The Game (rapper)
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Jayceon Terrell Taylor (born November 29, 1979), better known by his stage name the Game or simply Game, is an American rapper. Born in
Compton, California Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, situated south of downtown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and, on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city in Los Angeles County to incorporat ...
, he initially released a series of
mixtape A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
s under the wing of fellow West Coast rapper
JT the Bigga Figga Joseph Tom, better known by his stage name JT the Bigga Figga (also known as Figg Panamera), is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive from the Fillmore neighborhood of San Francisco, California. He has produced music on over ...
. After releasing his debut independent album '' Untold Story'' in 2004, he was eventually discovered by record producer
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
and signed to his
Aftermath Records Aftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Interscope Records. Current acts include Dr. Dre himself, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, An ...
label imprint. The Game rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his major-label debut album ''
The Documentary ''The Documentary'' is the second studio album by American rapper the Game. It was released on January 18, 2005, by Aftermath Entertainment, G-Unit Records, and Interscope Records. In 2001, while the Game was in a hospital recovering from a shoo ...
'' and found continued success with the 2006 follow-up ''
Doctor's Advocate ''Doctor's Advocate'' is the third studio album by American hip hop recording artist the Game, released on November 14, 2006, through Geffen Records. The album is his second major-label release, following 2005's ''The Documentary'', which was r ...
''. The
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
certified ''The Documentary'' Double Platinum in March 2005. A rising artist in the 2000s, the Game was considered to be a driving force in bringing back the West Coast hip hop scene into the mainstream and competing with many of his East Coast counterparts. The Game was placed into
G-Unit G-Unit (short for Guerilla Unit) was an American hip hop group formed by longtime friends and East Coast rappers 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks. After amassing a string of self-released mixtapes in the early 2000s, the group released t ...
by Dr. Dre and
Jimmy Iovine James Iovine ( ; ; born March 11, 1953) is an American entrepreneur, record executive, and media proprietor best known as the co-founder of Interscope Records. In 2006, Iovine and rapper-producer Dr. Dre founded Beats Electronics, which produces ...
. As a result of his disputes with
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
, Game left Aftermath and signed with Geffen, another label under
Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a ...
's
Interscope Geffen A&M Interscope Geffen A&M Records (IGA), is an American umbrella label owned by Universal Music Group, consisting of record labels Interscope Records, Geffen Records, and A&M Records. History Interscope Geffen A&M Records was established in 1999, ...
unit, to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit in the summer of 2006. The Game's second major label album ''Doctor's Advocate'' was released on November 14, 2006, and it became his second album to debut at number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 chart. ''Doctor's Advocate'' did not feature any production from Dr. Dre.
Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog. Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
placed ''The Documentary'' at number 35 on their list of Top 50 Albums of 2005. The Game was nominated with a total of two nominations, including Grammy Award for Best Rap Song and Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for the smash single "
Hate It or Love It "Hate It or Love It" is a single by American rapper and West Coast hip hop artist the Game, featuring 50 Cent. It was released as the third official single from the Game's debut studio album ''The Documentary'' (2005). The song features produc ...
". ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' named ''Doctor's Advocate'' best hip-hop album of 2006. His next album ''
LAX Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the W ...
'' was released in 2008. With his fourth studio album '' The R.E.D. Album'', the Game again debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200. In addition to music, the Game has starred in motion pictures and founded
The Black Wall Street Records The Black Wall Street Records was a record label founded by Jayceon "Game" Taylor and George "Big Fase 100" Taylor III. History The name " The Black Wall Street" is adopted from what was the racially segregated Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, ...
. In September 2011, the Game started working on his fifth studio album, '' Jesus Piece'', which was released on December 11, 2012, his final album released by Interscope. In 2015, the Game released two albums, ''
The Documentary 2 ''The Documentary 2'' is the seventh studio album by American rapper the Game. It was released on October 9, 2015, by Blood Money Entertainment and eOne Music. The album serves as a sequel to his debut album. The project is first half of a two ...
'' on October 9, and a week later on October 16, '' The Documentary 2.5''. His next album ''
1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
'' was released on October 14, 2016, and spawned two official singles. In 2019 he released ''
Born 2 Rap ''Born 2 Rap'' is the tenth studio album by American rapper the Game. It was released on November 29, 2019 via eOne Music (now known today as MNRK Music Group). Its release coincided with the Game's fortieth birthday. It was advertised as his fin ...
'', which he announced to be his final studio album; however, it was announced that in 2022 his career would continue with the release of his tenth studio album '' Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind'' .


Early life

The Game was born Jayceon Terrell Taylor on November 29, 1979, in
Compton, California Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, situated south of downtown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and, on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city in Los Angeles County to incorporat ...
, to parents George Taylor and Lynette Baker, who both were members of the
Crips The Crips is an alliance of street gangs that is based in the coastal regions of Southern California. Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969, mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams, the Crips were initially a single alliance ...
street gang. He grew up in a primarily Crip-controlled neighborhood known as Santana Blocc, although Taylor himself grew up to become a member of the Cedar Park Piru
Bloods The Bloods are a primarily African-American street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. It is identified by the red color worn by its members and by particular gang symbols, includ ...
through his brother. In an October 2006 interview with
MTV News MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
correspondent
Sway Calloway Sway Calloway is an American journalist, radio personality, executive producer and former rapper. Known as Sway, he is known for hosting music, news, and culture programming. He was the co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show ''The Wake U ...
, the Game described his family as "
dysfunctional Abnormality (or dysfunctional behavior) is a behavioral characteristic assigned to those with conditions that are regarded as rare or dysfunctional. Behavior is considered to be abnormal when it is atypical or out of the ordinary, consists of u ...
". His older half-brother, George Taylor III, a.k.a. the rapper Big Fase 100, was a Cedar Block Piru
Bloods The Bloods are a primarily African-American street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. It is identified by the red color worn by its members and by particular gang symbols, includ ...
leader in West Compton, California. Taylor and his sibling spent six years in
foster care Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home ( residential child care community, treatment center, etc.), or private home of a state-certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent" or with a family ...
. Taylor attended
Compton High School Compton High School is a high school in Compton, California, United States, part of the Compton Unified School District. History The school opened in 1896 as Compton Union High School and was later re-established as Compton Senior High School i ...
. He went on to attend the community colleges
Antelope Valley College Antelope Valley College (AVC) is a public community college in Lancaster, California. It is part of the California Community College system. It is operated by the Antelope Valley Community College District, with a primary service area of cove ...
,
Harbor Community College Los Angeles Harbor College (LAHC) is a public community college in Wilmington, California. It is one of two community colleges serving the South Bay region of Los Angeles. LAHC serves mainly students from Harbor City, Carson, San Pedro, G ...
and
Cerritos College Cerritos College is a public community college in Norwalk, California. It offers degrees and certificates in 87 areas of study in nine divisions. History The college was founded in 1955. It was named after Rancho Los Cerritos, a local r ...
each for a time before leaving school. By the early 2000s, Taylor had become heavily involved in selling drugs and participating in gang activities.


