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The Game (rapper)

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The Game

Jayceon Terell Taylor (born November 27, 1979 in Los Angeles,[1] California), better known by his stage name The Game, is a multi-platinum American rapper signed to Geffen Records. The Game is considered by many to be a driving force in bringing back the West Coast hip hop scene and competing with many of his East Coast counterparts.[2][3][4]

Biography

The Game grew up in Compton during his earlier life and lived in a primarily Crip neighborhood known as Santana Blocc.[5] The rapper would eventually become a member of the Cedar Block Piru Bloods.[6] The rapper's nickname was coined by his grandmother, who said that he was always "Game" for anything. His mother and father were both affiliated with Crip gangs. After his older sister accused his father of sexual molestation[7] his family was split up and The Game lived with a foster family for eight years in Carson, a suburb of Los Angeles, (located immediately Southwest of Compton) until he was reunited with his mother when he was 13.

The Game had a short stint at Washington State University on a basketball scholarship before being kicked out because of drug allegations.[7] It was then that he started fully embracing street life and turning towards selling drugs. At 18 years of age he began to follow his older half brother and Cedar Block Piru leader "Big Fase 100". The Game was shot at five times after a failed drug deal which included two pounds of marijuana in 2001 which put him in a three day coma. He received bullet wounds to the heart, stomach, and arms. While recovering in the hospital, he decided to pursue a career in the rap industry. Studying various classic rap albums, he developed a strategy to become a rapper himself, and with help from his older brother, "Big Fase 100," they founded The Black Wall Street Records and after being signed independently to JT the Bigga Figga's Get Low Recordz signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment.

The Game was originally signed as an artist on Aftermath Entertainment, but Interscope Records CEO Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre decided to have The Game also work with 50 Cent and G-Unit. The arrangement was to help build a growing buzz around The Game which would also fuel interest in G-Unit. The original title of the album was Nigga Wit' An Attitude Volume 1, as can be seen in the lyrics to Dreams, but an injunction filed at the request of Eazy-E's widow prevented him from using N.W.A.'s name in the album title. Dr. Dre and 50 Cent were executive producers on The Game's major label debut album, The Documentary, which spawned the hit singles "How We Do" and "Hate It or Love It". The album debuted at number one on the Billboard music charts and was the tenth best selling album of 2005 in the United States.[8] It also debuted at number 7 in the United Kingdom and sold over 5 million copies world wide.

In 2006 The Game left Aftermath Entertainment and signed with Geffen Records, an imprint of Interscope, in order to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit. The rapper has finished working on his sophomore album Doctor's Advocate, which is scheduled for release in November 2006. He is also working on getting his own label, The Black Wall Street Records, signed to a distribution label. While The Game originally claimed Dr. Dre would still do production work on the album in the November issue of XXL magazine,[9] he admitted in September (after the interview was conducted) during an interview on radio station Power 105 that Dr. Dre would not be producing any tracks on the album.[10][11] So far he has released 2 singles for his new album. One entitled "It's Okay (One Blood)" and the official first single "Strip Club (Let's Ride)".[12]

The Los Angeles Times reported that The Game is now a resident of Glendale, California after having purchased a home in the Kenneth Village neighborhood.[13] The Game announced that he was engaged to actress/model Valeisha Butterfield, the daughter of U.S. Congressman G. K. Butterfield. The couple were set to marry in March of 2007, but the engagement has since been called off.[14]

Controversy

Even before releasing his debut album The Game has been involved with feuds with other rappers. The rapper has previously had rivalries with Suge Knight of Death Row Records, Joe Budden, Yukmouth, as well as Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, and the Young Gunz of Roc-A-Fella Records. The most prominent rivalry is with 50 Cent and G-Unit.

Joe Budden

File:TheGame Cheangeofheart.jpg
The Game (far right) appeared on an episode of "Change of Heart" in 1998, a fact many of his foes try to ridicule.

