HipHopDX wants all of you readers to know we take all of our reviews very seriously, down to every last decimal point in the rating. To let all of you in on how the traditional review process goes, we decided to publish conversation that led up to The Game’s Meek Mill-slandering, eighth studio album, 1992, earning its 4.1 rating.
Trent Clark (Editor-in-Chief): I’m slightly torn with this release. Per usual, The Game is his usual domineering self on the mic with vivid lyricism and stories that bring you right into the streets of Compton. That being said, most of you probably know I’m a stickler for artists using well-worn samples and melodies. If the song is already proven to be a winner, how much props can you give the artist who’s doing the borrowing? “Funky Enough?” “Colors?” “The Message?” California is surely going to ride to it but this almost turns into a mixtape.
And yes, I’m not naive to the fact it embodies the timestamp sentiment à la an episode of Everybody Hates Chris but for a project to get the utmost reverence, the executive production team has to make their own mark in sound to give said project undeniable distinction (think good kid, m.A.A.d city, even though I never thought those beats were the strongest; they still gave the album an identity for the subject matter).
William E. Ketchum III (11-year DX contributor): The Game has always been a stickler for Hip Hop history, period. Many people get annoyed by his name-dropping, but I’ve always thought that it displayed the same type of reverence for his predecessors that so many old heads feel is missing from the industry these days. A song like “Dreams” shows both sides: at one moment he’s misquoting the year of Dr. Dre’s second album (“I woke up out that coma, 2001/’bout the same time Dre dropped 2001), and two verses later he’s vividly painting a moment in Hip Hop history when Eazy-E visited The White House. So I was pretty excited to hear that he was finally releasing a concept album dedicated to 1992 as a year because I thought it would allow Game to stretch his historian chops. And there are some truly fantastic moments where he does that here, whether it’s through storytelling and picture-painting or using samples and references to bring a feeling. “Savage Lifestyle” is one of the best Game songs in recent years, as he vividly paints a picture of the Los Angeles Riots. “True Colors/It’s On” is also great, as he takes on Ice-T’s classic single to tell his own stories of coming up through gang culture – and even if the original song wasn’t released in 1992 (the song and film dropped in 1988), it’s still a fulfilling record. Many historians will dislike the year discrepancies (this isn’t the first), but with all of the recognizable samples used across the album, it’s better enjoyed as an ode to an era (or two), as opposed to a specific year.
Aaron McKrell (One-year DX contributor): I agree that he used familiar samples liberally, but that “Savage Lifestyle” beat before it changed, was fire. I also don’t have a problem with him using “The Message” beat because that was done a generation ago, by both Ice Cube and Puffy. It’s cool to see what is arguably the greatest rap song of all time remain relevant decades later. I did have an issue with “True Colors/It’s On,” only because the sample felt lazy, but also was the most memorable part of the song. That’s not a good thing.
Trent: “Inner City Blues” is another one! With all the soulful samples we haven’t heard before, he picks that one?
Jesse Fairfax: (Four-year DX contributor): Though I’d also make a case for Ludacris, Game is perhaps Hip Hop’s greatest overachiever. Every album I’ve heard has been worth at least one listen, and he’s mastered the fine art of survival despite mediocre punchlines and tireless name-dropping. I’d attribute his ongoing relevance to the cheat codes of strong delivery, an ability to make great songs regardless of other creative shortcomings and an undeniable knack for generating beef amongst peers. Finding himself at odds over the years with everyone from 50 Cent to Lil B, somehow he’s recently become a part of a Rap Royal Rumble saga involving Meek Mill, Sean Kingston, Beanie Sigel and God knows who else, likely to promote his newest work.
William: I would say Fat Joe is a bigger overachiever than Game (and possibly Ludacris), mostly because I don’t think he’s as talented as either of them, yet he still has hit songs and manages to stay in the company of legendary rappers. Though I guess that’s besides the point.
Aaron: I did enjoy this album, though. Game managed to turn his incessant name-dropping into a timely, cohesive record that is both an homage to the old school and speaks to the struggles faced by black men in America today. I also agree with William in that I’m glad he wasn’t too literal with the 1992 title. “I Grew Up on Wu-Tang” pays tribute to a group that debuted in 1993. The aforementioned “Fuck Orange Juice” beat, lifted from “The Message,” which came out in 1982. I think, with The Chronic, the Rodney King tape and the L.A. riots, 1992 was the perfect year to which to hearken back. If he had stayed too strictly within that concept, though, it probably would have became tired very quickly.