Music career


Early career (2002–2003)

While recovering in the hospital from gunshot wounds he incurred in late 2001, Game told his brother to go out and buy all of the classic hip-hop albums. Over the course of five months, he studied all of the various influential rap albums and developed a strategy to turn himself into a rapper. With the help of his older brother Big Fase, they founded the label. It originally featured such artists as
Glasses Malone Glasses Malone is an American rapper from Los Angeles, California. Early life Glasses Malone grew up in the Watts and Compton neighborhoods in Los Angeles County. Malone was a Crip gang member as a teenager, and got into street racing after brea ...
, Vita, and Nu Jerzey Devil, along with Game himself. His
stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...
was coined by his grandmother, who was a huge fan of the 1997 blockbuster, ''The Game''. Game first gained prominence when he attended a hip-hop summit hosted by
Russell Simmons Russell Wendell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, writer and record executive. He co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. Simmons' ...
and
Louis Farrakhan Louis Farrakhan (; born Louis Eugene Walcott, May 11, 1933) is an American religious leader, black supremacist, anti-white and antisemitic conspiracy theorist, and former singer who heads the Nation of Islam (NOI). Prior to joining the NOI, h ...
. After he had fully recovered, Game and Big Fase made a mixtape together. He released his first mixtape ''You Know What It Is Vol. 1'' in 2002, and landed a record deal with the independent label
Get Low Recordz Get Low Recordz was a San Francisco based independent record label founded in 1991 and owned by rapper/ producer JT the Bigga Figga. The first artists who released material on Get Low Recordz were JT the Bigga Figga, Get Low Playaz, San Quinn, T ...
owned by
JT the Bigga Figga Joseph Tom, better known by his stage name JT the Bigga Figga (also known as Figg Panamera), is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive from the Fillmore neighborhood of San Francisco, California. He has produced music on over ...
. Game's mixtape reached the hands of
Sean Combs Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...
, founder of
Bad Boy Records Bad Boy Records (or Bad Boy Entertainment) is an American record label founded in 1993 by rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs. It operates as an imprint of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It has been home to many artists, including ...
, who originally was on the verge of signing him to his label. Five months later, he was discovered by
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
who listened to the mixtape that had been produced by his brother. Dr. Dre contacted Game and signed him to his
Aftermath Entertainment Aftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Interscope Records. Current acts include Dr. Dre himself, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, An ...
label in 2003. In late 2003,
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
CEO
Jimmy Iovine James Iovine ( ; ; born March 11, 1953) is an American entrepreneur, record executive, and media proprietor best known as the co-founder of Interscope Records. In 2006, Iovine and rapper-producer Dr. Dre founded Beats Electronics, which produces ...
and Dr. Dre decided to have Game work with
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
and
G-Unit G-Unit (short for Guerilla Unit) was an American hip hop group formed by longtime friends and East Coast rappers 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks. After amassing a string of self-released mixtapes in the early 2000s, the group released t ...
in order to help build a growing buzz around Game which would also fuel interest in G-Unit. Game made his first cameo appearance in the music video for 50 Cent's "
In da Club "In da Club" is a song by American rapper 50 Cent from his debut studio album ''Get Rich or Die Tryin (2003). Written by 50 Cent alongside producers Dr. Dre and Mike Elizondo, the song, which uses an unconventional off-beat rhythm, was rel ...
", where he is seen dancing with a girl. Since then, he has made numerous cameo appearances in music videos by 50 Cent,
Lloyd Banks Christopher Charles Lloyd (born April 30, 1982), better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper. He began his career as a member of East Coast hip hop group G-Unit, alongside childhood friends 50 Cent and Tony Yayo. After th ...
,
Young Buck David Darnell Brown (born March 15, 1981), best known by his stage name Young Buck, is an American rapper. He heads his own record label, Cashville, and was a member of the former hip hop group G-Unit. Early life Brown was born in Nashville, Te ...
, and
Fabolous John David Jackson (born November 18, 1977), better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper. Raised in Brooklyn, he first gained recognition while still a senior in high school, when he performed live on American music executive ...
. Game spent the next two and a half years working on his major label debut album and being mentored by Dr. Dre.


''The Documentary'' (2003–2005)