The origin of the feud with Budden began when 50 Cent criticized Joe Budden's album for "lacking street credibility." Joe Budden took offense and released various insults directed at G-Unit. The Game did a freestyle for DJ Clue, and then Joe Budden used the end of the freestyle without notifying The Game. While on the end, Joe Budden took shots at G-Unit. In defense, The Game made several records against Joe Budden, most notoriously the track "Buddens." The Game threatened Joe Budden and supposedly flew to New York to confront him. Joe Budden mocked The Game's appearance on the dating game show "Change of Heart". The Game has consistently defended his appearance on the show. Later, at a party in New York, the rappers mutually announced their intention to stop making hostile records about each other, but The Game has subsequently suggested in songs and videos that he won the feud.[15]

Yukmouth

Yukmouth first met The Game at a club, at the time Yukmouth was engaged in a feud with 50 Cent and G-Unit.[16] The Game released a diss track aimed at the rapper over the "I Got 5 on It" beat, a song which Yukmouth recorded when he was a part of The Luniz.[17] Yukmouth responded with a track that mocked The Game's appearance on Change of Heart. The two later tried to bury the hatchet, due to a personal friend and even recorded a song together, named "Peace". However the beef continued afterward, since The Game dissed Yukmouth on the 'Peace' song (they recorded their verses separately).[18] Since then, Yukmouth responded by releasing a free style music video over Fabolous' "Breathe" single in which it parodied The Game. In the video there is a look-a-like of the rapper getting robbed and beaten up. Yukmouth claimed on the song that The Game had a tongue ring and was slapped by mogul Suge Knight. Since the West Coast Peace Conference both rappers ended the feud.

Death Row

Dr. Dre's old nemesis Suge Knight has an ongoing feud with The Game. Yukmouth claimed that The Game had been slapped by Suge Knight. The Game responded on his website, saying that if Suge Knight had ever touched him, he would be "six feet under". After the 2005 BET Awards, associates of Death Row had their invitations to a party hosted by Ciara rescinded. Supposedly, a member of Death Row had tried to steal The Game's chain. The Game stated on his Black Wall Street web site that he dislikes Suge Knight because of "the lives he has endangered." In Miami for the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, Suge Knight was shot and wounded at Kanye West's party by an unknown gunman.[19] The Game vigorously denied involvement in the shooting, but the incident renewed efforts to pacify hip hop feuds and The Game has consequently been discouraged from attending certain events in hopes of averting retaliation.[20]

Previously The Game and various representatives of California's rap cliques formed a West Coast "peace treaty" to end many rivalries between various West Coast rappers.[21] This included a feud between Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Suge Knight that began when they left Death Row Records. Although Snoop Dogg was the only one of the three to attend the discussions, The Game represented Dr. Dre and Harvey represented Suge Knight. This truce appears to be unstable however, with Death Row artist Petey Pablo recently recording a diss song towards The Game.[22]

Roc-A-Fella Records

This feud grew out of an earlier rivalry with Memphis Bleek over the name of his label. The label was similar to the one to which The Game had been previously signed. On the single "Westside Story," The Game raps that he "don't do button-up shirts or drive maybachs," many believed that this was a shot at Jay-Z. Later Jay-Z along with Memphis Bleek and the Young Gunz would appear on Hot 97 to discuss the feud. Jay-Z performed a freestyle called "Dear Summer". In his freestyle he repeatedly used the word "game". Many hip-hop fans believed Jay-Z was calling out The Game. The Game apparently felt that the rapper was discrediting him and made several remarks directed at Roc-A-Fella Records.

In an interview with Ed Lover and Monie Love, The Game said the Maybach line on "Westside Story" was actually a diss at Ja Rule, he also said he has a lot of respect for Jay-Z and would never take shots at a legend. Extracts of this interview are also heard in the Game's song "The Documentary". Jay-Z later insisted that "game" references were just about the rap game itself, not the rapper. The Game still addresses Memphis Bleek and the Young Gunz on songs. The Game avoids dissing Kanye West and other associated with Roc-A-Fella.

There were rumors that Jay-Z was planning on "declaring war" on The Game and others at a concert. Despite the feud, Jay-Z instead used the opportunity to make peace with many of his rivals.[23]

50 Cent and G-Unit

Stop Snitchin, Stop Lyin is a controversial documentary released by The Game in 2006.

The Game is currently involved in a feud with 50 Cent. The Game's major debut album was surrounded by controversy. Soon after its release, 50 Cent felt that the rapper was disloyal for saying he wanted to work with artists with whom G-Unit were feuding, such as Nas and Jadakiss.

