The Games debut album 'The Documentary' is brilliant. Almost every song on the album can be listened to over and over again, and I know this is not just my opinion. At least 5 songs from this album have been released as singles and all have held their own, most notably the breakthrough single 'How We Do' which really opened the door for the Games success. The only worry about the album though is similar to that of Obie Trice following his debut album 'Cheers'; has its success come from the big names and producers involved? Production from Dre, Eminem and 50 including a lot of features provides some excellent songs but it doesn't show off the Game himself. Anyway whatever the reason for why this album is so good is besides the point I would recommend this album to anyone.
1.: Intro
2.: Westside Story - Game & 50 Cent
Great beat without overdoing allows the Games grit-rapping voice to shine and opens the album up very well. The lyrics bases around how the Game came from poor roots and basically hasn't changed (apparently).
3.: Dreams
Realeased as a single, produced by kanye west, an excellent song, talking about what the Game aspried to be and a little insight into what and when he went through. Maybe the best of the album.
4.: Hate It Or Love It - Game & 50 Cent
The title may remind you of marmite but the song itself is very much love it or love it. Another released single again featuring 50. Great background music.
5.: Higher
Doesn't sound as commercial as the other releases on the album, great song
6.: How We Do - Game & 50 Cent
The first single of the album, very catchy, head bumping and sing-along-able. The Game and 50 share the fun both with excellent versus and a brilliant beat thumping throughout. A club banger. Either this or Dreams is the best track, both brilliant 10/10.
7.: Don't Need Your Love - Game & Faith Evans
Has a funny almost 'crazy frog' sound going on in the background but the Game just carries on again dropping names and is helped by Faith Evans soulful chorus.
8.: Church For Thugs
Just Blaze produced, sounds different to much of the rest of the album, a bouncy track.
9.: Put You On The Game
Great beat, Game bursts into the song and doesn't look back, a Timbaland produced track (as it says) and definitely of the highest order, very good song.
10.: Start From Scratch - Game & Marsha
Heavy beat, with the Game stressing how he wouldnt change the way he was brought “if i could start for scratch i wudnt change shit, same red bandanna same 4 fifth” accompanying his grity gangster rhymes is Marsha's easy to listen to chorus. Song feels like the Game is telling a story.
11.: Documentary
The albums title track really has a kick to it, starts with some little kid trying to get change from a shopkeeper (dunno what thats about) but after this its just nod-your-head-able all the way through. The chorus consists of the Game listing legandary albums and whilst it seems a bit old he seems to just be showing that hes a fan as much as the rest of us.
12.: Runnin' - Game & Tony Yayo
Again the Game uses the comparisons between his and a much softer voice (not Yayo's) to make his standout. Yayo really isupstaged and feels like hes out of depth with his scratchy-shouting-forced voice.
13.: No More Fun And Games
throughout the album Game drops tributes to big name artists past or present and on this track he actually uses an N.W.A sample.
14.: We Ain't - Game & Eminem
This song is produced by Eminem and from the offset you can tell this, Em puts in a good effort for his feature and the song has a catchy chorus sided rapping.
15.: Where I'm From - Game & Nate Dogg
A slow song using where the Game cant resist more name dropping (right from the start), Nate does what he does best and just sings the chorus and hooks and it works. I think the Games voice really does work well on these slow songs dunno why just does.
16.: Special - Game & Nate Dogg
Nate Doggs second involvement and basically he just adjusts his words and continues on from the last song singing and singing. Not one of my favourite songs on the album, the beat has a funny high pitched almost keyboard sound.
17.: Don't Worry - Game & Mary J. Blige
starts of slow with some really nice singing from Mary J.Blige allows the Games voice to shine when he bursts into the song due to the sheer contrast.
18.: Like Father Like Son - Game & Busta Rhymes
An insightful song where the Game actually talks about stuff that has affected him through his life and you can tell it he just sounds more grown up talking about his baby boy. Great slow song with Busta Rhymes getting in on the act doing the chorus.
The album as a whole is only let down by a few weaker songs but still it is excellent from start to finish. I am writing this review having bought the album nearly 2 years ago and am still loving listening to it and have mainly wrote good stuff about it so its longevity is proven, i would recommend this to anyone who likes hip-hop. The only downside, like I previously mentioned, is the sheer number of different producers and guest spots that make you feel could the Game have made anything this good without all of the big names, also far too many name drops.