Not having dropped an album despite being signed onto Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records for a while, Game was still able to create hype around his image alone. He appeared in ads for
Sean Combs Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...
's
Sean John Sean John is a privately held fashion lifestyle company created by music mogul Sean Combs. The line made its fashion debut with a men's sportswear collection for the spring 1998 season. Individuals of note who have represented the brand in advert ...
clothing company and had an endorsement deal with Boost Mobile, appearing in a commercial alongside
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
and
Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
. Game also appeared heavily on the mixtape circuit and guest starred on mixtapes for
DJ Green Lantern James Christopher D'Agostino (born July 7, 1975), professionally known as DJ Green Lantern, is an American hip hop DJ and producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by American rapper Eminem, to become the official DJ for S ...
,
The Diplomats The Diplomats (also known as Dipset) is an American hip hop collective formed in 1997 by childhood friends Cam'ron and Jim Jones in Harlem, New York. The group was originally composed of Cam'ron, Jim Jones and Freekey Zekey, all of whom gre ...
, and
G-Unit G-Unit (short for Guerilla Unit) was an American hip hop group formed by longtime friends and East Coast rappers 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks. After amassing a string of self-released mixtapes in the early 2000s, the group released t ...
. The first single released with Game on it was "
Certified Gangstas "Certified Gangstas" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Jim Jones (rapper), Jim Jones, released as his solo debut single as well as the lead single from his debut solo studio album ''On My Way to Church''. The song features vocals from ...
", which also featured
Jim Jones James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 – November 18, 1978) was an American preacher, political activist and mass murderer. He led the Peoples Temple, a new religious movement, between 1955 and 1978. In what he called "revolutionary suicide ...
and
Cam'ron Cameron Ezike Giles (born February 4, 1976), better known by his stage name Cam'ron, is an American rapper, record executive, and actor from Harlem, New York City. Beginning his career in the mid-1990s as Killa Cam, Giles signed to Lance "Un" ...
. Though the single wasn't considered to be mainstream, the buzz increased around the West Coast rapper. On September 28, 2004, Game released his first promo single, " Westside Story", from his major label debut album. He had originally chosen to title the album ''Nigga Wit' An Attitude Volume 1'' (as heard in the lyrics to "
Dreams A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Humans spend about two hours dreaming per night, and each dream lasts around 5 to 20 minutes, althou ...
"), but an
injunction An injunction is a legal and equitable remedy in the form of a special court order that compels a party to do or refrain from specific acts. ("The court of appeals ... has exclusive jurisdiction to enjoin, set aside, suspend (in whole or in pa ...
filed at the request of Eazy-E's widow prevented him from using
N.W.A N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip hop group whose members were among the earliest and most significant popularizers and controversial figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, and the group is widely considered ...
's name in the album title. Thus, the album was titled ''The Documentary'', which featured Dr. Dre and 50 Cent as executive producers. The album spawned the hit
singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...
" How We Do" and "
Hate It or Love It "Hate It or Love It" is a single by American rapper and West Coast hip hop artist the Game, featuring 50 Cent. It was released as the third official single from the Game's debut studio album ''The Documentary'' (2005). The song features produc ...
", the latter receiving two Grammy nominations. The album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was the sixteenth best selling album of 2005 in the United States. It also debuted at number seven in the United Kingdom and sold over five million copies worldwide. In October 2004, he released '' Untold Story'' through Get Low Recordz, which sold over 82,000 copies within its first three months. The album featured artists like
Sean T Sean Miguel Thompson, better known by his stage name Sean T, is an American rapper and record producer from East Palo Alto, California. Throughout his career both as a rapper and a producer, he has released seven solo albums, two albums with hi ...
,
Young Noble Rufus Cooper III (born March 21, 1978), also known by his stage name Young Noble, is an American rapper who was part of Tupac Shakur's rap group Outlawz. Noble joined the Outlawz in early 1996, and was the last member to be added to the group by ...
(of the
Outlawz Outlawz (formerly known as Outlaw Immortalz) are an American hip hop group founded by rapper Tupac Shakur in late 1995 after Shakur's release from prison. Collectively, they were best known for their association with Shakur. Most of the group m ...
), and JT the Bigga Figga. Game also appeared on various mixtapes hosted by DJ's such as
DJ Kayslay Keith Grayson (August 14, 1966 – April 17, 2022), professionally known as DJ Kay Slay, was an American disc jockey (DJ) from New York City. He is referred to by ''The New York Times'' as "Hip Hop's One-Man Ministry of Insults". He released fou ...
,
DJ Whoo Kid Yves Mondesir (born October 12, 1972), better known by his stage name DJ Whoo Kid, is an American hip hop DJ. He is currently signed to G-Unit Records and its subsidiary label, Shadyville Entertainment. He is the host of ''The Whoolywood Shu ...
, and
DJ Clue Ernesto Shaw (born January 8, 1975), better known as DJ Clue, is an American disc jockey (DJ), record producer, radio personality and record executive. Early life DJ Clue was born in Queens, New York City to Panamanian and Jamaican immigran ...
. Game also released a second mixtape ''You Know What It Is Vol. 2'' through his own record label and appeared on the video game ''
NBA Live 2004 ''NBA Live 2004'' is the 2004 installment of the '' NBA Live'' video games series. The cover features Vince Carter as a member of the Toronto Raptors and in Spain copies of ''NBA Live 2004'' feature Raul Lopez. The game was developed by EA Spor ...
'' on a song produced by
Fredwreck Farid Karam Nassar (born June 23, 1972), better known by his stage name Fredwreck, is a Grammy Award-winning American hip hop recording artist, DJ and record producer. He got his big break when he became a producer for Dr. Dre's newly founded re ...
called "Can't Stop Me". Later that year, the young rapper
Lil Eazy-E Eric Darnell Wright (born April 23, 1984), better known by his stage names Lil Eazy-E and Lil Eazy, is an American rapper. He is best known for being the son of Eazy-E. He is the president of Rich & Ruthless Records, an entertainment and busine ...
, son of rapper the late Eazy-E, entered a feud with Game. The two used to be close associates and recorded music together. Lil' Eazy-E has since directed numerous diss songs targeting the rapper and has expressed his anger over what he felt was Game's misuse of his father's name. Game responded by claiming that Lil' Eazy-E was trying to establish himself off the success he had made since releasing ''The Documentary''. He released a song titled "120 Bars" where he claimed that Lil' Eazy-E does not write his own lyrics. However, on the same track, Game stated that he would rather not feud with Lil' Eazy-E due to the deep respect he has for Lil' Eazy-E's father. Lil' Eazy-E later responded with "They Know Me". On October 30, 2006, Game went on
KDAY KDAY (93.5 FM, "93.5 KDAY") is a radio station that is licensed to Redondo Beach, California and serves the Greater Los Angeles area. The station is owned by Meruelo Media and airs a classic hip hop format. The station's studios are located in ...
and said that he and Lil' Eazy-E had ended their feud. Dr. Dre's nemesis, Suge Knight, also had an ongoing feud with Game that stemmed from Yukmouth's claim that Game had been slapped by Suge Knight. 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 The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...
show, associates of
Death Row Records Death Row Records is an American record label that was founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. The label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum hip-hop albums by West Coast-based artists such as Dr. Dre ('' ...
had their invitations to a party hosted by
Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...
rescinded. Supposedly, a member of Death Row Records tried to steal Game's chain. Game stated on his website that he disliked Suge Knight because of "the lives he has endangered". In
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
for the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, Suge Knight was shot and wounded at
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
's party by an unknown gunman. Game vigorously denied involvement in the shooting, but the incident renewed efforts to pacify hip hop feuds and Game has consequently been discouraged from attending certain events in hopes of averting retaliation. Later, Game and various representatives of California's rap cliques formed a West Coast "peace treaty" to end many rivalries between West Coast rappers. Although Suge Knight did not attend, he and Game declared their feud over.


