SONG THOUGHTS
1. One Time ★★★
I think I recall Game saying way back that he wanted to make an album with only features from legends. We've never gotten that, but here we have one of the originators of gangster rap. The tracklist lists Ice-T as the feature, but it's just his lines from 'Colors' that may or may not just be taken straight from the original song. It's decent, but not the most exhilarating way to start an album. Particularly one with the title DRILLmatic.
2. Eazy ★★★☆
Again, not the banger I want at the beginning of a Game album. It is though, likeable with an original beat that was the first single. Kanye doesn't rap an amazing verse though. For what won't be the first time, Game raps well, but the featuring artist doesn't match it.
3. Burnin' Checks ★★☆
Slightly harder, and Game raps well, but the lyrics aren't interesting and the production gets boring. It's one of the longer songs here and it shouldn't be.
4. Voodoo ★★★☆
Menacing production using BOA QG and BOA Hunxho's 'Voodoo' for the hook that builds up to the dark following song. The line, "With the bricks on us like it’s Fortnite", caught my ear.
5. Home Invasion ★★★★
The first real banger. Hard and dark. Game spits well. "Black lives matter don't they, but niggas killer niggas won't they." This song is more of what I want from a gangster rapper.
6. O.P.P. ★★★☆
I expected this to in some way reference Naughty by Nature's song, but it has nothing to do with 'other people's property'. Instead, it follows on from 'Home Invasion well, being another hard tune. The wack feature brings the song down. How do people like voices like this!? It seems like "opp" was his word of the day when he recorded. It's heard on about 5 songs throughout the album. Along with 'World Tours', this was removed from this album. The featuring artist, YoungBoy, who usually charges $300,000 for a verse, halved the fee for Game, but it was still too much. While it's off Spotify, the song is still on YouTube, and was still released so I don't get how Game's team get away with not paying him. These issues though perhaps prove the album was a tad rushed.
7. Outside ★★★☆
Outside continues the run of good songs. Catchy hook, good rapping, decent feature, another good beat. What more is there to say?
8. La La Land ★★☆
Devoid of content. He just lists shit for a lot of this, slowly. The Lafayette Afro Rock Band's 'Darkest Light' sample has been used on so many songs but hasn't lost its effectiveness. Good production with a decent hook, but the verses let this one down.
9. Change the Game ★★★
Samples another well known song - 'Change the Game' by Jay-Z. Okay.
10. How Far I Came ★★★
"Before Dr. Dre, I was slangin' rock to the doctors / I gots to get mine and get the fuck out of Compton, nigga." This song is exactly what the title suggests it to be about. Like a number of these songs, there are wasted bars that don't add much to the theme of the song. Decent laid-back, chill production.
11. Heart Vs. Mind ★★★☆
"I usually spaz' but Beyonce had to re-work them lines." This is a line referencing the somehow controversial Beyonce spaz line from a week ago that indicates not only that the world has gone mental, but also that some of this was just made and perhaps rushed? It features a dope soulful beat. One of the better here. He does something here that really annoys me though. And not for the first time - "These Frank Oceans are so choppy." This bar doesn't even make sense and only serves as a vehicle for him to drop another name.
12. No Smoke at the Polo Lounge ★★
This is one of the last songs I'm writing about as I don't have much to say. Pretty boring.
13. No Man Falls ★★☆
More soulful samples. It's okay. The drums added about 2:40 into the song are essential to maintain any interest I had with this song.
14. Chrome Slugs & Harmony ★★★
Lil Wayne is so bad. "Thuggish, ruggish"... FFS! One of the best productions and energy from Game and Herbo. Wayne's wack voice and like he is rapping like he was woken up at 3am to get in the booth on the hook and 3rd verse stops this from being the best song.
15. Start from Scratch II ★★★☆
A sequel to the amazing 'Start from Scratch' from The Documentary. "If I could start it all over, I wouldn't have went there tipsy / And clapped when they gave it to Missy". For the subject matter of the song being what it is, there are too many wasted bars in this two verse song. He should've gone deeper. Strong production though.
16. What We Not Gon' Do ★★☆
Ehh. Not the greatest written song.
