The Game reveals his favourite Dr Dre album of all time: “Got to be by itself”
The Game is one of hip-hop’s most illustrious players in the industry. The West Coast rapper blends narratives surrounding his intense and powerful personal life with his calm and cool delivery to create a sound that is ultimately unique but enchanting at the same time. He was originally signed by Dr Dre, who brought him in as one of the first signings on the Aftermath Records roster.
He then dropped The Documentary in 2005, which topped the charts and became not only a modern classic but also inspired a cultural movement. Tracks like ‘Hate It or Love It’ and ‘How We Do’ became anthems; rhythms which moved a new generation of superstars to pursue their passions and chase their dreams.
He has continued this legacy with his latest release, Time, in 2024, emphasising The Game’s longevity and impact within music. His love for the scene cannot be ignored, and his knowledge of hip-hop exceeds explanation, putting him in a league of his own.
The Compton-born rapper has been seen as a controversial figure throughout his active years, though, and is well known for causing rifts between himself and other rappers, most famously beefing with almost every member of G-Unit.
This led to tension between himself and Dre, but this didn’t stop The Game from complimenting his “guru” in an interview with Complex. Game was asked to list his top 25 albums of all time, and he began by issuing a statement of intent.
Out of the block, he named Dr Dre’s 1992 record, The Chronic, not as number 25 on his list but as an album which wins outright on its own, noting, “The Chronic got to be by itself with no number, and then the list starts. The Chronic was just an incredible fucking album, man. It was so well put together. Snoop was on every song on The Chronic and shit. It was like Snoop’s introduction to the world. You think, ‘Damn, if I’m going to meet Dre, or I’m about to be signed to Dre, I’m going to ask him so many questions about the album’. But I never had that conversation with him. Neither one of them, and I see them and talk to them all the time.”
When The Chronic dropped, a new generation of hip-hop was emerging. It became the soundtrack designated to Los Angeles while also piercing the ceiling of the mainstream music scene to become one of the most recognised albums for its diversity.
It delivered something different. Sonically, the samples fused funk and soul together to create a sound which no artist had dared to explore; it was dynamically genius. It also shaped legacies. The Game highlighted how Snoop Dogg was on every track, a young 21-year-old at the time, and who would go on to have one of the most recognised careers in all of music history.
Death Row Records had created something that could never be replicated. A once-in-a-lifetime formulation which has left its creative footprint permanently on the world, and The Game was eager to praise and shed light on its greatness, pinpointing the strong authority it has had on his career.