The Game – The Documentary III (Album Review)

The Game reminds everyone why his pen still deserves serious respect in “The Documentary III.”

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TOP 5

5. 40 Nights (Ft. Kanye West & Mike Eyes)

I’m biased as f**k, but Ye’s dusty drums and soulful production from his prime might be my favorite sound in hip-hop history. “40 Nights” brings that style back beautifully. The production immediately grabs you by the collar, but Ye makes the biggest impact with a phenomenal chorus and verse where he speaks openly about being canceled and shows absolutely no interest in apologizing for who he is. It’s one of his edgiest performances in a while.

As for The Game, he brings that same energy to his verses. He gets unapologetic about his love for Jewish people (which was a bit weird), talks about being comfortable in his own black skin, and references not wanting to find himself in a situation similar to Gucci Mane during his altercation with Pooh Shiesty (yikes… Who’s he trying to diss here; Gucci or Pooh?). Overall, I think the track is just as polarizing as it is good.

4. No Brakes (Ft. Drake)

There’s a part of me that’s fascinated to see how “No Brakes” ages because I could see its existence having some serious ramifications in LA, almost like the Lakers trading for Timofey Mozgov (That s**t f**ked up the franchise for ten years).

In the track, The Game makes his loyalty to Drake pretty damn clear, which naturally carries some weight given Drake’s issues with Kendrick Lamar, one of L.A.’s biggest rap legends. Still, whatever drama comes from it, the actual song is tough. Drake keeps things hilariously simple by repeating “No Brakes” on the hook with his trademark out-of-breath swag, while The Game jumps between flows reminiscent of Kendrick on GNX, Drake on “2 Hard 4 The Radio,” Rick Ross, and Drakeo The Ruler. This one could have clubs going absolutely nuts, with a few people in Compton Boulevard rolling their eyes.

3. Geezuz

The Game made the right call opening the album with “Geezuz.” From the very beginning, he establishes an underdog mentality while flexing the different flows he can still pull out of his arsenal, including a brilliant incorporation of Twista’s flow from “Overnight Celebrity.” Additionally, there’s an eerie, dramatic quality to the production that gives the record plenty of bite. All in all, this track is a fun way to let you know right away that The Game is going to be on some bulls**t throughout the project.

2. Do You Love Me (Ft. Cool & Dre)

I absolutely love The Game’s constant desire to get his flowers throughout this project, and “Do You Love Me” might be the most direct expression of it. Riding over soulful Cool & Dre production, Game speaks on feeling blackballed, his reputation in the streets, and wanting unconditional love because, in his mind, he’s earned that s**t.

His delivery is what really sells it for me. He goes through all of this without sounding desperate or overly emotional, almost like he’s sitting back in his chair and casually testing the room to see if the love is real. This is real f*cking music, to me.

1. Run It Up (Ft. Leon Thomas)

Forget the smoke and all the juiciness for a second because “Run It Up” is simply a great track. It starts with incredibly rich, slick production that immediately deserves a chef’s kiss, then Leon Thomas comes through with a strong performance that sets the mood for some smooth s**t. The Game follows with some of his most polished verses, paying homage to his queen in ways that feel elaborate and grown. I love the overall presence of this record. It has that quality that can completely sweep true music lovers into its world.

SONG-BY-SONG RATINGS

Geezuz (4.5/5)

Love It or Hate It (Ft. Cool & Dre & Snoop Dogg) (3/5)

Steppers (Ft. Lil Wayne) (3/5)

The Life (4/5)

Scary TImes (Ft. RJMrLA & LIT PAPI) (3.5/5)

20 Deep (Ft. Mike & Keys) (4/5)

No Brakes (Ft. Drake) (4/5)

Sticks (4/5)

Geekin (Ft. Drakeo the Ruler) (4/5)

40 Nights (Ft. Kanye West & Mike & Keys) (4/5)

Do You Love Me (Ft. Cool & Dre) (4.5/5)

Run It Up (Ft. Leon Thomas) (4.5/5)

Party At Game’s (Ft. PARTYNEXTDOOR) (2.5/5)

BABY (Ft. Kalan FrFr, ArmonieJAY) (3.5/5)

In The Way (Ft. Tyga) (3/5)

The Part (Ft. Lefty Gunplay, YG, AZ Chike & Mike & Keys) (4/5)

HELLA (Ft. RJMrLA, E40, Serrin Joy & Mike & Keys) (3.5/5)

Nothing 2 Hide (3.5/5)

LA Monster (Ft. LIT PAPI & HD) (4/5)

Meet The Parents (3.5/5)

The Pen (4/5)

The Cookout (Ft. Larry June) (4/5)

I Won’t Be Afraid (Ft. Black Thought) (4.5/5)

Game Recognize Game (4/5)

RGM RATING

(C)

I love that The Game spends so much of this album demanding his flowers because I’m absolutely one of those people who thinks he’s one of the best rappers to ever touch a mic. At the same time, The Documentary III also reminds you why he can be such a frustrating artist.

The production is as diverse as the Snowtime Lakers this season. There are flips of classic beats, cold California s**t, cinematic instrumentals, soulful production, and plenty of other sounds thrown into the mix. The Game adapts to all of them really well, constantly changing his tone, delivery, and flows. There are moments where it feels like he’s biting, but there are other moments where it feels more like an unapologetic hip-hop fan showing love to the sounds and artists he genuinely enjoys listening to.

I usually hate when an album is overloaded with features, but the guest appearances aren’t nearly as distracting here. Many of them either complement The Game, stay subtle enough to avoid taking over, or contribute to California posse cuts that fit the album naturally. Still, I’m disappointed we didn’t get a Drake verse. I also could’ve done without The Game trying to turn this into Some Sexy Songs 4 U with PARTYNEXTDOOR or throwing a random Snoop Dogg verse onto the strange remix of “Hate It Or Love It.”

Whatever you think about The Game, his performances are rarely the problem. He keeps things interesting with sharp rapping, emotion, punchlines, and strong deliveries throughout the project. I especially love how unapologetically he asks for his respect, talking about everything he’s accomplished, how the streets shaped him, and how competitive he remains after all these years.

Of course, the gimmicky s**t is still here. “In The Way” with Tyga feels predictable, “Party At Game’s” is whatever the hell that is, and “Steppers” is just stupid. But when The Game has a clear mission and actually locks into his vision, you get a reminder of exactly why he believes he deserves those flowers.

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