Idolator: The Game

Behold: The Pliesroll, Brought To You By Some Bored Guy On The Internet

Maura Johnston — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:15:00 EDT

This morning while doing my YouTube rounds, I found a clip claiming to have as its audio bed a high-quality version of Kanye West's Tears For Fears homage "Coldest Winter," so I—hoping to hear the song without all that peaking and radio static that nearly ruined last week's leak somewhere around listen No. 10—clicked. But instead of "Coldest Winter, however, we're treated to a video that fuses together a photo of Steve Jobs holding a pitcher of Kool-Aid, paparazzo shots of The Game and Snoop Dogg, and gunshot sounds in a way that's seemingly inspired by both Paperrad and ransom notes.

Plies is in there, too. This will prove to be important later.

So I decided to click through to this guy's channel page, and—surprise!—all of his videos have two stars or less. But he hasn't let that get him down; video No. 2 was purporting to be a leak from Eminem's new album. A song featuring Eminem, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent? Well, no. What I got instead was a track that succeeded in bringing together Eminem's first catchphrase, speeded-up Daft Punk, and a kid getting hit in the head with a soccer ball:

To be fair, it's much more tolerable than anything 50 could do at this point.

This guy also tried to start the Plies-roll, in which a YouTube user looking for new Dr. Dre material was treated to a song by Plies:

Unfortunately, this prankish behavior didn't take.

Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be like ChangeStyle, living in hope of fooling people into hearing his message through the selective deployment of freeze-frames. It's sort of like a spammer, but without the Viagra (unless that's in later videos—I didn't watch them all). Part prankster, part Plies fan, part "person with way too much time on their hands," ChangeStyle feels like he can only communicate with the YouTube community by freaking/faking them out. But why? Is it the gratification one can only get from comments like "not only does it sound horrible its out of time dickhead!" and "i cant believe this is fo real, but for some reason im laughin my ass off"? Or is dude really, really bored? Because if he is, I think he should just stick to one thing—the Pliesroll—and run with it. He could be Internet famous by, like, tomorrow if he just focused.

ChangeStyle's Channel [YouTube]

Slipknot Find A Few Chads Hanging Out Under The Game's Couch

Maura Johnston — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:45:00 EDT

When I saw the SoundScan charts this morning, I felt kind of bad for Slipknot. The masked metallers haven't been having the best string of luck recently, and now their album All Hope Is Gone was narrowly beaten out for the top spot on the album tally by LAX, the new album from tormented name-dropper the Game. How small of a margin did they lose by, you ask? Try 13 sales. Well, apaprently I wasn't the only one who felt bad about this: Slipknot, upon seeing this statistic, gathered up its brooding rage and did what any red-blooded American would do: They demanded a recount from the SoundScan folks. You can probably guess what happened next.

Yes, the SoundScan people found some 1,244 sales hiding within the bowels of their system, or maybe at a neglected Hot Topic somewhere in the 'burbs, and that was enough to give Slipknot the one-week win over the Game. All Hope Is Gone's final sales total is 239,516 to LAX's un-revised 238,382; whether or not the Game is going to further appeal his own SoundScan total is unknown at this point, but surely he's at least comforted by the fact that his first-week sales beat out those achieved by his former cronies in G-Unit earlier this summer.

Slipknot Edges The Game Atop Billboard 200 [Billboard]

It Was Fun While It Lasted, Jonases

Dan Gibson — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:30:00 EDT

It's too close to call next week's No. 1 album, but in all likelihood, it'll be by someone much less palatable to the parents of today: The Jonas Brothers' two-week stay at the top will be thwarted by either the name-dropping MC the Game or the masked metallers Slipknot. Both acts are projecting sales in the quarter of a million area, while Kid Rock and the JoBros fight it out for third with around 80,000 each. The Mamma Mia soundtrack, buoyed by the theatrical release of the movie's sing-a-long version, will likely place fifth, while Lil Wayne, Coldplay, Sugarland, NOW Country, Rihanna, and Staind fight it out for the remainder of the top ten. If the number of Slipknot discs shoplifted from retail outlets were included, it would be a gimme for the Iowans, but we'll have to see how it shakes out in the end on Wednesday. [HITS Daily Double]

