There's nothing better to amp a person up than listening to a cocky rapper who is great at what they do, and The Game is just that. "Doctor's Advocate" is a very solid album. In fact, it's even closer to being a classic than his first album ("The Documentary") was. As a whole, there are more enjoyable songs on this album than his first, but there is also a very confusing theme running through the whole album. In some songs (a lot actually) he's trying to sound exactly like Dr. Dre. He copies his flow and voice down to the last syllable. (Also I Changed My Reviewing system, let me know what you think of it.)
1. Lookin At You
This is a good track, with a bassy beat and a very West Coast feel. His "Dr. Dre" flow is appropriate on this track, and he ends it on a high note and a subtle shot at his arch nemesis, saying "Me and my mic can't be separated like Interscope and (*Fifty*)"
2. Da Sh**
Tracy Nelson's vocals were welcome on the first track, but two tracks in a row is way too much. Game's flow however is completely on point, but again with the Dr. Dre voice. It's too much. Game's cocky swagger riding the beat will definitely get heads nodding though. It has to be said that his spoken line at the end of the song ("One day I walked in the mother****** house and all my sh** was gone") is not needed as it doesn't fit with the subject of the song.
3. It's Okay (One Blood)
This track was recorded before Game knew there would be no Dr. Dre on his album, and you can tell. He sounds excited, hungry, and is rapping with his own voice, not Dre's. The flow (especially in Verse One) is the best I've heard from his since "300 Bars and Runnin." As soon as the song starts, Game brushes off all of the gossip that people had been hearing: "I'm the Doctor's Advocate, n***a Dre shot ya. Brought me back from the dead, that's why they call him the doctor. 'The 'Math gunna drop him and Fifty ain't rocking with him no more,' it's okay I get it poppin!" This should have been the opening track.
4. Compton
I has to be said: will.i.am is cheesy. Damn cheesy. His beat for this song is okay, but his shouts of "Where the gangstas boogie, the gangstas boogie!" are just straight corny. Game's verses save the song from being horrible, but they aren't memorable.
5. Remedy
Just Blaze's production is reminiscent of Dre, but this song isn't very memorable, aside from Game's hilarious question posed in the first verse: "Why Andrew Jackson look high as f**k on the Twenty?"
6. Let's Ride
Game's flow is on point in this song, the second single of the album. It's definitely a good album track, but it also seems too mediocre to be a single and a video. There are many tracks on the album just as good as this.
7. Too Much (Feat. Nate Dogg)
Nate Dogg's presence is much needed on this song, and it only solidifies Game's place among the West Coast bests. Game clearly doesn't need Aftermath or G-Unit to sell records. 50 Cent, no matter how much I like the guy, was wrong.
8. Wouldn't Get Far (Feat. Kanye West)
Game and Kanye work together to make a highly entertaining song much like 2Pac's "All About U." Game name drops Vida Guerra and reveals some interesting facts about her, and his verse definitely bests Kanye's. The production works well with the song, but the duo's song "Dreams" on Game's first album is much better.
9. Scream on 'Em
Swiss Beat's modest but crazy production allows Game to completely unleash with fire that we haven't seen in the man since 300 Bars. "This is that disrespectful, motherf***ing west coast, hip-hop death blow, Swizz Beats let's go!" The Game is slowly become, dare I say, a modern day 2Pac. He has the fire, the passion, and the anger. All he needs now is to stay constant with his rap voice.
10. One Night
Speaking of Pac, this track keeps it real like the legend does. While it isn't a standout track, Game's raw talent and realness is evident in the song.
11. Doctor's Advocate (Feat. Busta Rhymes)
The song is about Games feelings about the seperation between him and Dr. Dre and how much he misses working with him and how thankful he is to him...kind of gay but its a good track and really shows Games lyrical ability. Busta Rhymes plays the friend who is trying to help Game through his (Somewhat) tough time...very good song.
12. Ol' English
Along with "It's Okay (One Blood)" and the title track, this is an absolute stand-out track. The Game raps about his childhood, reminiscing about his escapades as a youngster. This is a joint to listen about in a circle, with friends, a 40, and something being passed around. (I have no idea what should be passed)
13. California Vacation (Feat. Xzibit, Snoop Dogg)
Game, again, tries too hard to sound like Dr. Dre in this song, but I can't say it takes away from the effect. The union of Game, Snoop, and Xzibit is monumental, although Xzibit sounds oddly off-point. Some of his lines are okay, but not as good as Game's and the revitalized Snoop Dogg. The Dogg seems to be at his prime once again.
14. Bang (Feat The Doggpound)
Tha Doggpound seem a bit out of place on this album, and Game's flow is the laziest I've ever heard it. There is absolutely no fire or hunger in his voice, and Tha Doggpound shine on this Jellyroll produced track, which is saying enough. There is no question, this is the worst song on the album--it should have been saved for a mixtape and replaced with the One Blood Remix, which features an insane amount of artists. That would probably be impossible to get clearance with all the labels though.
15. Around the World (Feat. Jaimie Foxx)
The track starts off with Jamie Foxx's distinctive voice, and then Game's lyrics start and they're as real as they come: "She like that Jay sh**, that's her favorite/ if it's gunna get me the p***y I'ma play that sh**." Who hasn't thought that before? The song itself is generic r&b/rap, but Game's lyrics are on point.
16. Why You Hate the Game (Feat. Nas)
I definitly expected a harder track from the Nas/Game collaboration, but it's okay. This song is decent, and Marsha Ambrosius's vocals add depth to the track but there seems to be too much of her on the song and not enough rap from either Nas or Game. I have to say though, Nas isn't at his best, but Game's lyrics are memorable in this track: "Fifteen years old/ red rag around my head, my sisters used to laugh and call me Rambo." Game ends the song on a high note, addressing the death of Proof as well,
as the situation with 50 Cent. "And I still think about my n***a (Proof) from time to time/ makes me wanna call Fifty and let him know what's on my mind/ but I just hold back 'cause we ain't beefing like that/ he ain't Big and I ain't Pac and we're just eating off rap/ One love." Great ending.
I admit, I was pretty amazed when I heard The Game's sophomore album "The Doctor's Advocate". When I heard that Dr. Dre wasn't going to be apart of this album, I wondered how is Game going to handle working with other producers. But he didn't let it affect him whatsoever, because he used it to his advantage. The Game has shown improvement since "The Documentary", and has gone through some drama between that album and this one. The fact that he was able to work with that and let it all out on this album was good. Although "The Doctor's Advocate" is nice, we still have some residue from the previous album. Of course, The Game does his name dropping. I can't count how many times he mentioned Dr. Dre or "The Chronic" on this album. It doesn't affect this album as much as his first, probably because we've all gotten used to it. Also I wasn't feeling the songs "Compton" and "Lets Ride". Other than that this is one excellent album from The Game. He didn't let any distractions phase him when he made this album. He also showed that he can carry an album without Dr. Dre's production This is one album I can recommend to your library.
Lyrics: B+
Production: B+
Guest Appearances: C+
Musical Vibes: A-
Overall: B+
Top 5 Favorite Tracks:
1. Why You Hate The Game
2. One Blood (It's Okay)
3. Ol' English
4. California Vacation (with Snoop Dogg and Xzibit)
5. Doctor's Advocate (with Busta Rhymes)
Honorable Mention Tracks:
1. Wouldn't Get Far (with Kanye West)
2. One Night
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