17. Fortunate ★★★
Kind of interesting production with a poppy, catchy hook.
18. Rubi's Rose ★★☆
Twista kicks the song off and is dope to listen to spit with his signature pace, but the lyrics are almost cringeworthy dirty. "Face all up in the pussy, I made it mushy / I'm workin' my tongue until it was gushy." Not something to play at a family gathering. The beat then changes up to something slower for Game to rap about his love. "She told me, You ain't never had a love like this before / You ain't never had an iced out wrist before".
19. DRAKE with the BRAIDS ☆
An absolutely pointless interlude with Drake telling Game why he isn't on the album. Give me my 1:24 back. It's like Game needs to keep reminding listeners he has famous friends. He did this on Jesus Piece too.
20. Nikki Beach ★★
The poppiest song on the album with a reggaeton flavour.
21. Talk to Me Nice ★☆
Crap features.
22. Money Cash Clothes ★★
I've always disliked the 'Money, Cash, Hoes' beat that definitely didn't need to be resurrected. The only good thing about it is DMX's adlibs. It's better before the beat switch to that.
23. K.I.L.L.A.S. ★★☆
Average song. One of the least interesting beats that doesn't do enough. I've never liked Cam'ron either.
24. The Black Slim Shady ★★★
The production is actually dope on this. It's a shame that it's used on a track where Game is trying to start something from absolutely nothing to get some attention. The line, "You think I'm the Joker, well riddle me this", makes no sense when the Riddler says that, not the Joker. Despite that, it is still one of the more interesting moments that will have you listening more closely to the bars on the first couple of listens than the other songs. Wait for him to say he regrets this song on his next album. I really hope Eminem doesn't give this any kind of response at all.
25. Stupid ★★★
Enjoyable production. Again, I'm not a big fan of the feature, Big Sean.
26. .38 Special ★★★
Decent... He really needs to stop talking about fuc**** Curtis though.
27. Twisted ★★★★
Some decent deeper content and good production with a dope hook too. One of the better moments from the disc.
28. World Tours ★★
Man, Nipsey is a boring rapper. RIP and all that, but I've never understood the fanfare with him. This was the second song removed from releases not long after it dropped due to Nipsey's verse apparently not being cleared.
29. Save the Best for Last ★★★
Ross brings the flow that he's brought for a while. Another soulful beat.
30. A Father’s Prayer ★★★☆
This sounds like some ol' school Kanye production sampling 'Song Cry'. Another daughter dedication track from a father. "Keep a fresh pack of Magnums, you ain't hittin' that raw / You ain't hittin' at all, I told her wait for marriage". This doesn't really do anything new but the production is strong. It also references Eminem - "Niggas shady, so I gotta protect you, Em and Hailie."
31. Universal Love ★★★☆
Don't you love when rappers fill their album with songs about firearms and killing people, but then end it with a song about peace and love? Despite the hypocrisy, sampling Janet's 'Got ’Til It’s Gone' makes the album's closer a standout.
REVIEW
I try to give every album I rate at least two listens, and with extremely long projects like this, it is even more important. You can't digest a 30 track album after one spin. The beats aren't what they used to be from Game, but there are still many good moments, that like many of his projects, is the strength of the album. There are again, just like with Born 2 Rap, his last and other bloated release, far too few bangers though. On the other hand, for 30 tracks, there isn't a lot of straight up pop rap that is a positive.
Lyrically, this is the least interesting Game has been, but he does rap well. Many of the features on the other hand, are average to poor, and in some cases, ruin the song. Wayne on 'Chrome Slugs & Harmony' is the biggest offender.
Most importantly, after a number of play-throughs, there is no great moment, but I think this is a touch better than, 'Born 2 Rap'. This is a lot to get through, but it's not as bad as the rating suggests. It looks like hip hop's original Stans have gotten to the track ratings.
Beats: ★★★★
Rapping/Bars: ★★★
Hooks: ★★★
Best Tracks: Eazy, Home Invasion, Heart Vs. Mind, Start from Scratch II, Twisted, A Father's Prayer, Universal Love
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