50 Cent Hits The Game Where It Hurts (You Know, His Wallet)

Maura Johnston — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:30:00 EDT

As you may know, 50 Cent and the Game have been feuding for a while, over credits on albums or actions in strip clubs or just general assholery on the part of both parties. And you also may be aware of the fact that the Game has a new album, LAX, that came out yesterday. Well, some dude on 50 Cent's mazelike social-networking site ThisIs50.com decided to "celebrate" that fact with presents for his readers!

Yes, in honor of LAX's release—or to celebrate the fact that the Internet can turn any old schmoe into an asshole like 50 Cent —a poster on 50's mazelike social-networking site ThisIs50.com who goes by the name "Industry A$$hole" posted a Sendspace link to the album, calling it 50's new mixtape. The Sendspace link has since been removed, but naturally the 37-pages-and-counting comment thread is raging on with a debate over whether 50's ever-shrinking G-Unit is even relevant anymore. Man, as if I didn't miss the whole Graduation vs. Curtis battle royale enough, this is what's supposed to be its replacement? Wake me when it's September, please.

ThisIs50.com Turns Game's Album Into A Free Mixtape [MissInfo via madeupmemories]

This nearly-eight-minute remix of Lloyd's ...

Maura Johnston — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EDT

This nearly-eight-minute remix of Lloyd's "All Around The World" is pretty much an excuse for every MC on the track—The Game, T.I., Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Pitbull, Ace Hood, Yung Joc, Young Dro, and DJ Khaled—to rap over the "Ashley's Roachclip" beat. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the best parts of it are the parts where Lloyd's smooth falsetto from the original version of the track is front and center, although T.I.'s verse isn't all that bad. [XXL]

The Game, Upset With Lack Of Friends, Cries "I Don't Wanna Be A Part Of Hip-Hop No More..."

Anthony Miccio — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EDT

When I began reading about The Game's disappointment with the rap community for not joining him on a track about the Sean Bell tragedy, I felt sympathetic. Finally, the Game decides to get topical and stop talking about other rappers, and no one's willing to stick their neck out and help. "Nobody wanna stand up and be a man. We don't have a problem putting out a mixtape dissing each other but the people that you say or claim to hate so much, which is, or the situation that render us helpless like police brutality, excessive force, people using the shield to really deal the wrong way with human beings, you know, like nobody wanna stand-up for that except me." Then I heard the track in question, titled "911 Is A Joke/Cop Killer," released to little attention in late April. Is he really surprised that no one wanted to be on a track with lines like "so shine them fuckin' lights in the back of my car/I might kill yo ass in 2000 raw?" Or "I should kill 51 cops for the 51 shots?" Not to mention, "[I'm] The Beastie Boys when I grab a fuckin' mic on the stage?"

Other lines of note::

I get funkier than the funky drummer in the Roots band, stomp harder than muthafuckin' Jodeci boots and...

I refuse to let a pig run away from a farm, and put them muthafuckin' handcuffs on my arm

I bet the government got Obama in the scope...

...Kick shit like I was born with a muthafuckin' soccer field on my lawn.

The pen ain't nothin' but a family reunion, full of n—-as that don't give a fuck about a bad cop. That Denzel in Training Day shit'll get yo ass shot.

Despite his desire to speak out about Sean Bell's death, The Game didn't seem to actually remember the victim's name, instead referring to him as "that fucking kid in New York." But over the last few months, no one must have bothered to point out to the Game that shouting "cop killer!" may not be the best response (maybe The Game feels ignored by the Hip-Hop Police), and that crafting a chorus out of two '90s classics doesn't put him in the pantheon so much as reaffirm an embarrassing pathology. So The Game, suffering from album delays (L.A.X. is now planned for Aug. 26) and a lack of friends that understand his plight, has been left crying "I don't wanna be a part of hip-hop anymore!" in an interview with Music Choice. Literally, crying.