''Doctor's Advocate'' and feud with G-Unit (2005–2007)

In early 2005, Game entered a feud with G-Unit. Even before Game's major label debut was released and their feud became public, there was tension between Game and 50 Cent. Soon after ''The Documentarys release, 50 Cent talked about an accident that occurred in the
strip club A strip club is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease or other Erotic dancing, erotic or exotic dances. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or Bar (establishment), bar style, and can also ...
by stating that he felt that the rapper's actions of not partnering with
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
to react to
Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper from New York City. He began his music career as a member of hip hop group Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.), then forged a sol ...
and
Jadakiss Jason Terrance Phillips (born May 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Jadakiss, is an American rapper from Yonkers, New York. He began his career in the 1990s as a member of the rap trio The Lox, managed by Ruff Ryders and signed with B ...
after the New York song written by
Ja Rule Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in New York City, he debuted in 1999 with '' Venni Vetti Vecci'' and its lead single " Holla Holla". Dur ...
were wrong and then booted Game out of
G-Unit G-Unit (short for Guerilla Unit) was an American hip hop group formed by longtime friends and East Coast rappers 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks. After amassing a string of self-released mixtapes in the early 2000s, the group released t ...
. 50 Cent also claimed that he was not getting his proper credit for the creation of the album, as he had written six of the songs, all of which Game denied. During that dispute, a member of Game's entourage was shot during a confrontation that occurred at the
Hot 97 WQHT (97.1 FM, ''Hot 97'') is a commercial radio station, licensed to New York, New York, which broadcasts an urban contemporary music format. The station is owned by Mediaco Holding and operated by Emmis Communications under a shared ser ...
studio in New York City. After the situation between them escalated, 50 Cent and Game held a press conference to announce their reconciliation. Fans had mixed feelings as to whether the rappers created a publicity stunt to boost the sales of the two albums the pair had just released. Nevertheless, even after the situation had apparently deflated, G-Unit continued to feud with Game, denouncing his street credibility in the media and claimed that, without their support, he would not score a hit if he made a second album. Game responded during a performance at Summer Jam and launched a boycott of G-Unit called "G-Unot". After the performance at Summer Jam, Game responded with a song titled "300 Barz and Running'", an extended "diss" aimed at G-Unit as well as members of
Roc-A-Fella Records Roc-A-Fella Records was an American hip hop record label and music management company founded by record executives and entrepreneurs Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke in 1994. History 1994–2000: Formation ...
on the mixtape ''You Know What It Is Vol. 3''. The track is unique in that it is nearly 14 minutes long, in which Game criticizes all members of G-Unit, amongst many others. 50 Cent responded through his "
Piggy Bank Piggy bank (sometimes penny bank or money box) is the traditional name of a coin container normally used by children. The piggy bank is known to collectors as a "still bank" as opposed to the " mechanical banks" popular in the early 20th centu ...
" music video, which features Game as a
Mr. Potato Head Mr. Potato Head is an American toy brand consisting of a plastic model of a potato "head" to which a variety of plastic parts can attach — typically ears, eyes, shoes, hat, nose, pants and mouth. Mr. Potato Head was invented and manufact ...
doll and also parodies other rivals. Since then, both groups continued to attack each other. Game released two more mixtapes, ''Ghost Unit'' and a mixtape/DVD called '' Stop Snitchin, Stop Lyin''. 50 Cent's rebuttal was "Not Rich, Still Lyin'" where he mocks Game. In addition, G-Unit started to respond on numerous mixtapes and then-new G-Unit member
Spider Loc Curtis Williams (born January 19, 1976), more commonly known as Spider Loc, is an American rapper and actor. He was formerly signed to Interscope Records and 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. Biography Spider Loc was discovered by Suge Knight and ...
began dissing Game. Game responded with "240 Bars (Spider Joke)", a song mainly aimed at Spider Loc, but also addressing
Tony Yayo Marvin Bernard (born March 31, 1978), better known by his stage name Tony Yayo, is an American rapper. He is best known as a member of G-Unit, a hip hop group he formed with his childhood friends 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks. Yayo released his deb ...
and rap group M.O.P., and on the song "The Funeral 100 Bars". The feud between Game and
Roc-A-Fella Records Roc-A-Fella Records was an American hip hop record label and music management company founded by record executives and entrepreneurs Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke in 1994. History 1994–2000: Formation ...
grew out of an earlier rivalry with
Memphis Bleek Malik Deshawn Cox (born June 23, 1978), known by his stage name Memphis Bleek, is an American rapper who was a protégé of fellow New York rapper Jay-Z. Cox started his own labels: Get Low Records in 1998, and #Warehouse Music Group, Warehouse M ...
over the name of his label (
Get Low Records Get Low Records is a hip hop record label founded by Memphis Bleek in 1998. History Beginnings Under the guidance of Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek founded his label, Get Low Records, in 1998. The label's first release was Memphis Bleek's gold debut, ' ...
), which was similar to the one Game was previously signed to (
Get Low Recordz Get Low Recordz was a San Francisco based independent record label founded in 1991 and owned by rapper/ producer JT the Bigga Figga. The first artists who released material on Get Low Recordz were JT the Bigga Figga, Get Low Playaz, San Quinn, T ...
). On the single " Westside Story", Game raps that "I don't do button-up shirts or drive
Maybach Maybach (, ) is a German luxury car brand that exists today as a part of Mercedes-Benz. The original company was founded in 1909 by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl Maybach, originally as a subsidiary of ''Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH'', and ...
s", which was perceived as being directed towards
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, though Game stated it was directed toward
Ja Rule Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in New York City, he debuted in 1999 with '' Venni Vetti Vecci'' and its lead single " Holla Holla". Dur ...
. Later Jay-Z performed a freestyle on
Funkmaster Flex Aston George Taylor Jr. (born August 5, 1968), professionally known as Funkmaster Flex, is an American DJ, rapper, record producer, and host on New York City's Hot 97 radio station. In 1992, he became host of the first hip hop radio show on Hot 9 ...
's radio show on Hot 97 and in it, he repeatedly used the word ''game'', which some hip hop fans believed was directed towards Game. Game responded with "My Bitch" in which the first verse is directed at
G-Unit G-Unit (short for Guerilla Unit) was an American hip hop group formed by longtime friends and East Coast rappers 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks. After amassing a string of self-released mixtapes in the early 2000s, the group released t ...
, the second verse is directed at
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
and the third verse at Suge Knight. Due to his disputes with 50 Cent, Game left
Aftermath Entertainment Aftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Interscope Records. Current acts include Dr. Dre himself, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, An ...
and signed with
Geffen Records Geffen Records is an American record label established by David Geffen and owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M Records imprint. Founded in 1980, Geffen Records has been a part of Interscope Geffen A&M since 1999 and h ...
another label under
Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
's
Interscope-Geffen-A&M Interscope Geffen A&M Records (IGA), is an American umbrella label owned by Universal Music Group, consisting of record labels Interscope Records, Geffen Records, and A&M Records. History Interscope Geffen A&M Records was established in 1999, ...
division to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit in the summer of 2006. The rapper's second major-label album ''
Doctor's Advocate ''Doctor's Advocate'' is the third studio album by American hip hop recording artist the Game, released on November 14, 2006, through Geffen Records. The album is his second major-label release, following 2005's ''The Documentary'', which was r ...
'' was released on November 14, 2006. This album was set out by Game to prove that he was still able to make good music and be a successful artist without the help of Dr. Dre or 50 Cent. While Game originally claimed Dr. Dre would still do production on the album in the November issue of '' XXL'' magazine, he admitted in September after the ''XXL'' interview was conducted during an interview on radio station
Power 105 WWPR-FM (105.1 FM) is an urban contemporary music radio station licensed to New York City. WWPR-FM is owned by iHeartMedia and broadcasts from studios in the former AT&T Building in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan; its transmitter is l ...
that Dr. Dre would not be producing any tracks although four previously unreleased tracks produced by Dr. Dre were released on the Internet, but no reason was given as to why they were not included on the album. The album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling over 358,000 copies its first week. In October 2006, Game extended a peace treaty to 50 Cent, which was not immediately replied to. However, a couple days later on
Power 106 KPWR (105.9 FM) – branded as ''Power 106'' – is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California, broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area. KPWR is owned and operated by Meruelo Group and airs a Rhythmic Hot AC format. KPWR's studi ...
, he stated that the treaty was only offered for one day. On Game's album ''Doctor's Advocate'', he says the feud is over on a few of the songs. The feud seemed to have gained steam after Tony Yayo allegedly slapped the fourteen-year-old son of Czar Entertainment CEO Jimmy Rosemond. Game responded with "Body Bags" on ''You Know What It Is Vol. 4''. Since Young Buck was dismissed from G-Unit by 50 Cent, there have been interviews from both Game and Young Buck stating they never had a problem with each other. In an interview Young Buck said he was aware of Game's support and that Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo did not reach out to him.


