|
The Game - The Doctor’s AdvocateAlbum Review by:
John Burnett
Thursday, November 2, 2006
Since the late Tupac Shakur there has not been a figure in hip-hop that has been surrounded by more controversy than the Game. The Compton, California native’s brief career in the music industry has been consumed by constant beef; the latest being his massive fallout with G-Unit general, 50 Cent. During the heated conflict, 50 said he wrote the Game’s debut album, The Documentary. Curtis Jackson’s accusations of writing the Game’s 5X platinum album had many industry insiders and fans wondering could the Game put together another quality album without 50 Cent. The Game’s response with a “me against the world” mentality is his sophomore effort, 'The Doctor’s Advocate'.
Game’s biggest obstacle on The Doctor’s Advocate is not overcoming 50 Cent’s absence but is actually dealing with the absence of his protégé, Dr. Dre. On “Da Shit” Game emulates the voice and flow (eerily well) of Dr. Dre slowing down his normal flow and stretching the ending of his words similar to the way his mentor used to but not saying much of substance on this effort. On the Just Blaze produced “Remedy” Game attempts to show he is Eazy E reincarnated over the N.W.A. sample. Game shows he is a student of the game bringing back that mid to late 80s sound, content and cadence that N.W.A. made infamous. The Game spends most of his early album attempting to revive West coast gangsta rap with his exaggerated West Coast bravado which in turn translates into lackluster/repetitive lyrics and tracks with very limited subject content. Game doesn’t hit stride until midway through his album with tracks like “Wouldn’t Get Far” which is produced by the Louis Vuitton don, Kanye West. Over another soul sample of Ye’s Game explores the sexual exploits of video vixens putting many videochicks on blast with quotes like “And all these video bitches trying to be Melyssa Ford/but they don’t know Melyssa Ford drive an Accord/she’s a video vixen but behind closed doors/she does what it takes to get to the Grammy awards…haha” The humorous track adds some much needed relief to the nonstop G-talk. Deeper into the album the tracks become more sincere and delve deep into Game’s relationship with close friends, his troubled childhood and deep admiration for Dre. The final tracks improve the overall listening experience but in the end, it’s easy to perceive something is missing.
Without Dre’s quarterbacking behind the scenes, Game’s album lacks direction. Many of the early tracks end up being glorified freestyles that tell no story, have no direction and are missing concepts ending up sounding like the same rhymes over different beats. And although Dre’s presence is missing, his name is not. Game makes mention of Dre on nearly ever track, almost obsessively. Game does manage to put together a fairly decent album with production help from Storch, Will I Am, Kanye West and Just Blaze and caps the album with a soulful climax featuring Nas reminiscing on hip-hop’s fallen soldiers and current heavyweights and a much-needed squashing of the beef between him-self and 50. The Doctor’s Advocate is not worth half the hype that was made for it but is an okay listen. Game still has potential but without Dre mentoring him it’s a wrap. Hopefully Dre will hear this album and accept hip-hop’s prodigal son back.
 ( 453) Comments | Post a comment »
| |