Shit is fucked up, man it's just, people just don't understand man. And that's why I don't wanna be a part of hip-hop anymore. Every—, it just ain't right, man. And hip-hop just didn't used to be like this, you know. Like, it's not why I do it. It's not why I'm here.
...I don't belong in this hip-hop...I belong in like, the old hip-hop...N.W.A. [and] Public Enemy, people that really stood. Queen Latifah, MC Lyte...Fuck this hip-hop, I don't wanna co-exist with these cats no more.

Ah, the tears of a clown.

The Game Cries Foul Over Sean Bell Snub, "I Don't Belong In This Hip-Hop" [SOHH]
Music Choice Interview [The Game Breaks Down In Tears]
*NEW* THE GAME - 911 IS A JOKE (COP KILLA) WITH LYRICS [YouTube]

The Game Would Rather Battle Nas Than Miley Cyrus

Anthony Miccio — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EDT

While discussing his upcoming album with Carson Daly, The Game suggested that his label should release the album a week earlier so he wouldn't have to go head-to-head with Miley Cyrus' golden showers for the top spot on July 22. Ironically, his album was allegedly pushed back so that it wouldn't have to debut alongside Nas' Officially Untitled Album, which drops July 15. The Game's previous album, Doctor's Advocate, did sell slightly more in its first week than Nas' Hip-Hop Is Dead, but Nas' album-title drama has provided him with considerably more hype than the Game, who is still pushing his "More Songs About Rappers And Shoes" shtick. Will he succeed in getting Jimmy Iovine to push up the date and provide us with a weak-ass sequel to the 50/Kanye battle? [The Rap-Up]

The Game's Album Is Pushed Back, Possibly Because He Forgot To Reference Someone

Anthony Miccio — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EDT

The Game's upcoming album Lax—sorry, L.A.X.—has been pushed back two weeks from its original street date of July 8. His latest single, "Game's Pain," is actually his first top ten track on the Rap Singles chart since 2005's legendarily awful "Dreams" (not to be confused with Big Dreams"), but it has barely dented the Hot 100. Maybe a Keyshia Cole hook isn't enough to get listeners interested in the Game yet again filling a song entirely with references to other, more successful rappers. In this track we get direct references to Biggie, Will Smith, Nas, Luke, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, NWA, Ice Cube, New Edition, Naughty By Nature, Tony! Toni! Tone!, Wu-Tang Clan, Black Rob, DJ Kool Herc, DJ Red Alert, Jay-Z, and Big Daddy Kane. Cole even ends the song by shouting out to her blatant idol, Mary J. Blige. But how would the verse to "Game's Pain" read if you took out all the offending couplets?

(verse one)
I swear to God, it feel like every day is my birthday
Let the top down, California's my birthplace
I've been around Hip Hop since '85
She had her ups and downs but she stayed alive
Red Kangol hat, red sweat suit to match
Red Adidas, n—-a, Game is back

(verse two)
When the cars ride by with the boomin' system
Two door Mustang and the roof was missing
'cause the house parties stayed rockin' all night
N—-as came through and shot it up but it was alright
Sit back, watch Game throw his money in the sky

(verse three)
Every thing full circle, Game livin' major
Girls on my hip like a Skytel pager
Now I'm on the top, let the champagne pop
Throw ya hands in the sky 'cause The Game don't stop
Just a little more change, gotta Benz and the Range
Every rap metaphor always ends in my name
Just like they showed me, my lyrics is O.G
When it's all said and done, you n—-as gon' quote me.

Saying what, dude? "Throw the pussy like Elway?"

The Games' L.A.X Moves To July 22nd [The Rap-Up]

The Game Still Dreaming That Other Rappers Respect Him

Anthony Miccio — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:45:00 EDT

Is there another rapper as pathetic as The Game? Not only does his new single, "Big Dreams," have almost the same title as "Dreams," his only top 40 hit to not feature 50 Cent, he's still a desperate starfucker two albums after achieving the most successful west coast rap release since estranged mentor Dr. Dre's The Chronic 2001.

