It’s here. After months of song releases, updates, and teasers, Game dropped the first of the two installments of The Documentary 2.
The Documentary sold five million copies and is considered by many to be a new-age West Coast classic. Ten years later, is the sequel more like The Godfather, Part II, or Rocky V?
The title is appropriate; The Documentary 2 finds Game returning to his stomping grounds of Compton, California, in a more consistent and dedicated way than he’s done since his debut. While Compton’s gang life has been Game’s muse for a decade now, the music stays fresh because of how he approaches it.
Game is not simply hollering “Compton!” He’s still providing new, detailed descriptions of his upbringing: “I hopped every backyard on my block/Till I got to Elm Street, took the rag out my sock/And I could have been a Crip, but I ain’t like blue that much/All Crip school, I ain’t really go to school that much,” he rhymes on “Don’t Trip.”
As it was on Dr. Dre’s Compton: A Soundtrack, Kendrick Lamar’s influence is apparent on The Documentary 2. The Game flows more freely, and on multiple tracks, including the Kendrick-featured “On Me,” the production switches up midway through to adjust to the feel of the lyrical content.
Songs bleed into one another, especially those of the same content. “Dollar and a Dream” and “Made in America” are Game’s back-to-back victory laps after a decade of success in Hip Hop, while “Circles,” “Uncle (Skit),” and “Dedicated,” are all part of the same narrative, which deals with his breakup with ex-fiancee Tiffany Cambridge.
It’s these real-life experiences that Game draws from to make music from the heart, and it keeps The Documentary 2 from simply being an ode to his hood.
It helps that Game has, at least in part, shed some of the tired crutches that once defined his music. He still name drops, but not nearly as much, and with his flow and delivery crisper, it’s not as noticeable.
Speaking of flows, he’s more versatile with his cadences and flavor but doesn’t attempt to overtly imitate any one of his featured guests like on album’s past. And while there are many, many features – 18 different guests, to be exact – Game never loses the driver’s seat, even while Kendrick and Ab-Soul shine on “On Me,” and “Dollar and a Dream,” respectively.
The production varies widely, from Johnny Juliano’s and Cardo’s soulful “100,” to Mike WiLL Made-It’s remarkably elegant, piano-driven “Summertime,” to the bouncy “Don’t Trip.” And, because of Game’s West Coast assertions and energy, they all sound like they belong on the same album.
The Documentary 2’s first installment isn’t perfect. It runs a little long and is not without some duds. “Hashtag” is an unnecessary earsore, while “Mula” suffers from subpar production and uninspired braggadocio. “Bitch, You Ain’t Shit,” disappoints following the complex, emotional depth of both “Dedicated” and “Circles,” which immediately preceded it.
Yet, these missteps are few and far between. The vast majority of the album features strong production and some of the best lyricism Game has ever spit: “Now I’m a veteran, spit a 16 sixteen ways/Sixteen in a clip, spit it 16 ways/I know six teens, pull up to a sweet sixteen and spray/I’m like sixteen Jays but the beat I can manage/So every Sweet 16 is like Duke and Kansas,” he cleverly rhymes on the title track.
That’s just one of many bright lyrical moments. Game’s first installment The Documentary 2 is a fine achievement in making the familiar sound fresh. It will be exciting to see what he has in store for the second go-round.
Hdhd
fire
classic
Str8 heat
Nooo, Street King Immortal coming out soon! 50 my nigga!
#GUnit
CLASSIC IN THE MAKING AFTER PEOPLE REALLY LISTEN FOR A MONTH THEY WILL REALIZE WHY ITS CLASSIC AND DISC 2 WILL BE EVEN BETTER!!! GAMES DOPER THAN CARDIAC ARREST!!!! PROVES FURTHER WHY 50 DIDNT DO SHIT BUT SING HOOKS LIKE A BITCH ON HIS FIRST ALBUM!!!! GAME WILL SLAY 50 GGGGGGGGUNOT!!!!!!!
Suck my motherfuckin dick punk.. SKI coming hoe! #GGGGG-UNIIIITTTTT
Just 4? Man its at least a 4.5. DX Suckameandick lol
Don’t trip is my shit
whole album stinks
good album
Classic
4.5
Album is dope.
Best album of the last year HEAT
Funny how u mentioned missteps including Mula . The beat is minimal but works great and most of all Yeezys hook is hotter that most of the shit i ve heared a long time
when will he drop a solo album?