''LAX'' and ''The R.E.D. Album'' (2007–2012)

Game appeared on '' 106 & Park'' on May 16, where he confirmed ''
LAX Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the W ...
'' would be the last studio album he records. He had originally announced that
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
would be producing for the album, but neither Dr. Dre nor Aftermath Entertainment had confirmed. The album went head to head with heavy metal band Slipknot's ''
All Hope Is Gone ''All Hope Is Gone'' is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Slipknot, released on August 26, 2008 by Roadrunner Records. The album was published in two versions: the standard album in a CD case and a special edition packaged ...
'' on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart, seeing that both albums were released on August 22, 2008, therefore both albums were competing for the number one spot on the ''Billboard'' 200. ''LAX'' ended up debuting at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200, at first, it looked like ''LAX'' had debuted ahead of ''All Hope Is Gone'' by 13 copies. Initially, ''Billboard'' published an article stating that the Game had secured the top spot with a margin of 13 units, in what was described as the "closest race for number one since
Nielsen SoundScan Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
began tracking Data in 1991". Slipknot's labels
Warner Music Group Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and t ...
and
Roadrunner Records Roadrunner Records is an American record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock bands. Founded in the Netherlands in 1980, it is now a division of Warner Music Group and is based in New York City. History The label was launched in 1980 in t ...
asked for a SoundScan recount, a historic first. Nielsen proceeded to the recount, which placed ''LAX'' at number two with 238,382 copies, and Slipknot in the first position with 239,516 copies scanned, a margin of 1,134 copies. After the recount 12 hours later, the article was rewritten and Slipknot was awarded the number one spot. ''LAX'' spawned four singles: "
Game's Pain "Game's Pain" is the lead single from The Game's third studio album '' LAX''. In the song, which features Keyshia Cole, Game makes references to The Notorious B.I.G., Will Smith, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Nas, Luke Skyywalker of 2 L ...
" with R&B singer
Keyshia Cole Keyshia Myeshia Cole Johnson; born October 15, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Born and raised in Oakland, California, Cole began her career as a backing vocalist for MC Hammer. After signing with A&M Records ...
, "
Dope Boys "Dope Boys" is the second single from The Game's third studio album, ''LAX''. The song features Travis Barker playing the drums. The song samples "Eleanor Rigby" By The Beatles. The song was slated to appear in the 2008 driving game Midnight Club ...
" with
Blink-182 Blink-182 (stylized as blink-182) is an American rock band formed in Poway, California in 1992. Their current lineup consists of bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. Though their sound has ...
drummer
Travis Barker Travis Landon Barker (born November 14, 1975) is an American musician who serves as the drummer for the rock band Blink-182. He has also performed as a frequent collaborator with hip hop artists, is a member of the rap rock group Tran ...
, "
My Life My Life may refer to: Autobiographies * ''Mein Leben'' (Wagner) (''My Life''), by Richard Wagner, 1870 * ''My Life'' (Clinton autobiography), by Bill Clinton, 2004 * ''My Life'' (Meir autobiography), by Golda Meir, 1973 * ''My Life'' (Mosley a ...
" with rapper
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
and " Camera Phone" with R&B singer
Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...
. In the United States, the album has sold over 660,100 copies. It was confirmed in May 2009, that Game began working on a new album, titled '' The R.E.D. Album'' On June 26, 2009, Game released a song titled "
Better on the Other Side "Better on the Other Side" is a tribute song from American recording artists The Game, Chris Brown, Diddy, DJ Khalil, Polow da Don, Mario Winans, Usher and Boyz II Men dedicated to Michael Jackson. The song was recorded on June 25, 2009, aft ...
" a
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
tribute, the day after Jackson's death. It features Diddy,
Mario Winans Mario Mendell Winans ( Brown; born August 29, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer best known for his 2004 song " I Don't Wanna Know", which reached number 2 in the United States and number 1 in the United Kingdom. Wina ...
,
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...
, Usher &
Boyz II Men Boyz II Men (pronounced ''boys to men''), also known as B2M, is an American vocal harmony group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are currently a trio composed of baritone Nathan M ...
. On October 3, 2009,
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
posted a picture on his Twitter of himself,
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
and Game in the studio working together, The picture was taken a day earlier and it marked the first time Game had worked with Dr. Dre for some years since the beef with former fellow
G-Unit G-Unit (short for Guerilla Unit) was an American hip hop group formed by longtime friends and East Coast rappers 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks. After amassing a string of self-released mixtapes in the early 2000s, the group released t ...
labelmate
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
caused him to release his two following albums on
Geffen Records Geffen Records is an American record label established by David Geffen and owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M Records imprint. Founded in 1980, Geffen Records has been a part of Interscope Geffen A&M since 1999 and h ...
. Later in early January 2010 Game posted a twitpic of him wearing a lot of Aftermath chains with a caption saying "It's funny how things come Full Circle". Later he confirmed that he had returned to
Aftermath Entertainment Aftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Interscope Records. Current acts include Dr. Dre himself, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, An ...
. He traveled to
Prishtinë Pristina, ; sr, / (, ) is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. The city's municipal boundaries in Pristina District form the largest urban center in Kosovo. After Tirana, Pristina has the second largest population of ethnic Albanians an ...
,
Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
for a concert, that according to him would be the greatest of his life. In an interview there, Game stated: "I love Albanians, If I could be reborn, I'd be reborn Albanian". On June 3, 2011,
Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog. Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
announced that Game was working with
Odd Future Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, better known as Odd Future and often abbreviated as OF, was an American Hip hop music, hip-hop Musical collective, music collective formed in Los Angeles County, California in 2007. The original members were Ty ...
leader
Tyler, The Creator Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper and record producer. He is one of the founding members of the music collective Odd Future. Okonma self-released his debut mixtape ' ...
on a track called "Martians vs. Goblins". Finally released on August 23, 2011, ''The R.E.D. Album'' reached number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 with first-week sales of 98,000 units.


