1 Intro: Sea of Sin
A minute instrumental with strings and guitar with a small amount of Ed vocals. Feels pointless to me.
2 No Smoke
Goes for the epic opener. Good but not great. As with a lot of this album, Game talks about his time in hip hop and what he has brought to the genre. "Bridge the gap between mumble rap and these killers / Bridge the gap between smokers and lean sippers."
3 Five Hundred Dollar Candles
Begins with some beautiful keys with an interviewer asking a gang member why he is proud of being in a gang. From there, the song features a chill beat and Game raps largely about his come-up and gang life. "I went from broke, fantasizin' 'bout Christina Aguilera / To puttin' TVs in the dash of my mama's Xterra."
4 The Light
The opening with 'Open Your Eyes' by Bobby Caldwell is great. While this has grown on me since the first listen, from the intro, it's a song packed with name dropping, Game just says nothing interesting and the beat isn't strong.
5 Carmen Electra
One of my favourites. D'Angelo's 'Devil's Pie' sample makes the beat dope and helps with the nice flow on the hook.
6 Dead Homies
The 'ain't all Suge' phrase he uses a few times throughout this album annoys me. Not the most cohesive song. Something about performing sexual acts with women for the ones we've lost.
7 Gold Daytonas
"Bron-Bron." that he also uses a few times sounds like a pet name or something. It sounds weird coming from a 40 year old man. A song that isn't about much. The weakest so far I'd say.
8 West Side
It surprised me to see this being received worse than the other single, 'Stainless'. This is much better. Lyrically it's general g-rap but there isn't any name dropping, the beat is dope and Game comes with aggression. Probably still my favourite from the album. I wish it had a third verse, but like a number of songs here, it's just two.
9 40 Ounce Love
The beat doesn't really change between the verses and hook. Another brag rap tune, with other elements like people asking for shit from him, that doesn't have a focus. "You still got your hand out like I ain't did enough for you."
10 Gucci Flip Flops
This is a lil' more introspective about retirement and death. The beat is nice, sampling something, but again there is no musical difference to distinguish the beat from the hook.
11 Born 2 Rap
The hook is good where Game borrows from Geto Boys' 'Mind Playing Tricks on Me'. Lyrically, Game celebrates his come-up and success. One of the strongest. "I sit alone in my room in the zone writin' classics."
12 Welcome Home
I haven't heard a lot of Nipsey but if this is how he usually raps and rhymes I don't see the fuss with him. He ends every bar with "nigga" on the hook which brings it done a notch. Good song though. Game raps well.
13 Interlude: Help Me
Eh. Sly croons acapella.
14 I Didn't Wanna Write This Song
Nipsey tribute song. "Stevie Wonder singin', he can't even see your coffin." It's heartfelt but it's kind of boring. Maybe it needed more in the hook.
15 The Code
I like this one, but again, it's full of repetitive lyrics we've all heard before. Production is nice.
16 Stay Down
A chick tune with Bryson taking over at times.
17 Hug the Block
As Game normally has had on his albums, here is the personal track. Game directs this song at his brother. Another strong track.
18 Ask for Me
Game's change of voice on the hook annoys me a bit but this is one of the best thanks to the fast keys.
19 Stainless
Game says very little new or interesting here and it is full of name dropping. If people like this it's probably because of Paak's long chorus.
20 Gangstas Make the Girls Go Wild
Sounds like the Chris Brown and Game featured Nas song 'Make The World Go Round'. I think they both sample 'People Make the World Go Round'.
21 Blood Thicker Than Water
22 Rewind II
Game does his own version of the creative 'Rewind' from Nas' Stillmatic where he tells a story backwards.
23 One Life
This sounds like something else as well. I'm thinking Nas' 'Stay' but it could be something else. About taking risks, living your life. "They told Dre not to sign that nigga and he a hot head"
24 Cross on Jesus Back
Sounds like a beat that would be perfect for Kendrick. Vibey tune with a good hook, but I'm not sure how well all of the lyrics connect to it.
25 Roadside
Apparently Ed Sheeran and Game were working on a project together a while back which might explain why he is here twice. Maybe they are from those sessions. Game gets conscious, touching on a number of topics from racism, losing loved ones, religion and XXX. It's alright. Not one I'll rush back to in the future. There's something about it including Game's vocals that sound different to the rest of the songs. Sounds lower Q.
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I've been a fan of The Game since the days of 'The Documentary. I've eagerly anticipated each album and after a number of spins of this I'd say if this is the way he is gong out, he is going out with one of his worst albums. The main reason I say that is, be it, 'Westside Story', 'It's Okay (One Blood)', ' Letter to the King', 'Ricky', 'Blood Diamonds' and to a lesser degree, 'Step Up', almost all have had at least one track to go back to years later. There is nothing I find to be amazing here and there are 25 songs! I'd rather this than a 7 track album with 2 minute songs but if the success rate isn't high, it's very noticeable.
Given he has said it's his last album, there are a number of songs that would have fitted as a closer, instead it feels like a collection of songs rather than a well-sequenced album. He has never been a brilliant songwriter but I feel this is a step down. I don't think he has a lot left to say. After all of the music he has dropped though, it isn't surprising. In terms of the beats, Game has had some of the best ears of any rapper. Most of the production is good here but there isn't much if anything that touches what he's had before. There are probably fewer bangers too, with more of a chill/vibey feel overall, which fits the theme of being his swansong, but makes for a worse album. I think a few not having much or anything to make the hook standout from the verses contributes to these feelings as well.
When an artist gives you a lot of music, I'm generally of the opinion that you shouldn't be too critical when a few don't work if the high moments are high enough, but they're not here.
Beats: ★★★☆
Rapping/Bars: ★★★
Hooks: ★★☆
Best Tracks: Five Hundred Dollar Candles, Carmen Electra, West Side, Born 2 Rap, Hug the Block, Ask for Me, Cross on Jesus Back.
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