Photo: Jonathan Mannion
Here It For Yourself: Stream Game’s 1992 in full right here.
Jesse: Yeah, for all of Game’s shenanigans, my gripes with 1992 are pretty minimal.
Trent: So no one thinks the samples are an overload?
William: I’m cool with the samples because they build a nostalgic feel for the album. I think it actually works better that many of them have been used before because it helps with the sense of familiarity more than if they would’ve used samples that weren’t used as much. And familiarity is a theme that helps the album hold together well.
Jesse: The majority of the project does a good job appealing to my 36-year-old sensibilities and if Jayceon is guilty of pandering, I’d rather it be to me than today’s younger generation. In regards to the explosive opener “Savage Lifestyle,” I see some of my DX colleagues found sampling Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues” to be egregious; I argue it works perfectly as a tribute to the classics played during his upbringing. As well, the concept is executed without a flaw given subject matter taking you through government conspiracies, the deaths of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Huey P. Newton and the infamous spring ‘92 riots following the Rodney King trial. It’s enough to make you wonder why he doesn’t commit to black outrage more, but good reasoning says he has to play all sides of the field catering to degenerates, neutral old heads, and conscious gang bangers alike.
Trent: Shouldn’t he find more original ways to “vividly paint those pictures,” though? I remember when The Documentary 2 dropped and this girl who worked in the office was about 22-years-old and she couldn’t get enough of “On Me” (with Kendrick Lamar). And I’m thinking to myself “Well …yeah! It’s because it’s ‘On & On’ and it was an undeniably classic record when it dropped!” We’ve heard Game lyrically return back to the hood plenty of times but he has had much better scores to rap over.
That said, I’m definitely not knocking the album as a whole. It’s da shit. Doctor’s Advocate, track two.
Aaron: Additionally, 1992 showcases some of the strongest storytelling of his career. The story on “Young Niggas” about how a friend who once lived at his house turned into a stranger because he became a Crip illustrates the power of gang ties as well as any form of art I’ve consumed in a while.
Jesse: When you consider he’s paying homage to cultural relics, 1992 excels at its throwback mission. Having never seen the cult favorite film “Colors” or heard an entire Ice-T album [I was an only child with a staunch New York bias, sue me], Game’s tribute “True Colors” is a thorough walk through the horrors of growing up around gang life. “Bompton” celebrates The D.O.C. staple “It’s Funky Enough” with hood tales of police raids and Blood vs. Crip tension that I don’t hesitate to believe for a second. I’m willing to overlook the historical inaccuracies of “I Grew Up On Wu-Tang” if we’re supposed to be given a snapshot of a whole era rather than 1992 specifically. By the same measure, “However Do You Want It” (while not even remotely epic in comparison to the opening scene of Hype Williams’ cinematic masterpiece Belly) does a good job fusing Soul II Soul’s 1989 jam with modernized trap.
Trent: Bongo and the others (The Chemists Create, Phonix, WLPWR, Tycoon, etc.) did their thing but like I said, you can’t reach the top of the mountain when the originality isn’t on the glass half-empty tip. Also, “All Eyez” is outta place like so many of the album’s Bloods and Crips in the wrong neighborhoods but seeing that it is a bonus track, it somewhat gets a pass, right?. Also, Jesse, I got you on that illegal stream of Colors.
William: I personally only count bonus tracks as extra credit questions. If they’re dope, they count to the album’s total score. If they make it worse I disregard them, since there’s a reason they were made bonuses.
Jesse: I overlooked the Jeremih song because I liked 80% of the album.
Trent: Does anyone care to tackle that Game = 2nd-best-discography-next-to-Kanye-in-the-past-10-years argument Will raised?
Jesse: Who are we counting in this best discography discussion? I’m assuming Kanye is first, but Kendrick is my #1 with four releases better than everyone from 2005 to now.
Aaron: I agree, Game has the second best discography since 2005.
Trent: After careful consideration, I think he’s on to something. Although … Section.80 –> good kid, m.A.A.d city –> To Pimp a Butterfly might beat out the overall quality ratio.
William: Sure, Kendrick’s three are great. Though the argument was based on artists who have been out for that same amount of time. If it were just period then I’d obviously say Kendrick is the best artist since Kanye.
Trent: I see, said the blind man.
In that case, I agree. People may have slept but he has incredible records on all his albums. I wish LAX had better executive producing because that could have been one of the top 10 double discs ever. All you had to do was separate the dark and uptempo songs for better sequencing and flow. I’ll share my version with y’all next time I pull out my hard drive … whenever that may be because … who needs hard drives anymore?
