Coda.fm

The Documentary

by The Game

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If the Game's G Unit-fueled 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 handpick 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-latelys that his region is still rap relevant. On the Dr. Dre-produced "Higher," he snorts: "I got 'em (Impala's) in every color, 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 and involved 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