50 Cent also claimed that he was not getting his proper credit for the creation of the album, including writing six of the songs. During that dispute, a member of The Game's entourage was shot after a confrontation at Hot 97.[24] After the situation between them escalated, 50 Cent and The Game decided to hold a press conference to announce their reconciliation.[25] Many fans had mixed feelings as to whether the rappers created a publicity stunt designed to boost the sales of the two albums the pair had just released.[26]

Nevertheless, even after the situation had apparently deflated,[27] 50 Cent and G-Unit continued to feud with The Game, denouncing his street credibility in the media and claiming that without their support, he will not score a hit from his second album. The Game responded during a performance at the Summer Jam and launched a boycott called "G-Unot".[28]

After the performance at Summer Jam, The Game responded with "300 Bars and Runnin'", a hard hitting diss going at G-Unit as well as members of Roc-A-Fella Records on the mixtape You Know What It Is Vol. 3. Many of The Game's fans felt that the diss song was the pivotal rebuttal that destroyed the credibility of 50 Cent and G-Unit. While it addresses his labelmates, The Game made clear that his attacks are also meant for Memphis Bleek, Benzino, and the Young Gunz. The Game chose to distance himself from addressing Jay-Z negativly on the song. 50 Cent responded through his "Piggy Bank" music video, which features The Game as a Mr. Potato Head doll and parodies many other rivals.

The Game continued his attacks at G-Unit with a mixtape called Ghost Unit. Then later with a mixtape and DVD entitled Stop Snitchin, Stop Lyin', released in January 2006, and was said to be the last of the "beef" between him and G-Unit. 50 Cent's rebuttal was "Not Rich, Still Lyin'. In the song he speaks about Game's fallout with his half brother Big Fase 100. Along with this, G-Unit started to respond on numerous underground mixtapes. G-Unit member Spider Loc, one of the newest member of G-Unit, began dissing The Game soon after. The Game responded with "240 Bars (Spider Joke)",[29] a song mainly aimed at Spider Loc, but also addressing Tony Yayo and rap group M.O.P.[30]

The Game had released images depicting the rap group in many parodies on some of his previous mixtapes. In reponse, G-Unit published a mixtape cover with the rapper's head on the body of an exotic dancer.[31] on the cover of G-Unit Radio 21. In a response to the mixtape, The Game came out with the track "The Funeral 100 Bars" aimed at the whole G-Unit camp.

In October 2006 The Game extended a peace treaty to 50 Cent, which has yet to be replied.[32] However a week later on Power 106 he stated that the treaty was only offered for one day.[33]

Other controversies

Lil Eazy-E, an up-and-coming rapper who is a son of Eazy-E is also in a feud with The Game. The two used to be close associates and even recorded a track that was left off of The Documentary. Lil' Eazy-E has since directed numerous diss songs targeting the rapper and expressed his anger over what he felt was The Game misusing his father's name. The Game responded by claiming that Lil' Eazy-E is trying to establish himself off of the success he had made since releasing The Documentary.[34] However, The Game states on the same track that he would rather not feud with Lil Eazy-E, due to the deep respect he feels for his father. The Game responded on "120 Bars" where he claimed that Lil Eazy-E doesn't write his own lyrics.[35] To which Lil Eazy-E responded with "They Know Me".

The Game stated on "Don't Need Your Love" his dislike for The Source,[36] and he also recorded a freestyle rap responding to the long-standing feud between Benzino and Eminem taking his labelmate's side. Benzino has replied on the song "Look Into My Eyes" his reply to Eminem's "Like Toy Soldiers". The Source believes that Dr. Dre and 50 Cent encouraged the rapper to feud with the magazine.

The Game has had a falling out with his manager and half-brother Big Fase 100. The rapper claims that Big Fase 100 had extorted him out of over $1.5 million,[37] and felt that his influence was holding him back. Later in interviews, Big Fase attacks The Game's street credibility, claiming that The Game being a "certified gangsta" is fabricated.[37] The manager went on to claim that the supposed gangster life is based on his own life, and blamed selfishness on The Game's part as the main reason of their falling out. Recently on the show Rap City The Game appeared with Big Fase 100 and claimed they both squashed their beef with each other.

A confrontation between The Game and Ras Kass took place on at Club Element in Los Angeles.[38] The stories are different from each party, but according to The Game's entourage, The Game approached Ras Kass over a song that he made and lyrics over it that allegedly are pointed to his son and the West Coast. Ras Kass would not stand it and said he wasn't taking back what he said, and The Game punched and knocked him out. The story from Ras Kass's crew is that he walked away and got hit by a bottle in the head and then The Game's crew jumped him, but he escaped with just a black eye. Ras Kass released a diss song soon after the incident called "Hush Little Baby", which questioned The Game's veracity, his show business past and his current gangsta status.