He may not imagine Eazy-E and Jam Master Jay talking about him in heaven, or compare his desire to "fuck an R&B bitch" to the aspirations of Martin Luther King, but the third verse of "Big Dreams" is almost as sad as his telling another rapper's groupie "if you want to hug Dre, then you gotta fuck me" in "Let's Ride (Strip Club)."

Yo, Jay, What it do n—-a?
I done rocked enough fellas to be you, n—-a
I got the 40-40, they my two jiggas
I make you holla holla like Ja Rule, n—-as!
The lion's in the room, What up, Fat Joe?
I'm Curtis Kryptonite and the n—-a Joey Crack know
Whoever said the Game over must've had a hangover
Gettin money, my driveway sponsored by Range Rover
I got blood diamonds straight outta Angola
Wave my red rag in the air, signal Lil' Wayne over

The song climaxes with "Dr. Dre started it, I ended it!" One is inclined to agree.

The Game, "Big Dreams" [YouTube]

The Game has issued a heartfelt "my bad" ...

Jess Harvell — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:30:00 EDT

The Game has issued a heartfelt "my bad" for the runaround he gave bloggers earlier this week about whether or not he had actually be released early from a 60 day jail sentence. He also thanked to his "attorney, family and management," as well as "the fans," and yet nothing for the folks glued to their RSS readers all day Tuesday worried sick. [MTV]

No wait, the Game really was sent home from ...

Jess Harvell — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EDT

No wait, the Game really was sent home from jail yesterday after all. According to "a representative from the Twin Towers Correctional Facility." So that's gotta be the official official ruling on his in-jail/out-of-jail status, right? If anyone spots the Game tonight, feel free to confirm. [MTV]

Um, so maybe the Game hasn't been prematurely ...

Jess Harvell — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:30:00 EDT

Um, so maybe the Game hasn't been prematurely released from prison after all, merely transferred to less sardine-like conditions to finish out his 60 day bid for firearm possession? Wherever he may be at the moment, journalists with phoners already scheduled can chill, 'cuz he'll still be out in time to get on his promo grind for his forthcoming album. [MTV/Photo: AP]

The Game has been released from jail after ...

Maura Johnston — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:00:12 EDT

The Game has been released from jail after serving eight days of his 60-day sentence for possessing a firearm in a school zone. Guess that means those "Free The Game" shirts will be hitting your local TJ Maxx soon, unless someone decides to buy up a bunch of them in the name of very misguided irony. [TMZ / Photo: AP]

The Game has reportedly been sentenced to ...

Maura Johnston — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:20:13 EST

The Game has reportedly been sentenced to 60 days in the federal pokey after pleading no contest to pulling a firearm in a school zone back in February 2007. He's also on probation for three years and has to do 150 hours of community service. [MTV]

Today In Trials: One Date Set, One Postponed

jharv — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 14:47:08 EDT

What's dumber than whipping out a gun and decking a guy because a simple pick-up basketball game wasn't going your way? Why it's purportedly pouting with a pistol in your hand on a playground commonly used by area young people. And then getting arrested for it. When you're a (moderately talented at best) rapper of some renown. Which is why the BBC reports the Game will be appearing before judge and jury in California at the end of the month. And he's not the only artist with a court appearance in the upcoming busy fall ~~release~~trial schedule:

Another judge, in another jurisdiction, facing another rapper has postponed Busta Rhymes' trial—charges stemming from supposedly being a drunk-driving, no-liscense-having, beating-up-multiple-people kinda guy—thanks to the prosecution not being quite ready to roll with it case. According to XXL, this is after Busta rolled the dice in July by turning down a one-year plea for the whole shebang and going for broke before a jury, in a trial that will now kick off in November. Perhaps he picked up some tips for delaying proceedings from the master.

