Album Review: The Game's 'The Documentary 2' Some of His Best Work
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It's safe to say that The Game knew that he had a classic with his latest album titled, The Documentary 2. It's probably the reason he shied away from entertaining Stitches any further in the recent beef.
(Album Stream Below)
The Documentary 2 is hands down one of the best albums The Game has ever created for his fans. What stands out the most is the fact that he uses both West Coast and East Coast influences on the album. There are also clear nods to the OG's like Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and even the Notorious B.I.G., just to name a few. The album is laced with features including the opening track titled, "On Me" featuring Kendrick Lamar.
A lot of the opening tracks on the album are clear homages to the classic West Coast/Compton style music. "Step Up" featuring Dej Loaf and Sha Sha has and old school feel that is undeniable. At the 1:11 mark, The Game breaks into a Notorious B.I.G. style flow and solidifies the fact that he is paying homage to the Notorious B.I.G. with a Coogi reference.
The Game also pays homage to the Digable Planets classic"Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like That)" on "Don't Trip" featuring Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Will.I.Am.
The both Dre and Cube are west coast legends from the N.W.A. and flex all over the track confirming that they haven't lost a step. The Game also holds his own on the track and goes full Digable Planets mode at the tail end of his first.
The Documentary 2.5 track "My Flag / Da Homies" Game ft. Jay 305, Ty Dolla $ign, AD, Mitchy Slick, Joe Moses, RJ (OMMIO) & Skeme
The Game brings back some of his Notorious B.I.G. style flow mixed with his own signature sound on "Standing on Ferraris" featuring Diddy.
This was one of the standout tracks next to "Don't Trip" and "On Me." Clearly The Game wanted to make an album that traveled through different decades of rap and make sure his fans got a semi-history lesson in the process.
The production on all of the tracks are second to none and there is a mixture of storytelling and straight flexing, making it one of the most diverse albums in 2015.
The album is a whopping 19 tracks long and none of them feel rushed or forced in any manner including "Dollar and a Dream" featuring Ab-Soul. Of course there is no denying the title that represents something that rapper J. Cole stands for. There are elements of of Cole's style in production, though it is a Cool & Dre produced track.
It's very refreshing to hear a quality verse from Ab-Soul who makes his claim for being the best yet in hip-hop and shouts out the new West Coast movement that he and his TDE mates are part of. The track transitions nicely into "Made in America" featuring Marcus Black.
"Made in America" is a smooth break from the full on hardcore nature and heavier beats.
"Circles" is yet another standout track on The Documentary 2 and it features, Q-Tip, Eric Bellinger and Sha Sha.
It's a two part track that represents the complexities of a relationship and how much "love is like a merry-go-round." Meanwhile tracks like "Dedicated" featuring Future and Sonyae, "B*tch You Ain't Sh*t," and "Summertime" featuring Jelly Roll are a nice lead into another standout track in "Mula" featuring Kanye West.
There is just something special about the songs that feature West and The Game, from the classic "Wouldn't Get far" to "Jesus Piece" and now "Mula", West and The Game have an undeniable formula of making hits together and the newest collaboration is just another result of that.
"The Documentary 2" track seriously displays The Game's ability to completely rip a track and it always seems like he is trying to prove his worth in hip-hop. In "New York, New York" The Game addresses the violence and some of the hypocritical rulings that have emerged over the last couple of years.
He dedicated the song to Stephanie Moseley who was killed by Earl Hayes.
Drake seems to be everywhere in 2016 and he also makes his way on The Game's The Documentary 2 album. "100" was one of the first singles released for The Documentary 2 and fans immediately adopted the track as one of this years top songs that is an anthem for all of the people in the world who keeps it real or "100" as the track says. From "New York, New York" to the closing track "LA" featuring Snoop Dogg, Will.I.Am and Fergie, The Game has created a classic album that fuses both the East Coast and West Coast history of Hip-Hop.
Production is top notch, lyrical content is there and the overall package is very solid. The Documentary 2 is by far one of the top albums of 2016.