The Game – Unreleased Lost Files (Album Review)

The Game still gets buckets, but somebody needs to answer for this roster construction.

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TOP 5 SONGS

5. All About Business (Ft. Lil Yachty)

Desiigner shows up ready to rap on “All About Business,” and he gives The Game some actual competition. His start-stop flow works, especially paired with that cold delivery. Game matches the temperature over a beat that sounds like somebody performed an exorcism in a trap house and decided to keep the recording equipment running.

Both rappers talk about grinding, and Game catches a pocket that reminds you how effortlessly he can get his s**t off. Unfortunately, he also brings back the Roc-A-Fella chain bar and another Kendrick reference. Some of these talking points need a retirement package.

4. The Titanic and Little Boat (Ft. Lil Yachty)

I would’ve needed several guesses before landing on Lil Yachty as one of The Game’s most effective collaborators here. On paper, they seem worlds apart. On “The Titanic and Lil Boat,” though, the chemistry makes sense.

Yachty opens with a punchy verse about his come-up, bringing a sharp flow and some surprisingly solid singing. Game follows by repeating the song’s title like he’s reassuring us that we clicked on the right file. Once he starts rapping, his flow moves at the speed of a politician trying to avoid Abby Phillip’s question. Thankfully, he eventually accelerates, and the bars get more demonic right along with him.

It’s an unexpected pairing, but neither artist sounds out of place. I rock with how naturally this one comes together.

3. The Dope Ain’t Gon Cook Itself

This is the version of The Game I’m always checking for. On “The Dope Ain’t Gon Cook Itself,” he delivers a Teflon-strong flow and convincing stories about surviving the streets long enough to escape them. His ad-libs complement the soulful chorus nicely, and the production brings cinematic weight without sacrificing its groove. The whole thing feels dynamic, focused, and built for him to get his s**t off.

2. Run It Up

The Game comes out swinging on “Run It Up,” sounding ready to snatch his respect out of your f**king hands. Of course, he also does plenty of name-dropping, making questionable comments about his relationships with Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, and more. The soulful production never fully kicks into gear, but his delivery sounds ready for war regardless. I f**k with it as an intro because it immediately establishes his attitude.

1. PAIN (Ft. Tory Lanez)

One can argue Tory Lanez should be on the same level as Drake, and The Game should be on the same level as Jay-Z. Instead, they both sort of exist in this space that has them as forgotten a bit. I think that makes this collab feel powerful.

You can feel the hunger in The Game’s delivery as he keeps it honest about his street tales and relationships, while Tory delivers a passionate, emotional hook that ties everything together perfectly. It’s really the definition of a meaningful collab.

SONG BY SONG RATING

Run It Up (4.5/5)

Pain (Ft. Tory Lanez) (4.5/5)

Drifin Off This Hennesey (Ft. Wiz Khalifa) (3.5/5)

Boolin Brazy (Ft. YG) (3/5)

The Dope Ain’t Gon Cook Itself (4/5)

Punanni (Ft. City Girls) (3/5)

Savage (Ft. Quavo) (2/5)

All About Business (Ft. Desiigner) (3.5/5)

The Titanic and Little Boat (Ft. Lil Yachty) (3.5/5)

People Die, Guns Don’t (Ft. mgk) (3.5/5)

RGM RATING

The Game reminds me of a veteran NBA player putting up 24 points for a Sacramento Kings team going absolutely nowhere. The legs might not be what they used to be, the roster construction is questionable, but give him the ball in his spots and he’s still getting buckets. Unreleased Lost Files is another reminder that this man can rap his ass off, even when the material surrounding him doesn’t always deserve the performance.

His command is the biggest selling point. The flows are polished, the delivery has weight, and he can make a street story feel urgent. When he locks into survival mode or lets some vulnerability through, you hear why he deserves respect as a rapper. Unfortunately, you also get the familiar habits: excessive name-dropping, recycled references, and moments where he tries on a style that doesn’t fit. Bro, I promise we remember the Roc-A-Fella chain.

The production mostly puts him where I want him. There’s soul, cinematic tension, hard-hitting drums, and enough California flavor to keep his identity present. Those backdrops give his voice room to command the track. The club attempts and trendier detours are less convincing. Given that this is a collection of unreleased material, some unevenness makes sense, but that doesn’t automatically make the weaker choices more enjoyable.

Lyrically, expect street memories, bragging, introspection, vulnerability, and some reckless-ass behavior. The strongest writing gives those familiar subjects detail and purpose. The weaker moments feel like he had a microphone available and decided every thought needed documenting.

The guest list is another mixed bag. Tory Lanez supplies an emotional hook that gives Game’s hunger somewhere meaningful to land. Lil Yachty is a surprisingly natural partner, while Desiigner holds his own better than some might expect. Those collaborations work, but the collection still has that Game habit of gathering recognizable names without always finding a convincing reason for them to share a song.

Overall, Unreleased Lost Files is entertaining without feeling essential. The best moments showcase a rapper whose skill remains difficult to dismiss, while the weaker tracks explain why everything in the vault doesn’t need its own release party. I enjoyed hearing him get his s**t off. I just wish somebody had been a little more selective about which files made it out of the folder.

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