The Game is from the birthplace of Gangsta’ Rap, Compton, CA. But this is a new, different Westside story, one that joins with the Eastside while paying respects to rap’s hardcore pioneers of the ‘80s, NWA. The Game, a former gangbanger who turned to rap after being shot five times and left for dead, is about peace not war. Working closely with Dr. Dre on his debut album; This Game is for real.
The Game Vol. 1, (Aftermath/G Unit/Interscope), the debut album from The Game (a/k/a Jayceon Taylor), announces the arrival of the most significant West Coast gangsta rapper since Snoop Dogg more than a decade earlier. With guest spots from 50 Cent, Nate Dogg and several others, as well as producers from Dr. Dre to Kanye West to Just Blaze and tracks such as “Like Father Like Son,” “Church For Thugs,” “Dreams,” “Where I’m From” and “Westside Story,” The Game Vol. 1 resurrects the truth, spirit and hope of hardcore rap.
“A lot of rap today is bubblegum bullshit that says nothing and means nothing to anybody living in the ‘hood,” says the 24-year-old with a tattoo of NWA’s Eazy-E on his right forearm. “I’m not knocking anybody’s hustle but I can’t feel what’s in hip-hop today. Everybody’s rapping but they’re not saying anything. NWA, Biggie, 2Pac, Snoop and Jay-Z all had something to say then Biggie, Pac and Eazy died and it was devastating. We almost let rap die until the Great White Hype (Eminem) saved hip-hop and 50 dropped the gangsta wake-up call. I feel like it’s my turn now and I can fill the shoes.”
What all three have in common is the guiding hand of Dr. Dre, Compton’s own and one of the founding members of NWA. “The best moment I’ve had in rap was walking into his studio in 2002 and Dre saying he heard a mix tape of my freestyles and wanted to sign me,” says Game. “Trying to act cool? I was frozen. I’m still starstruck with Dre. He’s been almost 20 years at the top. That I get to soak up the game from a musical genius like him gives me a 20-year head start on everybody else. He’s like the father I never had. Everything about a
father throwing a baseball to his son in the suburbs, that’s what NWA was to me. They were the only role models I had besides Michael Jordan. Eazy was the father of hardcore and I don’t understand why he only gets honorable mention when people talk about rap.”
Game’s beloved grandmother nicknamed him Game because he was always game for anything--basketball, running track, riding bikes, playing in the streets. Family problems related to his father caused him to be placed in a foster home from the third grade to the ninth grade. “My childhood was fucked up but it wasn’t really that different from anyone else who lived in the ‘hood,” he says. Soon after he was returned to his mother, one of his older brothers, Jevon, was shot and killed. The Game then started running behind another older brother, Big Fase 100, who had been taken in by the Cedar Block Piru Bloods, even though they grew up in a Crip neighborhood called Santana Block on Compton’s East Side.
Fase tried to keep him away from thuggin’ but, once it became clear that Game was going to be there, his brother was determined to teach him how to survive on the streets. Then, after graduating high school in 1999, an older adopted brother, Charles, was shot and killed. “People don’t know what type of toll that takes on your life,” he says. “Especially being young and just fresh out in the world.” A one-time star shooting guard for Compton High School who was offered scholarships to various colleges, the 6-foot-4 Game now started gangbangin’ hard--car thefts, drug dealing and shootings. Finding him too much to handle, his mother kicked him out of her house.
In 2000, The Game and his brother moved into the projects in a nearby city and took over its drug trade. Their success attracted rivals. Late on the night of October 1, 2001, Game was alone in their apartment when there was a knock on the door. Game became victim to a home invasion. “That was the biggest learning experience ever in my life. This sounds crazy but I appreciate that happening to me, because I’d probably be dead if it didn’t. Anybody who gets shot and survives feels lucky. On the other hand I went through so much already that I felt somebody owed me. Now I could live out my dreams.”
He sent his brother to buy new copies of all the classic rap albums, East Coast and West Coast – Dre’s The Chronic, Big’s Ready To Die, Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt, Ice Cube’s Death Certificate, Snoop’s Doggystyle, 2Pac’s All Eyez On Me, every Kool G Rap record, and anything from NWA. He studied them carefully over the next five months. In December 2001, he rapped for the first time. “I mixed everybody’s style into one. That’s why some people feel that I sound like I’m from the East Coast even though I rap about the West Coast.”
He also hopes the purpose of the graphic nature of The Game Vol. 1 doesn’t get twisted. “I’m telling my story. I’m out to please no one but myself. I’m not telling anybody to sell drugs or pick up guns. When I sold drugs it was because it was my last resort, because I had four sisters and an older brother and we were eating Cheerios on Thanksgiving. When I picked up a gun it was because my life was threatened. If you don’t want to hear that; then don’t listen. I’m not glorifying the life I lived because I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. I’m just one human being raised in the ‘hood who wanted nothing more than to get out.”