Rap Star The Game To Stand Trial [BBC]
Busta Rhymes Trial Postponed Until November [XXL]

Ne-Yo wrote "six to eight" songs for Britney ...

mjohnston — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:16:06 EDT

Ne-Yo wrote "six to eight" songs for Britney Spears, but they wound up going to Nicole Scherzinger once Britney's label people stopped returning his calls—only to ring him up angrily once they found out Scherzinger was getting them. Also, Because Of You is coming out in a brand-new edition just in time for the holidays. Also, Ryan Seacrest should give Fergie and Alicia Keys enunciation lessons. The consonants—my ears! [KIIS]

Liner Notes: The Game's Drawn-Out Drama Continues

Brian Raftery — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:10:32 EDT

- The Game was in a Manhattan court yesterday, where he declined a deal to plead guilty for criminal impersonation, and, judging by this illustration, twisted his head halfway around his body. [TMZ]
- Prog-rock supergroup Asia is reuniting, and will release a new album—tentatively titled R U Still Downe?—next year. [Billboard]
- Boy George has canceled an entire U.K. tour, citing "scheduling conflicts" and "excessive tumbling." [NME]

Liner Notes: Guess What The Game Has Been Charged With Now

Brian Raftery — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:10:15 EDT

- The Game has been charged with three felonies—including possession of a firearm in a school zone—as a result of February incident in Los Angeles. All jokes aside, he's basically just a big asshole, right? Are we missing something? Nope? Okay, then: Asshole. [TMZ]
- Ryan Adams is set to release a multi-disc set of rare and unreleased material, including an eleven-minute song about his favorite soap dispenser, and several phone conversations with a dispatcher from Fresh Direct. [Billboard]
- Jarvis Cocker and Simon Cowell are about to kick off the snippiest, limiest celebrity feud in years. [NME]

Liner Notes: The Game Does His Best Gene Simmons Impression

Brian Raftery — Mon, 14 May 2007 14:00:13 EDT

- The Game was arrested in Los Angeles Saturday morning for making criminal threats; the resulting local-news broadcast may be honkier than anything you can possibly imagine. [KABC-TV]
- Did Marilyn Manson and Evan Rachel Wood, you know, do it while filming their new music video? And by "do it," we mean "try to fill up some empty hole in their lives by being with each other?" [Radar]
- Sheryl Crow has adopted a baby boy, and amazingly, none of the British tabloids have managed a "Soak Up The Son" joke yet. [NME]

Videodrone: The Game, Kanye West Pop Up Together

Brian Raftery — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 11:31:07 EST

The new clip for the Game and Kanye West's "Wouldn't Get Far" includes some NSFW lyrics, a Lil' Jon cameo, and several references to the late, great Pop-Up Video. Have we forgotten anything? Oh yeah! It also features lots and lots of vile, ego-driven misogyny, all of which is disguised as straight-talking advice. Congratulations, Kanye! You're well on your way to becoming America's biggest dickard!

The Game ft. Kanye West - Wouldn't Get Far (DIRTY) [Onsmash via Nah Right]

The Game Hoping To Add WWE Belt To His List Of Awards

mjohnston — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:36:51 EST

Always thinking of new ways to get his name in the press, The Game has taken to challenging wrestler Triple H—who also goes by the nom de ring "The Game"—to a scrap:

"I'm much stronger than (wrestler The Game) is. I was 'The Game' long before he came about. He's on TV wrestling and it's pretend, made up. I wrestle in real life and I win."

Well, right now, the Compton-based Game is in the lead here (the wrestler is out for the next few months after he tore his quad for the umpteenth time), but regardless of that, this feud is sorely lacking one thing: The Game dropping a dis track over the Motorhead song that Triple H uses as his entrance music. Can someone pass this MP3 along to him?

~~Motorhead - The Game~~ [MP3, link expired]
The Game challenges "The Game" [Hip Hop Ruckus, via Complex]

Who Charted?: The Game Is In It To Win It

mjohnston — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 13:12:27 EST

The one-man self-promotion company known as The Game got what he wanted this week—a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200. The West Coast MC's second full-length, Doctor's Advocate, sold 358,000 copies last week, and it nabbed the No. 1 spot on the Top Hip-Hop Albums chart as well.