''Jesus Piece'' and ''OKE'' (2012–2013)

Shortly after the release of the long-delayed eighth studio album, Game announced he had begun work on his ninth album. At the time titled ''Soundtrack to Chaos'', he said the album would not feature him "name-dropping" or feature any artists as guests for vocals. In March 2012, Game announced the album name had been changed to ''F.I.V.E.: Fear Is Victory's Evolution'' and that it could be his last album released under Interscope, but on August 28 the rapper published a new title: '' Jesus Piece''. In an interview with
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
on November 8, Game revealed that as ''Jesus Piece'' is his last album before his deal with Interscope comes to a close, he has had talks with both Maybach Music Group and
Cash Money Records Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
for a possible new record deal. He also stated that he would consider releasing music independently. The album was released on December 11, 2012, with features from
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
,
Big Sean Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
, J. Cole,
Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He became widely known for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical film ''Ray'', for which he won the A ...
,
Wiz Khalifa Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''Show and Prove'', in 2006 and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 200 ...
,
Tyga Michael Ray Nguyen-StevensonMicheal Ray Stevenson ...
and
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...
among others. In promotion for the album Game started a free weekly music giveaway titled "Sunday Service". All the tracks are leftovers from ''Jesus Piece''. Game also showed interest in making a future collaboration LP with Chris Brown. Game explained the concept of ''Jesus Piece'' does not have a spiritual theme, but it would have a "Gangster" theme of enjoying life while also having faith in God. ''Jesus Piece'' became Game's first album since the multi-platinum selling and critically acclaimed ''The Documentary'', to feature production from
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
. Game announced on social media that every Sunday leading up to the album that he would be dropping new music, which failed to make the album's final cut. Game compared the album's quality of production and high number of guests to his mentor
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
's '' The Chronic 2001''. Upon release the album received generally positive reviews by music critics. Most reviewers have praised the production and guests and the album. ''Jesus Piece'' debuted at number six on the ''Billboard'' 200 with first-week sales of 86,000 copies in the United States. As of July 26, 2013, it has sold 281,000 copies according to
Nielsen SoundScan Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
. On November 30, 2012, Game announced that he and fellow rapper
Stat Quo Stanley Bernard Benton (born July 24, 1978), better known as Stat Quo, is an American rapper and record producer.Shaheem Reid (January 12, 2004).Mixtape Mondays: Stat Quo" ''MTV''. Accessed February 5, 2008. Benton worked his way to college a ...
were starting a new record label titled Rolex Records. Both artists would use the label to release new music and sign other artists. On October 1, 2013, Game announced he was officially leaving Interscope Records, and that he was now a free agent. The following day he told
Artistdirect ARTISTdirect is an American online digital media entertainment company. Overview Founded in 1994, it owns several websites, including artistdirect.com and artistdirectinterviews.com. These websites are a group of affiliate websites offering mul ...
that him signing to
Cash Money Records Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
was likely, and that a final announcement of a signing would probably come in January 2014. He also stated he had talked to Kendrick Lamar,
Nipsey Hussle Airmiess Joseph Asghedom (August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle (often stylized as Nipsey Hu$$le), was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. Emerging from the West Coast hip hop scene in the mid- ...
, and Snoop Dogg about possibly doing collaboration albums in the future. On October 8, the Game released his first project since leaving Interscope, a mixtape titled '' Operation Kill Everything''. The mixtape featured guest appearances by
Too Short Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by the stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast hip hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on ...
,
Schoolboy Q Quincy Matthew Hanley (born October 26, 1986), better known by his stage name Schoolboy Q (stylized as ScHoolboy Q), is an American rapper. In 2009, Hanley signed to Carson-based independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and in late ...
, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Problem, Nipsey Hussle,
Juicy J Jordan Michael Houston III (born April 5, 1975), known professionally as Juicy J, is an American rapper and record producer. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, he is a founding member of the Southern hip hop group Three 6 Mafia, established i ...
,
Young Jeezy Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Recordings in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the followin ...
, Stat Quo, and Ty$ among others. The day after the mixtape's release, the Game spoke to ''XXL'' where he said, he had begun working on his ninth studio album, which will be executive produced by Cool & Dre. He mentioned he had also talked to
Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
about a record deal, and was still possible that he would re-sign with Interscope. Then the following day, the Game released a deluxe edition of ''OKE'' to iTunes, featuring two bonus tracks, including "Hollywood" a song with Scarface.