Aaron: Hey, Jesse, Nas should be in the conversation, too. Hip Hop is Dead, the untitled album, and Life is Good, as well as the stellar (I know Trent will disagree) Distant Relatives with Damian Marley. Though it’s very good, Life is Good is actually my least favorite out of all four of those albums. I know that’s an unpopular opinion.
William: Yeah, I love “latter era” Nas, but no way. Mostly because Game has at least two albums that are in the 4.5-5 territory in that time span. The highest Nas has is 4.
Jesse: I cant agree at all, either. Life is Good is the only thing I love from those years.
Trent: I will save running Nas’ discography through the guillotine for another day. What are we thinking for the rating on 1992?
Jesse: I think an even 4 is fair and good. It’s one of the more complete LPs in Game’s catalog and the comparative strength speaks to just how hit or miss he’s been for over a decade now. I’m relieved at the lack of guest appearances compared to Documentary 2 and 2.5, but it stands to reason his 2005 debut may be the only thing he has teetering on a classic (we can all thank Curtis Jackson’s hooks and Interscope’s magnificent budget at the time.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVf29k2UjAc
Dollar & A Diss: “92 Bars” goes at Meek Mill’s head with the battle axe.
Trent: I’m at 4.2.
Jesse: I agree with 4.2, I just didn’t want to push my limits so I lowballed it. (Laughs).
Aaron: 4.1.
William: Surprising! I’m at a 4. I’m a big Game fan so I thought I was tripping with my 4, (Laughs). Glad to see everyone else is rocking.
Got it, love it,it’s dope
Great review guys!! And I agree that Games been the most consistent rapper of his era, along with Kanye! Also loved that the album was old school sampled….
Something Hip Hop needs in 2016!
This nigga got the most consistent discography of anyone from the west. All time. He’s 8/8 on solo releases. And documentary 2.5 still the best west album I’ve heard in the last 6 years quote me
Dude does it again, boss
Real bars, real concept, real rap. Hip Hop needed this.
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Hadn’t been this excited about a hip hop album in a long time. great body of work game!
Game did it again. Still on top of his “game” in terms of flow, rhymes, and capabilities with disses.
Kanye discography has been so wack other then watfh the throne since the graduation segment please stop talking about that has been
I think this 1992 is what hip hop needs right now I give it a 5
classic tracks all spit fire. some could use better beats but shit this is a joint id sit back and smoke an L to and let it take me away.
Boo! And leave the classics alone already. You don’t deserve “It’s Funky Enough”.
This is real hip-hop, this is westcost, this is The Game, top 10 rapper live
salute to game!
Game is good lyricist but this alblum is Trash …last one is better..
Cool album, the old school beats made it a little underwhelming and name dropping Drake like 5 times was annoying.
meek is that you?
And once again my comment is deleted. Fuck this site. Thisis50.com!!!!!
The album is ????? great concept and great overall body work on the album thanks for keeping hip hop alive Game.
He is on drakes balls
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I gave five stars to about half the tracks. It flows reeaal well and def has a classic 90s sound to it.
Great album, fire from start to finish.
Great album, love all the old school samples. Minimal features too which is nice.
Really like the exposure to the discussion here. Nice format.
Fire
Not good
This was a GREAT review, I love the discussion instead of just one voice…. The album is cool, but I agree the intro sample was too much. There are def some gems on there tho.
I was born in ’92 so obviously I didn’t experience that era, but Game’s album gave me a powerful glimpse of that time and is making me wanting to trace the samples and get to know the music of that time better.
And in the end isn’t that what art is supposed to do?
I thinks its a dope album, He’s probably one of the last rappers left that can make a whole album n stay true to the theme of it✋
i believe that as beign a Game fan since for ever, i LOVE Game when he raps och throws all them BARS in, when Game goes in he goes HARD, properly one of the best lyricly best rapper in the Game period, Game have one of the craziet bars ever FACTS and he makes good music…. he should do more RAP music then “radio music”.
Dope album as always.
I only dislike 2 songs outta album, and still they are dope songs.
The Game’s album are always worth to listen to. His ear for beats are one of a kind, his flow is always on point, lyrically he is more often on a high level than not. Some can say his originality is what hold him down, especially when it comes to the GOAT convos. But 1992 can put him back in that convo. Also looking at his latest big project, The Documentary 2 and 2.5. Ever nice album with classic instrumentals, good topics, lyrics and flow.