Biggest Debuts: Akon came in at No. 2, selling 284,000 copies of Konvicted. The other two debuts came from Tenacious D, whose We'll Milk This Joke Until It Runs Completely Dry entered the chart at No. 8, and Blink-182 offshoot +44, whose No, Really, We Hate Math rounded out the top 10 with 66,000 copies sold.

Biggest Slides: Country buyers took a back seat this week, with Keith Urban's first album of post-Kidman marriage songs, Love, Pain, and the whole crazy thing, taking a 62% dive and Sugarland's Enjoy The Ride suffering a 61% sales drop.

Nickelback Award For Inexplicable Durability: If, during this weekend full of pushing and shoving in front of your local CD retailer's Kingdom Come display, you'd like to find another reason to feel bad about your fellow man, just remember this: There were 27,000 people who bought Staind's greatest-hits collection last week. Happy shopping!

The Game Wins No. 1 On The Billboard 200 [Billboard]

Weekend News Round-Up: In Which We Describe Just What The Hell Is Going On In This Photo

Brian Raftery — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 08:21:51 EST

(Pictured: Kid Rock, Carmen Electra, and Jay Mohr participate in an uncomfortable re-creation of the The Last Supper at HBO's Comedy Festival; courtesy of Getty Images)

- In a turn of events too wondrous and inane to be boiled down into a two-sentence joke, the Game was arrested Thursday night for impersonating an undercover police officer. [AP]
- Universal filed a copyright-infringement suit against MySpace late on Friday, claiming that the site's users are illegally incorporating Universal-owned songs into their personal pages. The label claims that the suit was prompted in part by the leak of Jay-Z's Kingdom Come, which makes sense, since its one of the few Universal records that anyone would want to buy this year. [WSJ]
- Speaking of Jay-Z, he and his chunky oversized sunglasses performed seven live shows in seven cities on Saturday. [BBC News]
- Finally: What's the biggest, bloggiest in-joke of all time? How about David Cross and Johnny Marr covering the Bank Of America "One" song? [Angry Citizen]

The Game's Ego Gets Even More Notorious, Big

mjohnston — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 11:43:47 EST

Never let it be said that The Game wasn't afraid to place himself among the greats. Although someone should probably slip him a copy of the All Music Guide before he starts comparing himself to Ready to Die-era Jay-Z.

Reasonable Doubt [OnSmash, via Still Listen To Gangsta Music]

The Game: Does Anyone Know What The Hell He's Talking About?

Brian Raftery — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 10:40:19 EST

We can't stop staring at the cover for the Game's just-released Doctor's Advocate—and it's not because the picture reminds us of that postage stamp where Santa 's doing something naughty down a chimney. It's because, for the life of us, we can't figure out what the hell the title means. Any guesses?

On The Shelf: Tomorrow's New Releases Revealed Today

mjohnston — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 15:28:02 EST

Welcome to On The Shelf, Idolator's weekly look at the coming torrent of record releases. Tomorrow's big release should be the sophomore album from the Game, Doctor's Advocate; the raftload of guests and amazing way he's kept himself in the press have us feeling that he'll snatch the top spot, unless Hannah Montana continues her reign of tween terror.

After the jump, we look at Doctor's Advocate, as well as releases from Kenny G, +44, and Joanna Newsom.

The Game, Doctor's Advocate
The artist: Everyone's favorite SoundScan-reading West Coast rapper.
The sound: Scott Storch and Sizz Beatz beats, cameos from Kanye, Busta, Nas, and Snoop, and lots of heated anger at 50 Cent.
The first in line: Advance buzz on this record has been so good, we're thinking that the only ones who definitely won't be in line are G-Unit loyalists.