His sole regret is that his grandmother--the only person who ever believed he could make it out--passed away before she could see his success not just in rap but in life: In summer 2003, Game became a father for the first time with son Harlem Caron Taylor. He says the best moment he’s ever experienced was watching his son’s mother give birth: “That was some next level shit. I’ve never been so happy. I wanted to bring him into the world so much that I was going, ‘Come on!’”
There’s more than anger in this next generation NWA. There’s pride and even optimism for the future. “I gave all I could to this album, it’s me. Enjoy it because it’s the last time I’m living it. As humans we grow and the next album will be about how I’m living now--and I’m loving life.”
Joe Budden: Although Joe Budden didn't really have a dispute with The Game, his disagreement with G-Unit was started through 50 Cent's comments of Joe Budden's debut album. He criticized Budden's album for "lacking street credibility". Joe Budden took offense and released various insults directed at G-Unit. In early 2004, a track on a mixtape had Budden attacking G-Unit on the same track that The Game was featured on. During 2004, The Game had exchanged several disrespectful records with Joe Budden his most famous being the song "Buddens".
The Game made many death threats towards Joe Budden even going so far as to flying to New York to attempt to find him. Joe Budden was the first to bring to light an incident in Game's early years where he appeared on the dating game show "Change of Heart" and had a tongue ring.
The Game admitted to both allegations on his Web site, but defended himself by saying that he was young and needed the money. They mutually decided to stop making hostile records towards each other at a party in New York, however Game has continued to reference his self-proclaimed victory in songs and interviews.
Yukmouth: A video surfaced on the Internet in early 2004 that had Yukmouth in a studio with rapper Domination, who happened to be making a disrespectful song aimed at G-Unit. At the end of the clip, Yukmouth makes comments about Game having a tongue ring. In October 2004, The Game released a record directed towards Yukmouth, "I Got A Million On It", using the same beat Yukmouth is most famous for, The Luniz track "I Got 5 On It".
Yukmouth responded with two tracks and a music video for the second track, featuring an impersonator of The Game. Both songs claimed the same things Joe Budden had said but also said The Game was slapped by Suge Knight. That rumor was supposedly started by Daz Dillinger. The Game responded on his website, saying that if Suge Knight ever touched him, Knight would be "6 feet under".
In February 2005, Yukmouth released a mixtape called "All Out War" with several tracks directed towards The Game. The two squashed their beef after the West Coast Peace Treaty and even recorded a song together prior to that.
Death Row: Dr. Dre's old nemesis Suge Knight is feuding with The Game. After the 2005 BET Awards, associates of Death Row were apparently uninvited to a party hosted by R&B singer Ciara.
An altercation was impeded by a member of Death Row trying to attack and steal The Game's chain. Suge Knight has been having an ongoing feud with Dr. Dre and many of his artists despite the west coast peace treaty that was brokered. Game made a public statement on his BlackWallStreet website forums expressing his extreme dislike of Suge Knight because of "the lives he has endangered".
Roc-A-Fella and Jay-Z: Throughout the debut of The Game, he had a rivalry with Memphis Bleek. The origin of the competition emanates from JT the Bigga Figga's old label (Get Low) sounding very similar to Memphis Bleek's label (Dirty Get Low). The Game was on Get Low Records before signing to Aftermath.
The Game bashed Memphis Bleek for the name situation on many tracks. Another rivalry is based on a line from The Game's "Westside Story" track where he says "And I don't do button up shirts or drive Maybachs", which Jay-Z took this as a direct insult to him. Game stated several times that the diss is in reference to Ja Rule and that he respects Jay-Z. Jay-Z later performed a freestyle on the radio called "Dear Summer" where he frequently mentions the word game in his rhymes leading Game to believe he was taking shots at him.
The Game responded the next day at a concert in Amsterdam where he made several remarks about Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, and Roc-A-Fella Records in an impromptu song. Jay-Z insisted the "Game" references were just about the rap game itself, not the rapper.
The Game also retreated when Tim Westwood asked questions about it on a radio station in the U.K. the same day. In his concert in Los Angeles he attacked everyone he had problems with in the past, which included Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella. Soon after he returned home however, he and Jay-Z made amends and are no longer rivals.
Game has continued in dissing Memphis Bleek however, even including Roc members, the Young Gunz in his verbal assaults. Both have responded on freestyles to which Game and BWS member Cyssero have done a freestyle dissing Young Gunz called "Feel it in the Air".
50 Cent and G-Unit: The Game was originally a member of G-Unit. After his album, The Documentary was released, 50 Cent announced on the radio he was releasing The Game from label. 50 Cent claimed that the rapper was disloyal for not participating in his rap feud with Nas, Jadakiss, and Fat Joe and not giving him proper credit for The Game's album debut. 50 Cent claimed that The Game was not only a "hard head" but almost a risk for the whole G-Unit group because it caused strained relations with Lloyd Banks and 50 Cent.