''The Documentary 2'', ''1992'' and feud with Meek Mill (2013–2018)

On October 12, 2013, Birdman announced that he had signed the Game to Cash Money Records, which Game later seemingly confirmed that same day. On December 11, 2013, Game stated that he was not officially signed to
Cash Money Records Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
stating "It's just trying to figure out what's the best for Cash Money, what's the best for Game at this point in his career. That's pretty much family and that's where I'm at, at this point", he said. "Nothing's written in stone, but that's where I'm leaning." On June 16, 2014, the Game released the compilation album, '' Blood Moon: Year of the Wolfs first single "Bigger than Me". The song heavily samples rock group
Poliça Poliça (often stylised in all caps) is an American pop band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, formed in 2011. The band consists of Channy Leaneagh (vocals, synth), Chris Bierden (bass), Drew Christopherson (drums) and Ben Ivascu (drums), with Ryan ...
's 2013 single "Warrior Lord". The following day, the Game announced that his sixth studio album, a sequel to his debut album ''The Documentary'', would be arriving in January 2015, with
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
returning as producer along with
Just Blaze Justin Gregory Smith (born January 8, 1978), known professionally as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop record producer and DJ. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Blaze attended Rutgers University for three years before dropping out to pursue his mu ...
and
Scott Storch Scott Spencer Storch (born December 16, 1973) is an American record producer and songwriter. He started off as a keyboardist for the group the Roots. Early life Storch was born on Long Island, New York. He was raised in South Florida and Ph ...
. He also expressed interest in getting Nicki Minaj featured on the album. The second single from ''Year of the Wolf'', titled " Or Nah" was released on July 1, 2014. On March 18, 2015, the Game announced that ''
The Documentary 2 ''The Documentary 2'' is the seventh studio album by American rapper the Game. It was released on October 9, 2015, by Blood Money Entertainment and eOne Music. The album serves as a sequel to his debut album. The project is first half of a two ...
'' would be released June 30, 2015. The album was pushed back to August 7. On June 23, Game released the first single, titled " 100" featuring
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * ...
. Target began displaying the original artwork for ''The Documentary 2'' July 13, 2015. However, the release date was pushed back again, to August 28, then eventually to October 9. A week later on October 16, Game released '' The Documentary 2.5'' the second half of ''The Documentary 2''. The Game and
Skrillex Sonny John Moore (born January 15, 1988), known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ and music producer. Growing up in Northeast Los Angeles and Northern California, he joined the post-hardcore band From First to Last as the lead si ...
collaborated on a song named "
El Chapo EL, El or el may refer to: Religion * El (deity), a Semitic word for "God" People * EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer * El DeBarge, music artist * El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American po ...
", which was released on October 9, 2015. On August 1, 2016, the Game ended his twelve-year feud with 50 Cent when the two were in the Ace of Diamonds Strip Club and he said "What happened, that shit was 12 years ago." On September 16, 2016, the Game released "92 Bars", a five-minute freestyle, used to promote his upcoming seventh studio album, but was also rumored to have been a diss towards rapper
Meek Mill Robert Rihmeek Williams (born May 6, 1987), known professionally as Meek Mill, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he embarked on his music career as a battle rapper, and later formed a short-lived rap group, ...
. Previously, Mill and Game collaborated on 2015's "The Soundtrack". Hours after the release of "92 Bars", Game admitted that the freestyle was specifically a diss towards Mill. The next day, the two rappers ended up in an
Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
exchange, with the Game cyber-flirting with Meek Mill's girlfriend,
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...
, as well as accusing him of calling the police, informing the authorities about a robbery involving Sean Kingston. On September 18, Meek Mill released a diss track towards Game, a remix to Young M.A.'s "
Ooouuu "Ooouuu" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American rapper Young M.A. The song was produced by U-Dub (of NY Bangers). It was released as a single on May 12, 2016. Background In an interview with Genius, Young M.A spoke on the creation proces ...
" with Omelly and Beanie Sigel. Two days later, the Game responded with "Pest Control", using the same beat and sending shots at Meek Mill, Omelly, Beanie Sigel and Sean Kingston. In 2018 the two reconciled after Mill's incarceration and subsequent release from prison. On October 27, 2017, the Game released the single "Oh I" featuring
Jeremih Jeremy Phillip Felton (born July 17, 1987), known professionally as Jeremih ( ), is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. In 2009, he signed a record deal with Def Jam Recordings. Jeremih's commercial debut single, "Birthday Sex", ...
,
Young Thug Jeffery Lamar Williams (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be an influential figure of his generation, with his music impacting the modern sound of hip ...
and
Sevyn Streeter Amber Denise "Sevyn" Streeter (born July 7, 1986)S ...
. From his ''
1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
'' album, he released "True Colors/It's On", "All Eyez", "What Your Life Like", and "Baby You" featuring
Jason Derulo Jason Joel Desrouleaux (born September 21, 1989), known professionally as Jason Derulo (; formerly stylized as Derülo), is an American singer and songwriter.
.


''Born 2 Rap'' (2019-21)

In December 2016, the Game announced that he is working on his next and final album. On June 21, 2019, he released the first single of the album titled "West Side". On November 1, 2019, the Game released the second single, "Stainless", featuring Anderson .Paak. His ninth studio album ''
Born 2 Rap ''Born 2 Rap'' is the tenth studio album by American rapper the Game. It was released on November 29, 2019 via eOne Music (now known today as MNRK Music Group). Its release coincided with the Game's fortieth birthday. It was advertised as his fin ...
'' was released on November 29, 2019, his fifiteth birthday. It debuted at number nineteen on the ''Billboard'' 200.


''Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind'' and feud with Eminem (2021–present)