Kenny G, I'm in the Mood for Love ... The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time
The artist: Bill Clinton's favorite squiggly-haired sax player.
The sound: Smoothed-out renditions of James Blunt, Barbra Streisand, and Elton John, among others.
The first in line: Easy lovers whose appetites were only whetted by the Barry Manilow and Rod Stewart cover-song compendiums.

+44, When Your Heart Stops Beating
The artist: Blink 182, minus one guy, plus two other dudes, divided by another dumb numeric name.
The sound: Well, now we know which members of Blink were into snide pop-punk.
The first in line: Pogoing punkers who thought Angels & Airwaves were "too weird."

Joanna Newsom, Ys
The artist: Doe-eyed, harp-wielding folkie.
The sound: Elaborate, elliptical epics.
The first in line: Shaggy-haired kids who can quote Pitchfork ratings on command. (Ys picked up a 9.4.)

On The CD Front [Pause and Play]

Leak Of The Day: The Game Gets His Buddies Together And Puts On A Big Show

mjohnston — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 09:07:20 EST

The Game's 11-minute remix for "One Blood" features an awards show's lineup worth of guests, with a roster including (thanks to Notes From A Different Kitchen): Jim Jones, Snoop Dogg, Nas, T.I., Fat Joe, Lil' Wayne, Nore, Jadakiss, Styles P, Fabolous, Juelz Santana, Rick Ross, Twista, Kurupt, Daz, WC, E-40, Bun B, Chamillionaire, Slim Thug, Young Dro, Clipse and Ja Rule. Is this a setup for some sort of If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium-esque international caper?

One note: This MP3 is nearly 17 megabytes, so you may want to download this when you have to run an errand.

~~The Game Featuring 24 Other Rappers - One Blood (Remix)~~ [MP3, link expired; via Nah Right]
Earlier: Idolator's coverage of The Game

Despite Numerous Requests, The Game Has Yet To Look Up "Hubris" On Dictionary.com

Brian Raftery — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 14:49:34 EST

Hip-hop blog The Smoking Section has an interview with the Game that's a must-read for many reasons. We'll just start you off here:

TSS: You've compared yourself to Malcolm X, MLK and Nelson Mandela in relationship to your commitment to hip-hop. Can you explain that?
GAME: Them is niggas that took life by the balls and didn't care about their own welfare. They was doing it for the people, you know what I'm sayin? They wasn't thinking about themselves. Them are niggas that put they life on the line to save everybody else, to make a difference in the world. I'd rather be one of them niggas than one of these selfish niggas out here, man. Because at the end of the day, man can't live with that coward shit that these niggas is out here doin.

TSS: What kinda coward shit are you talking about?

GAME: Everything under the yellow sun these niggas is out here doing.

And there's more where that came from. Boy, the Game just has a thing for gonzo Internet interviews, doesn't he?

TSS PRESENTS SMOKING SESSIONS WITH THE GAME [The Smoking Section]

Liner Notes: The Game Might Want To Start Shopping Online

Brian Raftery — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 12:59:32 EST

-The Game is being sued by five police officers who say they were libeled when the rapper discussed his 2005 arrest at a North Carolina mall. They're seeking more than $50,000 in damages, plus five gift certificates to Orange Julius. [Billboard]
- Hardcore label Victory Records is suing Virgin Records, claiming that Virgin induced emo rockers Hawthorne Heights to abandon its Victory contract. This will all serve as inspiration for Hawthorne Heights' upcoming album, How To Make Youself Stand Out In An Overcrowded Field of Weiners. [Reuters]
-Genesis' reunion-tour announcement will be broadcast on the web this Tuesday; it will be liveblogged by Mojo magazine, Eddie Trunk, and three puppets from the "Land Of Confusion" video. [Genesis official site]

The Game's New By-The-Numbers Track Gives Us An Idea

mjohnston — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 15:15:58 EDT

The latest dis track from the Game starts off with him reading off the SoundScan numbers, the weekly statistics that provide the backbone for the Billboard 200. The track itself is middling, and the SoundScan citations are little more than setup for yet another bash of Lloyd Banks and G-Unit—but between his stat-slinging here and his release-date analyses last week, we're thinking that Game is trying to set himself up for a post-rap career as an industry pundit. So, Game, we have an invitation: if you'd like to turn Who Charted, our weekly take on album sales, into a weekly reading of SoundScan's stats, please get in touch. We'll even teach you how to pronounce "Evanescence."