As good if not better than the documentary
Amazing. Best gangsta rap album in this era. Fuck curly.
fuck yea
hhjjgj
Sad how much Rap Fans & Critics standards have fallen off. Is Documentary 2 a bad album? Not at all, but considering Documentary is a Classic & has Classic production, this album is a mega letdown. The album does not have strong production at all as the reviewer states. The Production is the weak aspect of the album. Not 1 of these beats on the Documentary 2 is good enough to even be on the OG Documentary. Bongo The Drum Gawd, Cardo, Boi1da, will i am, etc…are not the same caliber producers as Dr Dre, Just Blaze, Hi-Tek, Buckwild, Havoc, Kanye, Timbo, and if you really know your Hip Hop and have a good set of ears, you can tell how average the production is on Documentary 2. Just because they used samples doesn’t make it dope! Game is spittin rhymes better than I’ve ever heard him & the transitions between tracks are very creative, but if you’re going to attempt to make a part 2 to a Classic album, at least don’t go get cheap knock off production of the original.
Production was on point fuck u mean? U clearly need to sit down & listen again
I don’t know what kind of beats y’all trying to listen to, but this shit sounds good as hell. Maybe y’all listen thru laptop speakers or weak headphones or something. No shade. This shit sounds good as hell in the whip.
Ya but the first documentary is not sure fire classic either, it has it’s fillers. Every top tier rapper thinks they have a classic nowadays and decides to make a sequel to it. I like Game though, he at least makes hip hop music and can spit fire on occasion.
agreeeeed
If game was actually signed to a major label he prob could enlist those producers but since he is independent he gotta work with what he got
Agree on what HHdx states, but I rate Doc2 – 4.5
It wasn’t 100% dope album, but compared to everything in HipHop, this will be top 10 album since ’10s. waiting for the second instalment
DOPE AF. PLEASE , DON’T BE A HATER. THIS IS FIREEEEE
Cmoon Dx ! the album deserve 4.5 .. no body’s perfect ( jcole voice)
too many features imo… still need to sit with this thing
This is a great album and should of gotten a 4 and a half, maybe even 5 X. The features are overrated. He gives credit to anyone who did a hook (kanye) or just talked at the end of the record (diddy). Album of the year candidate.
Definetely a different look for Game. I think it a a classic, he just keaked all the good songs first so it’s not as wow when it dropped. But there’s the other half coming and Game is a genius, don’t be surprised if that on has nothing but gangsta shit on it.
GAME TIME 2015 glad he made a west coast album for the first time in a good while
it’s okay, but still:
Total Name Drops: 145
Average Name Drops Per Song: 8.5
Most: 27 on “Documentary 2”
you may as well not listen to the able bruh. You’re counting name drops? So you’re already listening with bias! go listen to another rapper guy.
Petty ass.. U worried about the wrong shit, Jus enjoy the damn music
Hater? I own every single Game album. It’s just so annoying, that he drops at least one name in every single line.
“… like A …”
“… like B …”
“… like C & D …”
…
and no, i didn’t count the name drops. somebody else did on DjBooth
i think its a really great album. not a big fan of a trillion features but it works. The album is full circle with the way he raps. name dropping is fine to me because your favorite rapper does the same thing but in a different way. I do think this has the potential to surpass the documentary however i have always felt that Dr. Advocate was his best hands down.
Just great…a bit more than the usual game…can’t wait for the other half
Whats so special about Game? He is just a cheap imitation of the 80 and 90’s rappers. Game follows just a blueprint which he does good but come on Game aint Original or creative. BTW he never made a classic. Documenatry has classic BEATS! You want classic albums go listen to ready to die, illmatic, me against the world. Then you will never ever again listen to Game.
Ok and after those albums, then what? People always saying how the music don’t sound the same, but you hating on him because he sounds like the rappers people are missing from the past. Make up your mind on what you want. You want Future autotuning and people hitting the Quan? Or do you want someone who sounds like the rappers you fell in love with? Ain’t too many rappers making great songs with nice beats. Game is one of a few who are even close to making good music.
DOPE ALBUM! stfu haters
album is super trash, no substance, he doesn’t know how to write a hook no wonder why he has to enlist all these features, and a bunch of name drops because he has nothing to rap about, garbage flow, hang it up game… stick to reality shows and beating people up
Fuck is u listening too
Why not review the album as a whole after the second disc is available?