While on tour

The Game and Snoop Dogg performed at Auburn, Washington, a suburb of Seattle, and a supposed fan came onstage and approached Snoop Dogg, setting off a brawl between the fan and 12 bodyguards. The incident was captured on a home video that appears to show the fan leaning his arm on Snoop Dogg's shoulder during a performance of the song "Gin and Juice." The bodyguards respond by wrestling the man to the floor and repeatedly punching and kicking the fan. Some members of the audience claim that Snoop Dogg invited fans onstage to perform with him, and there are other reports that The Game punched or kicked the fan during the incident. Representatives of the venue have defended the performers' bodyguards, stating that the safety of the performers is always a high priority and that fans are not permitted on stage.[39] The fan ended up sueing Snoop Dogg, The Game, and a couple other rappers from the concert for $22 million. The case has yet to be taken to court.

On October 28, 2005 The Game was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in North Carolina. At one point, police said, his companions were sprayed with pepper spray when they surrounded officers in a threatening manner.[40] The Greensboro police had warned him to not videotape at a mall. It was also believed that the rapper had behaved disruptively and used foul language. The Game was videotaping shoppers and it caused concern for the police. Mall security officers said the rapper was wearing a full-face Halloween mask and cursing loudly, and refused to leave when asked. When police arrived, The Game continued to act up and was arrested, a police statement said. The Game claimed that officers overreacted. A video has been linked over the internet detailing the full event. The Game claims to have been giving a young girl an autograph when he was pepper sprayed by the mall security.[40] The Game put footage of the incident on his "Stop Snitchin' Stop Lyin'" DVD.

Trivia

File:GTASA B-Dup.jpg
The Game voices the character B-Dup on Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
  • Goes by several nicknames including Hurricane Game and Chuck Taylor.
  • The Game has one child, a son named Harlem Caron Taylor. Baron Davis is Harlem's godfather. [41]
  • The Game's standing height is 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m).
  • The Game was chosen to play and has bought a large selection of shares for the now defunct Inglewood Cobras, an ABA franchise team.[42]
  • The Game has multiple tattoos on his body including homages to Eazy-E and N.W.A, the logo of The Black Wall Street, a portrait of 2Pac as an angel and G-Unot due to his feud with 50 Cent and G-Unit, as well as the Dodgers' "LA" logo tattoo below his right eye, covering a previous tattoo of a butterfly.[43]
  • The Game is the voice of B-Dup, a character featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.[44]
  • The Game has partnered with 310 Motoring to create his own shoe called The Hurricanes. A portion of the proceeds of the shoe are donated to the victims of Katrina.
  • He is of African American, Spanish, and Native American descent.
  • The Game won the 2006 ASCAP Pop Music Awards honoring the most performed songs in the ASCAP repertory for the 2005 survey year. The Game won for "How We Do" and "Hate It or Love It".[45]
  • The Game has been punked by Ashton Kutcher on the show Punk'd.
  • It has been reported that WWE plans to go after The Game over the rights to his name, which is a nickname for wrestler Triple H.[46]

Discography

Main article: The Game discography

Albums

Album cover Album information
The Documentary
File:Doctorsadvocatemy8af2.jpg
 Doctor's Advocate

Singles

Year Song U.S. Hot 100 U.S. R&B U.S. Rap UK singles Album
2004 "Westside Story" (featuring 50 Cent) 93 55 - - The Documentary
2004 "How We Do" (featuring 50 Cent) 4 2 2 5 The Documentary
2005 "Hate It or Love It" (featuring 50 Cent) 2 1 1 4 The Documentary
2005 "Dreams" 32 12 5 8 The Documentary
2005 "Put You on the Game" - 96 - 44 The Documentary
2006 "It's Okay (One Blood)" (featuring Junior Reid) 76 33 15 - Doctor's Advocate
2006 "Strip Club (Let's Ride)" - - 27 - Doctor's Advocate