~~The Game - Sound Scan~~ [MP3, link removed; via Nah Right]
Previously: Who Charted?: Diddy's Glass Of Bubbly Is Half-Empty And Half-Full

Game Challenges Jay-Z To Release-Date Duel (Yes, Seriously)

mjohnston — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 17:28:38 EDT

Is The Game taking pre-release PR advice from Brandon Flowers? After likening himself to NWA and trying to stir up beef with Ras Kass, the West Coast rapper, whose Doctor's Advocate comes out Nov. 14, has proclaimed that Jay-Z should move his album's Nov. 21 release date out of respect ... or fear ... or something. We're not quite sure:

"As far as my release date, November 14th, and Jay dropping on the 21st, he should move his album away, because this album ... like Jay is a legend, we all love Jay and respect Jay but it's that out of retirement album," Game told SOHH.com. "It's the are we gonna get the old Michael Jordan back or are gonna get that Mike that played for the Wizards so everyone's is gonna wait to see what he's gonna do —- but I know what I got."

We'll sure Jay will get right on that, Game. In the meantime, don't you have some Internet hotties to seek out?

SOHH Exclusive: The Game Tells Jay-Z To Push His Album Back [SOHH]

Liner Notes: Thom Yorke Packs For A Long Train Ride

mjohnston — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 14:50:34 EDT

- Thom Yorke has announced his plans to quit touring by plane unless steps are taken to reduce carbon emissions in the UK; no word on whether he will ban crazed Radiohead fans from saving up their frequent-flyer miles so they can catch shows on the other side of the world. [NME]
- The Game is scouring the Internet for comely lasses to appear in his next video. Hey, at least he's not looking for love on TV again. [SOHH]
- Lemmy comes out as anti-Bush, pro-heroin legalization. Glad that's all cleared up. [Blabbermouth.net]

Liner Notes: Phil Spector Trial Delayed For Third Time

mjohnston — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 14:41:54 EDT

- Phil Spector's murder trial has been pushed back yet again—it's now set for March 2007, giving him more than enough time to grow his wall of hair even higher. [ContactMusic]
- The Game claims that he is "the one-man NWA," adds that the line to beat the crap out of him starts to the left. [MTV]
- Fresh off of his summit with Michael Jackson in Ireland, DJ Whoo Kid is set to become the first hip-hop act to perform in India. [SOHH]

The Game Does Not Want Your Raggedy-Ass Chain

Brian Raftery — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 11:01:43 EDT

We're a little behind on our hip-hop feuds, so it wasn't until recently that we got the "DL" on the fight between the Game and Ras Kass. You can catch up on the conflict by reading Tom Breihan's excellent Village Voice beef round-up, but in summary: The Game was at an L.A. club when he spotted Ras Kass, who apparently included a "subliminal diss" to the Game on a two-years-old mixtape (we've heard there are several such "subliminal disses" against Ronnie James Dio hidden on Led Zeppelin IV, but you have to play it backwards). Kass got smacked around, and though he claims it was a full-on gang-up, Game insists it was just one punch.

So what does the Game do? He gets in the back of a moving car with someone from AllHipHop.com and allows them to film a four-minute-plus rant that defends the brawl. It's a sprawling, stupid defense, and one can only imagine it giving the guy's lawyers a mild coronary, especially when the Game insists that Kass should take legal action against him: "Get a lawyer and sue...just sue me, dude!" Watch the clip, and when you're finished, be sure to check the YouTube comments, which are a caps-lock nightmare.

The Game Talks Ras Kass [YouTube]
Status Ain't Hood: A Rap Beef Roundup [Village Voice]