best lyricist but he can make good songs so its worth the buy all the way
Published 18 months ago by Yo
Pfft
The album is good, I agree. The songs with 50 cent are very good. What annoys me though, is how many times The Game says "Dre" in The Documentary (37 times!!!). Read more
Published on 9 Oct 2006 by R. Dunlop
For the people who KNOW WHAT IT IS !
Firstly if you are a g-unit fan get a life, Now thats boring and repetative music ( oh yeah with a whole load of SINGING and not rapping invloved ) but if you have no hip hop taste... Read more
Published on 17 Sep 2006 by C. Vance
HES ALRIGHT-BUT NAME DROPS WAY TOO MUCH-2.5 STARS
there are some good points and bad points about this album, the good points are that the game has a good flow, a good voice which makes you pay attention, all the beats are very... Read more
Published on 23 July 2006 by chris
its game time
im so sick and tired of people critizing rapperz like the game who has extradionary talent but yet people say its repetive or boring wake up this 1 of the best hip hop albums in... Read more
Published on 4 May 2006 by L. crosthwaite
WEST BACK ON THE MAP
I dont care what anyone says the game HAS but the west back on the map,even snoop says so!Anyway the album is hot and dont listen when people say the game is a wack rapper and 50... Read more
Published on 29 April 2006 by C. Mort
Repetitive after a couple of listens
Bought this album after hearing the Game on the radio and other CDs quite a bit. What you get here is some great music, but the rapping can get repetitive. Read more
Published on 12 Mar 2006 by J. J. Prichard
The West's Back!!!!!!!!!
I'm not saying the west ever left, as in my opinion the west has always run hip hop, but this is one of the hottest albums dropped since the days of The Chronic and N.W.A. Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2006 by Mr. Michael Stables
I'm bored of this game
There are two points to be made about this album...
1) Most of the production is brilliant
2) The Game is a terrible rapper. How many times can one man name/album drop? Read more
Published on 13 Feb 2006
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