Fire
this is a very good album. It still baffles me how people bash the game for no reason. Don’t tell me you haven’t played songs from the documentary, doctors advocate, lax, jesus piece, etc., in the past year. The guy has a lot of very good songs in his catalogue, and it is all still playable(the sound). This album has at least 9 very good songs that you will be playing for years to come. Add to this album the other album that comes out next week, and you are talking about 14 very good songs that will stand the test of time. I honestly cannot think of one hip hop album the last two years that gave me that. Kendrick is obviously a better rapper…we get that. That doesn’t mean he makes songs that you will still bump in 5 years. The game does that, and he deserves hip hop heads respect
oh and for all of those people bitching about features, I guess they hated the Chronic 2001 too, right???? I do not want to hear a rapper rap 3 verses and the chorus on his or her songs. Kanye had plenty of features on college dropout too. Just shutup already
FIRE #MULA
Rick Ross – Black Dollar was rated 4.00
This 2.20
Congrats assholes
game on fire
This album is fire as far as I am concerned you can’t compare documentary to documentary 2 different time period, but considering this album is a classic for this year in terms of what game is saying the flow and delivery is amazing, dre would never stamp the quality if it wasnt worth it, it has an old school sound and good direct substance to match it
Awesome album. Bin on repeat since it leaked, and bin on repeat since I bought it today. Congrats game, looking forward to 2.5. Fuck the haters!
“been” you dumb fuck.
good follow up, dont think it would have went in any other direction
FIRE.
Album ain’t even been out 24hrs and it gets a review. like I said people listen to music just to review and critique it. People don’t even sit and vibe to it. That’s why everything is average and whack to people. They listen to the tracklisting. Some people prob call it a classic after one listen. I bet people asking when is the Documentary 3 coming out? Lol
Its been leaked for 3 weeks. Its bad in my opinion.
The album is bad. Lol why is it bad though? Can I get some reason behind your opinion.
Album is nice. 4.5 stars. If Game was a new rapper people would be calling him Kendrick’s competitor. Game been doing this for so long and he keeps it fresh. Loved the samples like Standing on Ferraris, the soulfulness in Circles. Takes a song and puts a twist with a story. The song Documentary 2 is straight west coast sound. I don’t even know where the hate comes from with some of you. Album is a breath of the past with an exhale of the present. If you don’t like this then I don’t know what will make you happy. Nobody is making music like this anymore that gives you that old west coast feel.
Fire!!!!!
It’s alright first cd had 4-6 good songs but listening to game over the decade some songs get a bit repetitive
if this shit was cut down to like 14 tracks . it would have been 5
THIS ALBUM IS THE TRUTH, I SEEN IT COMING FROM THE LAST ALBUM…BUT THIS ONE IS THE TRUTH… IVE PLAYED THIS ALBUM ALREADY ABOUT 12 TIMES AND COUNTING..THE SECOND IS EVEN HOTTER, AND THAT DISC WILL HAVE YOU LIKE GAME IS THE GAME….10 STARS FROM ME
Third best album of the year after Big Sean and Joey Bada$$
yes.
4.5 to 5 rating for me. With Kendrick’s “To Pimp a butterfly”, Dr Dre’s “Compton” & now Documentary 2. I can confidently say 2015 has been the West Coasts Year. An excellent listen and I’m very much looking froward to the second disc.
Great album he’s arguably a top fiver
DOOOOPEEE ALBUM!!!!
game time
step up is the best song
Best album of the year so far
The Documentary was good but I always thought Doctor’s Advocate was his best album and GAME at that time was my favorite of that current rappers but after LAX I did not bother buying any of his future albums(he lost focus and way too many non west coast artist features) but I am curious about this one will probably youtube it first and if I like it enough I will buy the album (Kendrick got me back into modern Rap after I heard section 80 and have not been disappointed with any of his music so far, I mostly listen to 90’s west coast and other dope shit from that era)
Fire
Can’t say the whole album is fire.. but at least 75% of it are hits. Soon as you critics start bringing up ready to die and illmatic, that means you compare it to the best so you liked it.. 4 albums in 10 years I can divide(jayz line).. game has provided 4 good albums in ten years, so that’s better than Wayne, kanye, Jeezy what else do you want. I give this part a 3.5 out of 5 giving that there’s still half of the album missing, If 2.5 is another 3.5 then you have 7 out of 5 making it a classic.. name another rapper that has had more than 3 good albums.. and it’s only gonna be rap legends.. and please don’t say drake
“…7 out 5…”… That’s some impressive mathematics.
Dunce.
advanced mathematics.
I agree that Game has put out 4 good albums in 10 years, but I definitely think discounting Drake is idiotic. Dude makes amazing music as well. I’m guessing The Game agrees, considering Drake is on his album…
David Lakes common that’s how DX rates these albums..with advance mathematics lol.
I love this album. His first 3 and the Red Album are fantastic. For me it’s 5 in 10-11 years. Jesus Piece is alright too.
dopeness
I pity the fool that don’t like this album.
Thank you Game!