Notes

  1. ^ http://www.hurricanegame.us/gallery/displayimage.php?album=97&pos=10 The Game states that he moved from La Brea, Los Angeles to Compton when he was 4 years old. URL accessed on September 30, 2006
  2. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=4091 URL accessed on August 9 2006
  3. ^ http://www.dubcnn.com/features/editorials/2005wrapup/ URL accessed on August 29 2006
  4. ^ http://www.bet.com/Music/GAME+Playtime+Is+Over.htm?wbc_purpose=Basic&WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished URL accessed on August 9 2006
  5. ^ http://ca.askmen.com/men/entertainment_200/200c_the_game.html URL accessed on August 3, 2006
  6. ^ http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/game_the/artist.jhtml#/music/artist/game_the/bio.jhtml URL accessed on June 12, 2006
  7. ^ a b http://www.hurricanegame.us/index.php?go=sister2sister URL accessed on September 28, 2006
  8. ^ a b "http://www.ace*showbiz*.com/news/view/00002623.html" Wikipedia detects this link as spam and therefore it can't be directly linked here. To view, simply copy site address and remove the asterisks. URL accessed on September 30, 2006
  9. ^ http://xxlmag.com/online/?p=5019 November issue of XXL magazine. URL accesssed on Septemeber 28, 2006
  10. ^ http://www.bet.com/Music/musicnews928.htm?wbc_purpose=Basic&WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished
  11. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/rumors/index.asp URL accessed on September 28, 2006
  12. ^ http://billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003157193 URL accessed on September 28, 2006
  13. ^ http://www.latimes.com/classified/realestate/hotprop/la-re-hotprop2apr02,0,4143012.story?coll=la-class-realestate-hotprop
  14. ^ http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/UndertheDome/062706.html URL accessed on August 24, 2006
  15. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=2931
  16. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLD5UxQ2Jk8
  17. ^ http://www.nobodysmiling.com/hiphop/news/77010.php
  18. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=3710
  19. ^ http://www.sohh.com/articles/article.php/7725
  20. ^ http://www.sohh.com/articles/article.php/7483
  21. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=4299
  22. ^ http://xxlmag.com/online/?p=4564
  23. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=4996
  24. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=4129
  25. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=4165
  26. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=4129
  27. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/features/index.asp?ID=1070
  28. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=4469
  29. ^ http://www.hh411.com/category_feature/spiderloc_01302006.html HH411 interview
  30. ^ http://www.sohh.com/articles/article.php/8275 URL accessed on July 18, 2006
  31. ^ http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/50%20cent%20fuels%20fire%20with%20the%20game_1003370 URL accessed on June 29, 2006
  32. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=6205 URL accessed on October 8, 2006
  33. ^ Audio of the conversation on Power 106 URL accessed on October 11, 2006 http://www.therealblackwallstreet.com/forum/showthread.php?s=c0782d458ec026fb31bc5a54590e45cb&t=25361
  34. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/features/?ID=1280 URL accessed on July 8 2006.
  35. ^ http://www.illhill.com/content/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=698 URL accessed on July 8, 2006
  36. ^ http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/game/dontneedyourlove.html simply states "Fuck The Source". URL accessed on September 26, 2006
  37. ^ a b http://www.allhiphop.com/features/?ID=1281 URL accessed on July 29 2006
  38. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=6140 URL accessed on September 26, 2006
  39. ^ Chansanchai, Athima and Robert L. Jamieson Jr.'Loyal fan' claims he was beaten onstage at Snoop Dogg concert. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. May 31 2006. Retrieved August 11 2006.
  40. ^ a b http://ca.askmen.com/gossip/the-game/the-game-halloween-arrest.html URL accessed on August 8 2006
  41. ^ http://www.xxlmag.com/Features/2005/april/the-game/index.html URL accessed on August 26 2006
  42. ^ http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=5069
  43. ^ http://www.hurricanegame.us/index.php?go=tattoos URL accessed on September 27, 2006
  44. ^ http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/data/914983.html URL accessed on August 26 2006
  45. ^ http://www.hurricanegame.us/index.php?subaction=showcomments&id=1148568753&archive=&start_from=&ucat=3& URL accessed on June 4, 2006.
  46. ^ http://www.westcoastrydaz.com/features/2006/game/ URL accessed on September 22, 2006
  47. ^ http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-g/game.htm URL accessed on September 29, 2006
  48. ^ http://www.riaa.com/gp/database/default.asp under "The Game" and "album" gives certification as 8x platinum
  49. ^ http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/09-26-2006/0004439649&EDATE= URL accessed on September 29, 2006

See also


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