Disco de The Game: “LAX [Bonus CD]”

The genesis of Game's career was both a blessing and a curse. He himself raps that few legacies have started "hotter than the beginning of my career/ with 50, Dre and Em there." However the helping hand would also bring persistent doubts, claims that Game's success is replicable for any rhymer who has an album of Dr. Dre's beats, 50 Cent's hooks and a track blessed by Eminem. While Doctor's Advocate was a step in the right direction, L.A.X. proves once and for all that The Game's success is defined solely by his skill.

On L.A.X. Game successfully demonstrates that he is the most legitimately hardcore rapper in mainstream hip-hop today. On "L.A.X. Files" he questions even his audience's credibility, "(expletive) think cause they watched Menace a couple of times/ Seen Cube in Boyz N the Hood and pressed rewind/ That you could survive when a real Crip run up on your car and flex the nine." The trifecta of "State of Emergency" featuring Ice Cube, " Bulletproof Diaries" with Raekwon and "Cali Sunshine" featuring Bilal are perhaps the three most classically "West coast" tracks that will be recorded in 2008. Game then demonstrates his versatility on laid back cuts including "Gentleman's Affair," "Touchdown" and "Angel," the last of which represents G.O.O.D. music at its finest with production by Kanye West and a verse from Common.

L.A.X. also proves that The Game may be the best actor in rap today. We've seen this ability through his simulated inebriation on both the title track from "Doctor's Advocate" and The Documentary's "Start From Scratch," and there was another allusion to this ability when Game presented an uncanny emulation of his mentor on "Lookin' at You." Game takes it to another level on L.A.X. He acknowledges his perfect rendition of Nas' flow on "Let Us Live," rapping "Voice raspy, who I sound like? Don't ask me/ That's my (expletive) we classy." On "Never Can Say Goodbye," he presents a verse each through the eyes of Tupac Shakur, Eazy-E and most jarringly, The Notorious B.I.G., who Game ebodies in both flow and lyrics. Game even takes a page out of Jay-Z's book on "Dope Boys," an unabashed (and inferior) interpretation of Hov's "Roc Boys."

There are weak points, notably "Letter to the King" on which Game's lack of nuance and sincerity are obvious, as is Nas' inability to "kick knowledge." However to see the strength and depth of L.A.X., one need look no further than the tracks left on the cutting room floor, any of which ("Gangsta Party" and "Cop Killa" in particular) would be the pinnacle of many of Game's contemporaries' albums. Note that I didn't even mention hit singles "My Life," or "Game's Pain," no need on an album of this strength.

The Game is back with his third album L.A.X and I gotta say that I am digging it. In fact, to be honest I have liked all The Game's albums. From the very start their has been a lot of controversy surrounding him, none bigger than his very nasty and public split with G-Unit and 50. After "The Documentary" sold 586,000 copies in its first week and went on to sell over 5 million copies worldwide there was a lot of contention from 50 cent that he had in fact been the genius behind most of the tracks. It got even nastier when when 50 said that the game couldn't really write and without him he wouldn't do anything. Not exactly the way it worked out huh 50?

So "L.A.X." is a very enjoyable trip from beginning to end. Save one or two songs that I wasn't really feeling I like the entire album and that is something to say for an 18 track album which I have to give mad props to him for putting out in these days of 12-15 track releases. The album begins and ends with a prayer from the tortured soul himself DMX followed by the really smooth "LAX Files" that takes listeners on a trip around the hood through Games' eyes. It is an eerily introspective track that shows you that lyrically when it comes to Jacyeon Taylor there is more than meets the eye. But then just as you are about to mellow out he hits you with "State of Emergency f/ Ice Cube", a hard hitting track that has a classic drum heavy west coast beat that Cube and Game just kill.

After a couple of other tracks we flow through to the hot single "My Life f/Lil Wayne", by now everyone has heard this track and what can I say he puts it down on this joint, I mean just listen to the lyrics. Next we hear another kinda up tempo track "Money", a hot track that he drops a few disses on his former crew and I can already see this one bumping in cars all over the block. Another standout track on the album is "Gentleman's Affair f/Neyo", classic Game all the way. He just kinda spits it, its will kind of remind you of "Change Clothes" by Jay-Z in the feel of it. My favorite track by far on the album is "Never Can Say Goodbye f/Latoya Williams", on this track he puts his self in the shoes of three hip-hop legends and explains what he thought their last moments were like, this track is a very poignant interpretation of their last moments. On this track The Game definitely shows a level of insight that people don't really give him credit for. The album is really very good and you can really see his growth as an artist over these past two years.

Now on the other part of this post and I know a lot of folks may disagree with me but just hear me out. As I listened to "L.A.X.", I couldn't help but think back about his two other previously released albums and think that I think that The Game is a better rapper than 50 cent. Now let me preface this by saying with the exclusion of "Get Rich or Die Tryin" which was a classic but that is what makes this so apparent because in my opinion 50 has never regained the honesty and hunger of that first album. While `The Massacre" and `Curtis" have both been commercial successes, I can't say that I have really liked either one of them that much. A lot of people get on The Game because he usually has so many features on his albums and name drops a lot but I am like that is his style and his way of showing props and even with all the features I have never really heard him get overshadowed on too many of them so I say let him do his thing.

When The Game split from 50 he said that Game couldn't rap and wouldn't sell since he was writing his lyrics anymore. Well it seems that 50 was mistaken as The Game has sold records and their has not been any discernible dropoff in his lyrical quality while we can't say the same for 50. It is also funny that 50 would say that about Game when a lot of people still think that Eminem actually wrote most of 50's lyrics from `Get Rich or Die Tryin". People do either love or hate The Game but the fact is that his growth as an artist and lyricist is obvious sense his debut while 50's is not, not to mention that to date he has sold over 7 million copies worldwide. 7 million records worldwide aint shabby and that is more than a lot of rappers out. If you haven't picked this up, I suggest you do he gets a bad rap but he does have some real skills. On a side note, The Game also killed 50 on the technology front creating [...] in response to 50's launch of [...], Game's site is much more professional and better designed. It does exactly what I think 50 had hoped his site would have done, but dont take my word for it check them out for yourself.

Well that's it folks, I am outta here but I definitely give The Game's "L.A.X." 4.5 out of 5 stars. So go get it!!

Ive always been impressed with Game's lyrical abilities, and am equally impressed with his latest offering. Not only did he manage to pull off a considerable West Coast classic, he was able to do it without the help of Dr Dre. For anyone who still enjoys MATURE rap music, this is the cd to have...

the only reason why i didn't give this album a perfect rating is because of how much this dude mentions other peoples name in his songs. i really tried to avoid that and just listen to his album without judgment but as creative and lyrical as he is, he just wont leave the name calling alone. the feat. on this album are all veterans; i mean Nas,Rae..just to name a few. don't get me wrong dude is dope!

The Game is very underrated and this album once again proves it. He's amazing and has great lyrics and beats. As his number fan, I dont mean to be biased but you should all go out and get this album to be treated with tunes like DOPE BOY and MONEY which will blow your mind. The only songs I cant stand are CALIFORNIA SUNSHINE, YA HEARD ft. Ludax(disappointment) and NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE. The rest is PURE rap class. Amazing one GAME. Look forward to the next album!!!!!!!!!