Don’t mind the haters, they have poor taste and don’t know good music is when they hear it.
goodalbum not classic
Im not a fan of Game. I listen to it on a neutral stand yesterday. I listen to it 3 times to feel it, look at the construction of the CD, production, how the beats goes one after another. This CD is a journey. Not afraid to said CLASSIC! You can feel the hard work behind that. Well done.
GREAT ALBUM! CLASSIC
Perfect
Game has one of strongest discographies of any rapper, period. Is he the best rapper? Nope. But he has a lot of dope songs. Even his so called bad albums like LAX are still banging for the most part. I’d sure as hell rather listen to LAX than Blueprint 3, The Lex Diamond Story or Nastradamus. He has never reached the lows that some of the all-time greats have. In that respect I think the Game is underappreciated.
LAX was actually pretty good but Jesus Piece and that Blood Moon album were trash. With that being said, I think Documentary 2 is album of the year so far and I cant wait to hear part 2.
@ some guy — You serious about Jesus Piece? That album too underrated I guess… Blood Moon was mediocre though, I’ll agree with you on that.
Yep agree with the Blueprint 3 and the Lex Diamond Story was disappointing …But Nastradamus had some banging tracks on there …… It was fashionable back in 99 to hate Nas !
Fucker uses ghost writers even hip hop DX cited it lol you don’t know how many times Ya boy from the bay wrote this guys shit srs.
trash
dopeness
Drake saved this album from being complete trash. All your favourite rappers need to learn from the game. In 2015 you need a drake feature to make your album relevant.
fuck drake! 100 would of been good if he didn’t ruin it! bitch ass trick, tell him to pull the cock out his mouth before he ruins another real rappers song, obviously he wrote that stupid as fuck verse he was saying [garbage]. please strike him down with throat cancer!
Haters voting down this album. Shame.
Drake is the best cock sucker on the planet! If he wasn’t on this album Game wouldn’t have bitches sucking his dick. I showed those bitches how to suck dick. I am the king of sucking dick! These bitches wouldn’t be out here sucking dick if I didn’t demonstrate it best by sucking the biggest, fattest, veiniest, cocks known to mankind! #OVO #OvularVeryOvular #OVO #IstheSymbol #OfTwoOvariesWithNoPenis #JustOvaries
What are you trying to say…….?
Solid Album Game
This album gets a 5. It’s lyrical, cohesive, beats are fresh as hell, and most importantly, it doesn’t bore you. Keeps switching gears all the way through!
I have to agree totally. Straight 5, can’t believe HHDX on this one. This to me definitely (not surpasses) stands next to “Pimp A Butterfly”…
Dope5/5
Meanwhile 50 is bankrupt. Game won in the long run.
album of the year but i am a game stan
I’m pleasantly surprised. Seems like every Game release lately is disappointing but he is finally back with this one. I would give this 4.5 if I could, but I can’t give it a 5.
pure fire
This Album is TRASH ! I hope 2.5 is better…..
Have you even listened to it yet?
I actually prefer it to the original… don’t kill me.
Dope
Super dope album. Game never disappoints.
Album is dope, with the exception of hashtag, the second disc is dope 2, worthy sequel, one of the best sequels to follow a classic in hip hop history.
Dope album
Even better than the first Documentary!! Album of the Year contender easily.
1. Documentary. 2. Doctors Advocate. 3. Jesus Piece. 4. Red Album. 5. Blood Moon. 6. Documentary 2.
This was his worse album, maybe i just don’t feel his tracks because of the reality shows and this nigga so fake.
Doctor’s Advocate>Documentary>RED>LAX>Doc 2>Blood Moon>>>>>Jesus Piece
Where is LAX?
OG
garbage, expected a lot more, 2.5 is a lil bit better but still , overall very dissapointed
your life is dissapointing
Dope album. Worth the wait
Really liked this album. I’ll give it a few more spins, but I think this has got to be one of his best releases.
Doc 2!!!
This album is seriously shit it not documentary legendary shit he should have given it a different name i was expecting a lot more from him “classic shit” not this bull shit……..
nah, it was good
forget the sales. the music is outstanding.
forget the sales. the music is outstanding
Pleasantly Surprised.
Dopest Album Out Right Now.
dope!
Def some bangers on here…not perfect but overall a pretty solid return to form after his last few subpar albums
Doctor’s Advocate still easily his best album but this one is in the conversation for 2nd place
Definitely his best since LAX. could be better, time will tell. The only 3 tracks i can’t feel are hashtag, dedicated and mula, the rest is very banging.