He felt that his album was being neglected for The Game and his jealousy was fueled by their constant arguing while on tour together. Also there were rumors that 50 Cent had a pushing match with The Game. After hearing of the interview in which 50 Cent was kicking Game out of G-Unit, The Game had gone to confront 50 Cent at the Hot 97 radio station since 50 had not previously talked to Game about his dismissal from the group.
When they were not allowed entry to the building, the entourage of both 50 Cent and The Game were involved in a dispute leading to a member of Game's entourage getting shot and wounded. 50 Cent ended his interview while on air as he was rushed out of the building. It was widely speculated that 50 Cent created the incident to create more record sales as at the time he started a feud with several different rappers.
The rappers had officially put an end to the disagreement between one another and donated money to charitable causes. Although they rarely made eye contact, they both agreed that they were not risking their lives over this feud. Within a few weeks, 50 Cent and G-Unit were dissing The Game once again. In the XXL Magazine, 50 Cent was still dissing The Game, and claimed that without his support on the next album, The Game will not see multi-platinum sales. He also went on to say that Game is not a gangsta and he only says he has an AK47 to make people think he is a gangsta.
Tony Yayo was on Power 105 in New York re-igniting the feud between G-Unit and The Game. Yayo was commenting about the street credibility about The Game and talking about his Change Of Heart appearance. 50 Cent filed a lawsuit against Jimmy Henchmen, the manager of The Game. The rapper sued Henchmen over the filming of the DVD the original "50 Cent" in Infamous Times. The movie chronicles the life of Kelvin "50 Cents" Martin and the rapper authorized footage for the DVD. Henchmen dismissed the lawsuit, stating that 50 Cent's jealousy of The Game was the reason for him suing him.
At New York radio station Hot 97's Summer Jam concert at Giant's Stadium in New Jersey on June 5th 2005, The Game's performance confirmed that his feud with G-Unit has not been squashed. During his performance The Game slandered G-Unit several times, at one point yelling out "G-Unot".
The insults culminated in the appearance of a mascot dressed up as a rat sporting a G-Unit tank top on stage. The rat represented 50 Cent, who has been accused of snitching and placing others in jail by other rappers such as Fat Joe and Jadakiss. The mascot was then beaten down by members of The Black Wall Street. During the set, The Game challenged his former G-Unit members, and capped this off by tossing his G-Unit chain into the crowd. The outlashing at G-Unit received a very mixed crowd response.
He recently released "300 Bars and Runnin'", a 15 minute diss at G-Unit attacking every single member of his former crew except for fellow West-coast rapper Spider-Loc. 50 Cent has mixed feelings about the diss, nevertheless he responded with his video "Piggybank" in which he depicts The Game as Mr. Potato Head. Tony Yayo has briefly mentioned 300 Bars and that he hasn't listened to it because it is "too long".
The Origin Of 300 Bars and Runnin': In mid-June 2005, The Game released a 15-minute-long diss song entitled 300 Bars and Runnin' (the title an homage to NWA's 100 Miles and Runnin' EP), addressing various enemies of his, including Memphis Bleek, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Olivia, and Tony Yayo, among others. Notably, The Game explicitly quells rumours of a growing beef between himself and Jay-Z ("That wasn't no subliminal, Jay"), though whether or not the beef will stay squashed is another issue.
The track's instrumental is comprised of several famous hip-hop beats, including Jay-Z's Dead Presidents, Takeover, and Dear Summer, The Blueprint 2, Eazy-E's Real Muthaphuckkin' G's, Mobb Deep's Shook Ones, 50 Cent's In Da Club, Kanye West's Diamonds (From Sierra Leone) (the first single from his sophomore LP, Late Registration) and more.
The Game had actually written parts of the song when he was still a member of G-Unit, and finally released it after a concert in which he threw his G-Unit chain into the crowd and proclaimed that the G-Unit is full of a bunch of "snitches", and questioning Olivia's gender. He also started his own apparel that read "G-Unot", and sells them over The Black Wall Street website.
The Black Wall Street: The Black Wall Street Records is a label started by the rapper The Game and his half brother Big Fase 100. The label's name comes from the title of a book written by Bay Area label owner JT The Bigga Figga of Get Low Records, titled: "Black Wall Street: The Next Generation of Independent Billionaires".
A book whose subject is concerning creating and running a hip hop record label (Game was signed to Get Low records before signing to Aftermath Entertainment). The Black Wall Street label features artists Vita (formerly of Murder, Inc), 4Bent (known as Billboard), Black Friday, Glasses Malone (a Crip), Life, and Producer Nu Jerzy Devil. In 2005, The Game signed on ex-Death Row Records artists Techniek and Eastwood and are prepared to get together a group known as M.O.B. Cyssero is also affiliated with Black Wall Street.
The Game is also appointed as an artist although he is also signed to Aftermath Entertainment and G-Unit Records. The labels are distributed through Interscope. The Black Wall Street Records is not affiliated with G-Unit. On a sad note, in June 2004, rapper Billboard was murdered in Compton by still yet unknown killers. Game has said to the public he will not retaliate in his movement to end all gang violence in the Los Angeles County area.