Another great cd to go along with the rest of his classics. #1992
The OJ incident happened in 1994, not 92…. So I don’t get why he’s on the album cover….I’m just saying
@losangelesconfidential Bro that #1992 shit is pure dope bubblin in skillets #GAMETIMEGOTANOTHERCLASSIC still bumping doc 2 and then you crack niggaz in the head wit another classic whooooo #pestcontrol 2016 real hiphop shit #yougotthejuicenowbaybee!!!!! @champagnepapi @snoopdogg @jeezy can’t wait for that #td3 snowman wya holla
The Game album is fire.
that #1992 shit is pure dope bubblin in skillets #GAMETIMEGOTANOTHERCLASSIC still bumping doc 2 and then you crack niggaz in the head wit another classic whooooo #pestcontrol 2016 real hiphop shit #yougotthejuicenowbaybee!!!!! @champagnepapi @snoopdogg @jeezy can’t wait for that #td3 snowman wya
Oh yeah the bar from dreams on the documentary makes sense… The chronic 2001 came out November of 1999 game was shot October of 2001..”woke up out that coma 2001 round the same time (meaning November round the same time of year dre dropped in 1999) check it yaself!
thanks for the deep explanation for a completely uninteresting verse
trash!! this butterfly tattoo, fake thug, reality tv star, stripper, name dropper, dick print pix taker been trash for years now… can’t waste money n bundles on his sampled name dropping album!! his character alone kills the vibe..
I always love hear the haters review his albums because the albums he drops are better than half the shit that’s out right now. To the haters I say the best since pac was on death-row. I would put game up with anybody he would slay them niggas. 1992 wasn’t the best thing that game put out but better than half the shit I hear now
This is hip hop. This album takes you on a journey thru what was happenin not only in hip hop but the world back in 1992. The social injustices the political unrest the crooked cops .. OJ .. this is an amazing album and I truly feeling Game is starting to cement himself as the current hip hop king. I say this as no slight to a drake or Kanye who are great artists but I do not believe they exemplify hip hop the way the Game does with his album. I was never a Game fan when he started his career but his recent work of the past few years cemented by this album have me sold. One more solid album like this one and I believe he takes Jay’s seat at the head of the table.. and this coming from a Jay fan of more than 20 years. Respect
oj was 94
>expecting any of these 14 year old hiphopheads to know history
my age is no where near 14 I’m just appreciating and commenting on album from an open perspective .. 14 year olds are typically closed minded and therefore would point out small nuiansces and not fully grasp the meaning behind what is placed in front of them .. what was placed in front of you was 1992 as a hip hop head you should understand that is more relevant to the era and not the year .#thinkoutsidethebox
True Def was 94 but as someone else mentioned this is an album that was coined 1992 but was reflective of the era more so than true to the year of the title. A lot of people are making a big deal about it not staying true to the title I would say around that time there was so much happening that he had to touch on these topics . Although it was not true to the title it stayed true to the content and the era
this is the album of the year.
Game needs to make 1993 1994 1995 1996
game should make 2001 lol just kidding lol love you
great cd much better than his last two. i havent heard anything from game in the last 5 years that i wanted to listen to over and over
Its a solid album but most of this new era wouldn’t get it because it takes u back 90″s and he is paying homage to the old skool rappers
I think some you Editors are obviously corny . Hip Hop is about taking shh and making it fresh. The game did that and alot of the young Hip Hop crowd that may fugg with game never heard no Ice T colors. My son was bangin the Game album and I kept heaing him play that over and over and he said it was one of the dopest beats he heard this year and i had to point out ice t. remake.,.. you editors and critics always assume everyone heard some shh man please. these lil cats aint up on no ice t except on law and order maybe lol. I think Games Album is slammin a strong 4.5 to me and I think the name droppin is hip hop. see Erick sermon. Game is one of the best to ever do it. REALLY Doe and his last double album was second only to kendricks shh last year and to return this strong after a double album man give it up…salute that man and stop hatin….. especially you tRENT your the corniest of all the editors .
I GIVE HHDX A SOLID 0 FOR BEING TERRIBLE NERDS PUBLISHING A CHAT LOG. ALSO I GIVE GAME A 1.5 AS A PERSON CAUSE BLACK PEOPLE SHOULDN’T GROW BEARDS, IT JUST ENDS UP A MESS.
if he was confident in himself he wudnt need fake beef to create attention o buzz.. that alone is corny.. I did not bother bumping the last 3.. can’t even remember any hits on them apart from the 2pac bitten joint with dej loaf.. name dropper!! No1 really cares bout game anymore.. the west surely doesn’t.. LA now has nipsey, YG etc. who is he gon create beef with for the next album? Sean Kingston?? it ain’t gon sell either.. even dre cudnt keep up with the corny eish!! game is bad 4 business.. wen a rapper starts reality tv no1 takes em serious anymore..
