New surprise LP & the 11th overall from Compton, California emcee, songwriter, actor & professional attention whore The Game. Originally taken under the wing of JT the Bigga Figga, his 2002 debut mixtape You Know What It Is would catch the attention of Dr. Dre & 50 Cent. Both of whom signed Game to a joint venture to their individually respective labels Aftermath Entertainment & G-Unit Records, distributed by Interscope Records. With their help, his debut album The Documentary the following year would go on to become a West Coast essential. However, a falling out between Game & 50 just months after the album’s release would result in Game moving over to Geffen Records to complete his 5-album contract. His next 4 albums Dr.’s Advocate, LAX, The RE.D. (RE-Dedication) Album & Je5us PiecE all showed that Game didn’t need Dre or 50 to make quality music. Once fulfilling his major label obligations, he went the independent route by founding his own label Numinati Records & showcasing the artists with a compilation entitled Blood Moon: Year of the Wolf in 2014. Game then put out an overloaded yet decent sequel to his debut with The Documentary 2+2.5 the next year as well as his previous album 1992 the year after & Born 2 Rap on his 40th birthday. Hit-Boy helped him come out of “retirement” again with the more consistent Drillmatic: Heart vs. Mind, although it was DONDA levels of bloated. Every Movie Needs a Trailer produced by Mike & Keys was honestly pretty great considering the lesser amount of filler Drillmatic had & the time for The Documentary III has arrived.
“Geezus” produced by London on da Track opens up saying “when you from the westside, you ain’t gotta pick sides” when a majority of the west coast would disagree whereas “Love It or Hate It” featuring WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg comes through with a “Hate It or Love It” sequel where Cool & Dre are sampling “What You Won’t Do for Love” by Bobby Caldwell. “Steppers” featuring Lil Wayne includes the witty line “Got ice on my neck, but I’m still yellin’ out “Fuck ICE” 1 time for my vatos” over a jazzy trap beat from Bangladesh just before “The Life” warning these rats they’re all food.
Lit Papi & RJfrmLA both appear on the disappointing gangsta celebration “Scary Times” prior to Mike & Keys bouncing back with “20 Deep” from the sampling to the improved consistency regarding the performances. I can appreciate “No Brakes” instrumentally experimenting with hyphy even if he’s ass-kissing Drake looking for all the smoke with no intentions of slowing down while “Sticks” talks about the gangsta life over a drumless piano.
“Geekin’” featuring the late Drakeo the Ruler discusses both of them doing hoodrat shit with their friends leading into “40 Deep” featuring Ye formerly known as Kanye West links up for a sequel to “Crack Music” off the latter’s sophomore effort Late Registration sampling “Ahora” by Anthony Santos. “Do You Love Me?” soulfully responds to people claiming they appreciate him when he doesn’t think that’s the case while “Run It Up” featuring Leon Thomas III ends the 1st half on a decent pop rap note.
Cloud rap, trap & alternative R&B collide during “Party at Game’s” featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR not doing the romantic themes any better than the previous joint until “Baby” featuring Armonie Jay & Kalan.FrFr butchers a sample of the Ashanti single of the same name. “In the Way” featuring RJmrLA & Tyga treads the hyphy waters once again for annoyingly sexual subject matter while “The Part” featuring AzChike, Lefty Gunplay & YG gets on some jazzy west coast gangsta shit.
“Hella” featuring E-40 & RJmrLA moderately talks about taking a bunch of whips & cash despite 40 going harder than RJ even if he & Game are sharing the opening verse while “Nothing 2 Hide” eerily lets the world see him for the gangsta he’s always been. “LA Monster” samples an unreleased song Ye recorded for Jesus is King with A$AP Ferg back in 2019 to take a pathetic jab at Kendrick Lamar while “Meet the Parents” manically talks about not asking for this shit over a somber Conductor Williams beat.
Statik Selektah puts a more soulful boom bap spin onto “The Pen” talking about his lyricism being unstoppable while “The Cookout” featuring Larry June provides a west coast barbecue anthem Sndtrak & Beat Butcha cooked up together. “I Won’t Be Afraid” featuring Black Thought chops up “Cherish the Day” by Sade talking about having no fear of death while “Game Recognize Game” drumlessly finishes The Documentary III calls for the attention of all saints & sinners.
Putting what criticisms I had for The Documentary 2+2.5, I wouldn’t have imagined The Documentary III dethroning it to become my new least favorite chapter of the entire trilogy although I’d say I’m largely on the fence with it than I was with either Drillmatic: Heart vs. Mind or Every Movie Needs a Trailer. His skills can never be taken away from him, yet I don’t consider that an excuse for him to make it nearly an hour & a half long or overload it with an excessive amount of guest appearances who don’t always knock it out of the park.
Score: 3/5
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