Game always makes good albums. I like how the album kinda has that to pimp a butterfly feel with the song transitions. And the beat selections are fire.
this album is dope as fuck. too many Game haters out there
Im not feeling it
im a huge game fan DOCUMENTARY 2 is weak DOCUMENTARY 2.5 IS FIIIIIRREREEE
waiting to hear doc2.5
Power. G’d up
Whats with all the low ratings? This guy has been around for 10+ years and still puts out quality music. Not just quality music but 38 songs! This shit is fire! Wait till you all hear 2.5, its way better than the first part. Game Time
Another Classic Album and West Coast Legend Game Still Got It
its Game Time!!!
fire
How the FUUUCK is the not rated higher? -__-
NOT BAD HE’S DONE BETTER
I’m not a person who is a fan of The Game. He name drops all the time of other rappers and he dick rides Dr. Dre to the maximum. He cant go one song without mentioning Dre, Pac, Eazy or whatever popular rapper that’s out now. That’s my problem with him. He’s too good of a rapper to do basically the same flows all the time. With that being said this album was outstanding. Production was great, features were right and he’s spitting all over it. Disc 2 is a drop off in quality but still good. Its killing every other project he’s done. Another stellar year for the West.
Fire Album!
I already thought game was a good rapper and pretty much certified but damn, dude getting deeper and deeper in his bag with every album. I’ve never not liked a game album but this maybe my favorite so far
really really impressed
This dude doesn’t even rap, biggest name dropper in the history of music. I think XXL or something counted 147 name drops in this album. Wild shit. Fuck this dude
top album
?
Hey I dont really like rap music but I really like this cd
1. Doctor’s Advocate
2. Doc 2.5
3. The Documentary
4. RED
5. LAX
6. Blood Moon
7. Doc 2
8. Jesus Piece
*I know Blood Moon is a compilation.
*Doc 2 & Doc 2.5 rated separately because he released them like that.
Fire!
I don’t like anything about Game or what he represents, but I’m not a hater, this is some good music right here.
GAME HAS ANOTHER CLASSIC FACE IT BYTCH NIGGAZ DISC 1 and DISC 2 SMACK LIKE HERON!!!!!
This album & 2.5 got me on replay…..the beat and transition in documentary 2 was crack fire & all but a lot more spirit in 2.5
this album is great , game always has a good body of work fo his fan
listened to it straight through a few times. very good album. a whole lot of different, dope flows on it. more than holds his own with k-dot on the first track and shows why he is one of the best out there
Doctors Advocate. The Documentary. The Documentary 2 and 2.5. R.E.D. LAX. Jesus Piece
DA first cd and the second CD are tight both are solid albums game showin his versatility 4.5 out of 5 stripes
The documentary 1
lax
red album
doctors advocate
jesus piece
documentary 2
Mula is one of the best tracks on there, and best beats on there, foh, I’ll give you B**** you Aint Shit though. I guess it’s all subjective, but damn im not sure how the reviewer disliked it, one of the reviewers made the comment on the 50 vs Game article that LAX Files track off LAX was garbage. Confusing.
Just to be clear, I thought this album was all around great. You can tell he made this album while Dr. Dre was making his album because the concept and the mixing sound very similar between the two projects. I love the fact that Game decided not to mail in his lyrics and really stepped up his delivery for the album. Stand Outs like ‘El Chapo” “Mula” “Standing On Ferrari’s” “Life”100” and “Gang bang Anyway” stand out as constant bangers. Awesome Album.
Real hip hop, dope ass album all around love the old dog pound Gfuck joints. Shits legit.
Fire! both discs. All around
This is Game’s third best album.
Best album in a while
This album is his third best album by default. 1) Documentary 2) Doctor’s Advocate 3) Documentary 2 and 2.5
Album of the year, not sure what people are listing to these days, this is album feels like early 2000’s, gave me that vibe, loved it.
one of the best albums of the year!
Greatness
2 & 2.5 will be on on of those complex hip hop lists in 20 years
not the best album but I like it
user ratings prove that certain writers are taking money under the table to write these reviews. Too many game d**k riders, who can’t even effectively form their own opinions.
Took me a couple listens but he talks about some real personal stuff. It has a nice west coast vibe to it. I havent been a Game fan for a while but this to me has to be one of the best he’s put out in a few years. He doesn’t carry it himself with alot of features but there good tracks. Alot you can get lost in.
Yall need to check out King Shampz and Azzan on Soundcloud and Datpiff they the Monsters in the EAST!!!
Great album
Dopest album of 2015.
sorry i love some game music,,,,,but this is not better than the 1st lp with the math/gunit and thats the wackest i ever heard drake on a song,,seem like he didnt want to do it,, sorry out of 10 i give this lp a 4
Hectic album