THIS ALBUM WAS A CHEAP ASS IMITATION OF WEST COAST RAP! CHEAP WATER DOWNED SAMPLES DOESNT EVEN GIVE U ORGANIC VIBES. PUNCHLINES ARE WATERED DOWN. HES A WESR COAST DUDE WHO LOVES TO BE A EASTCOASR RAPPER AND NAME DROP. THATS CORNEY
What is worse the review or the corny consideration of best discography. You need to listen to real hip hop first before you can make these claims. Epidemics has one of the best during that period way better than these commercial corny cats. Game is a corny dick rider with his beats and subject matter. Dude can rap but his beats are always corny and he talks about nothing. This album is a 3 all day just average and the best songs are played out samples.
Tied for best rap album of the year with Pablo. Its almost flawless…production holds hit back in my mind.
1992 would have been epic album had it not been over shadowed by the bullshit beef, although the beef did result in BARS!
The Album is LIIIIT.
Call game what u want but the game always bringing it
Pretty disappointing album. I was expecting more of a 90s vibe, not a mid-late 80s vibe. Nevertheless, the production was shoddy and the lyrics were tired. The standout cuts, in my opinion, are Savage Lifestyle, The Juice, Young Niggas, What Your Life Like & 92 Bars.
My only problem is that this is more of an EP than an album. But thrilled it was better than the lackluster Doc 2 last year. Game continues to hold his spot.
EP or LP is based on how many songs it has on it. So factually it is an LP, only way it could be an EP is if it didn’t have 10 songs on it!
Average hip hop album with clean R&B hooks, 80’s-inspired beats, overplayed samples, corny name-droppings and recycled themes. This shit doesn’t sound like 1992!
Are you serious DX?
Game is a rapper who stole the 90′ blueprint of hiphop, he steals albumcovers, steals flows, is not Original, is a contradited rapper who speaks against gangviolence and then plays gangster on his records, he kisses everbodys ass with his namedropping. Conclusion: he is very average and a cheap version of 90’s hiphop. Stop dickriding The Game
GAME STR8 BEASTIN ON THESE NICCAS
Pretty average album, not good, not bad, as always with The Game, imo. Unlike classic great albums who gets better with every listen I think this one heads in the opposite direction. I liked it more the first time I heard it than the second one, and thats a bad sign for me. Like I said, not bad and if U’r a Game-fan you’ll probably love it, but for me who think Game is okey, I’m not feeling it that way.
Listening to it right now and so far it’s a 3.5 from me, don’t like the bonus track it’s lame. I’m not buying this his doc 2 and 2.5 is last best and I will also say doc 2 was as near great as his first. I feel that if only he had Timbo and Hi-tek on the on there it would have been as great. Funny that Em only did one Game album, I guess he really loyal to Fifth or he never cared for Game.
Jesse, “Colors” is far more than a cult classic, its a legit film, and you still aint seen it..card pulled
Classic. Painting pictures of the west side as seen through his eyes. His lyrics and flo tied with timeless samples and crystal production make this great. Respect. 5 mics.
Klassic
The album is dope o give it a 5 im from Kali so I feel it
Who the F cares where are you from? State your address while you’re at it, at least. 🙂
Gotta drop this Bongo producer he fuckin sucks.
go listen to other songs produced by bongo by the way mate he’s lit asf
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Wack! Lol one best discographys
(we can all thank Curtis Jackson’s hooks and Interscope’s magnificent budget at the time.) Nah. His follow up is on the same level or close enough to.
I’m sorry but if your talking best discographies since ’05 idk how you can leave out Jeezy. Yes Game is my favorite rapper but Jeezy is one of the most consistent rappers out.
That being said 1992 is a damn solid project top to bottom and yes i agree 1992 is more of a metaphor for an era rather than a year. The samples are pretty dope imo.
First listen was 4/5 but after a few more its no more than 3/5
Game go hard bar wise but not feeling these beats why not drop another project with DRE ?
DX, stop playing, Doctor’s Advocate is a classic. The Documentary is borderline.
Status quo from GAME. Im surprised at the crew’s review here. Surprisingly high, especially after multiple listens. Also can’t believe they think Wu Tang didn’t come til ’93. Calling out GAME for it. Get it together fellas.
This is some solid work from my dude Game.
How can you not love Distant Relatives? Comfortably one of the best albums for a decade (and easily beating Kanye’s MDBTF)