In November 2020, The Game returned with the Lil Wayne-assisted "A.I. with the Braids", his first single since ''Born 2 Rap''. In January 2021, The Game's manager, Wack 100, said to
AllHipHop AllHipHop is a hip hop news website founded by Greg Watkins and Chuck Creekmur in 1998. History The website was founded in 1998 by Greg Watkins and Chuck Creekmur. In 1997, Watkins registered the allhiphop.com domain to promote the artists on ...
that although Game called ''Born 2 Rap'' his final album and showed interest in managing and signing artists during retirement, he is however is back in the studio working on a new project, tentatively titled ''30 for 30''. No further details have been announced. In January 2022, the Game's feud with 50 Cent reignited after the latter critiqued Game's ''Drink Champs'' interview with
N.O.R.E. Victor James Santiago Jr. (born September 6, 1977), better known by his stage names Noreaga and later N.O.R.E., is an American rapper. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Santiago first rose to prominence as one half of the East Coast hip hop du ...
, where he claimed that 50's former record sale competitor
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
did "more for me in two weeks than r.Dre did for me throughout my entire career". The Game responded, commenting that he enclosed the entirety of G-Unit as a group and clothing brand "in a casket", also expressing his likeliness in the ''Power'' television trilogy (which 50 Cent co-produces), but warning him to "leave
he past He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
alone or else... I'm outside #Numinati". Then, two months later, in March, 50 Cent published a video via Instagram of Game being shunned by former Interscope Records CEO
Jimmy Iovine James Iovine ( ; ; born March 11, 1953) is an American entrepreneur, record executive, and media proprietor best known as the co-founder of Interscope Records. In 2006, Iovine and rapper-producer Dr. Dre founded Beats Electronics, which produces ...
at a basketball game, poking fun of it while also commenting "50 wrote ya hits". The Game once again flamed 50 after the claims were brought back up and also bragged to "get 0'sgirlfriend out of my DM's". This was believed to have been a consequential result of Game claiming on ''Drink Champs'' to be "the best and a better rapper" than former Aftermath labelmate
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
, with whom 50 still remains close friends. Additionally, Game's manager, Wack 100, has subliminally called out or questioned 50 Cent's credibility, over the rapper's surprise appearance at the Super Bowl LVI halftime show and ghostwriting allegations. On July 15, the Game announced his eleventh album, '' Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind'', revealing the cover art and the release date. The album was released on August 12, 2022. The album is executive produced by Hit-Boy, Kanye West, Wack 100 and others. The album included guest appearances from
Chloe Bailey Chloe Elizabeth Bailey (born July 1, 1998), also known by her mononymous stage name Chlöe, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is best known for being one half of the musical duo Chloe x Halle with her sister Halle Bailey. Tog ...
,
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
,
ASAP Rocky Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky ( ; stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper, music producer and record executive. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a membe ...
, former rival Meek Mill,
YoungBoy Never Broke Again Kentrell DeSean Gaulden (born October 20, 1999), known professionally as YoungBoy Never Broke Again (also known as NBA YoungBoy or simply YoungBoy), is an American rapper. Between 2015 and 2017, he released eight independent mixtapes and steadi ...
,
Big Sean Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
, YG and twenty-two others throughout its 30-track listing; it also includes the Kanye West duet, " Eazy", which samples the Eazy-E 1988 title track, "
Eazy-Duz-It ''Eazy-Duz-It'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Eazy-E. It was released on November 23, 1988, by Ruthless Records and Priority Records. The album charted on two different charts and went 2× Platinum in the United States despite ver ...
", as well as "The Black Slim Shady", which is a ten-minute diss towards Eminem. Selling 25,000 equivalent units in the first week, it debuted at number twelve on the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming Game's lowest-selling album in his career.


Other ventures

In 2000, the Game appeared on the dating television show '' Change of Heart''; in the segment his partner criticized him for "acting macho when in reality is said to be sensitive." The episode came to an end where a mutual friend of the Game and his partner suggested in them staying together, the Game decided to stay together but was rebuffed by the offer when his partner agreed to a change of heart and the Game was subsequently dumped on TV. The Game also ventured into acting. In 2004, he had a minor role voicing the character " B-Dup" in the video game '' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas''. He also voiced himself in the video game '' Def Jam: Icon''. In 2006, he made his film debut in ''
Waist Deep ''Waist Deep'' is a 2006 American action drama film directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall and starring Tyrese Gibson and Meagan Good. Plot Ex-con Otis Samuel Sr. or "O2" on account of his ability to vanish from a crime scene like oxygen, has done his ...
'' as a character named "Big Meat" and is currently filming two more movies. The Game was chosen to play and bought a large amount of shares for the Inglewood Cobras, established in 2005 and playing in the
American Basketball Association The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a major men's professional basketball league from 1967 to 1976. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger, American Basketball Association–National Basketball Association merger in 1976, ...
basketball franchise team. The team folded after playing fewer than five games in the ABA in the league's 2005–2006 season. The team was coached by former
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
player Sean Higgins. The Game has also partnered with
310 Motoring 310 Motoring was an automotive customization garage based in Los Angeles, California founded by Marc Laidler in 1999. The name is based on area code 310, for its original location in L.A. The company grew and now has shops across the United States, ...
to create his own shoe, The Hurricanes. A portion of the proceeds of the shoe were donated to the victims of
Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...
. In 2012–2013, he promoted his ''60 Days of Fitness'' challenge, a rigorous fitness and nutrition regime with his brother and trainer Byrd. The Game has, on several occasions, honored the memory of those who died during the
Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was ...
and has expressed his sympathy towards the events. The Game is also an avid supporter of
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (abbreviated BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that seeks to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people. Its primary concerns are incidents of police bruta ...
.


Record labels

The Black Wall Street Records The Black Wall Street Records was a record label founded by Jayceon "Game" Taylor and George "Big Fase 100" Taylor III. History The name " The Black Wall Street" is adopted from what was the racially segregated Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, ...
was an American independent record label founded in 2002, by the Game. Blood Money Entertainment was an American independent
record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...
. In December 2012, the Game founded a new record label, Rolex Records, alongside fellow rapper
Stat Quo Stanley Bernard Benton (born July 24, 1978), better known as Stat Quo, is an American rapper and record producer.Shaheem Reid (January 12, 2004).Mixtape Mondays: Stat Quo" ''MTV''. Accessed February 5, 2008. Benton worked his way to college a ...
. Following its founding, he bought his entire team at the record label
Rolex watch Rolex SA () is a British-founded Swiss watch designer and manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1905 as ''Wilsdorf and Davis'' by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in London, the company registered ''Rolex'' as the brand name of ...
es. After a six-month legal battle with
Rolex Rolex SA () is a British-founded Swiss watch designer and manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1905 as ''Wilsdorf and Davis'' by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in London, the company registered ''Rolex'' as the brand name of ...
, he changed the name and logo of the record label to The Firm, which then became Blood Money Entertainment. The label has signed West Coast rappers
Skeme Lonnie Kimble (born January 3, 1990), better known by his stage name Skeme, is an American rapper from Inglewood, California. Skeme has collaborated with various West Coast rappers such as the group Black Hippy, Bizzy Bone, The Game, Dom Ken ...
, King Marie, Pharaoh Jackson and Dubb. Prolific Records was an American independent record label founded by the Game in the autumn of 2019. According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, Priscilla Rainey was granted ownership of the Game's
vanity label A vanity label (see related topic on vanity press) is an informal name sometimes given to a record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, ...
, as well as royalties from his tenth studio album, ''
Born 2 Rap ''Born 2 Rap'' is the tenth studio album by American rapper the Game. It was released on November 29, 2019 via eOne Music (now known today as MNRK Music Group). Its release coincided with the Game's fortieth birthday. It was advertised as his fin ...
'' (2019). This means Rainey now has full control over any salary the Game was receiving through his imprint. 100 Entertainment is an American independent record label founded in 2021 by the Game and his manager, Wack 100.


Personal life

Game has two sons and one daughter. Game announced that he was engaged to actress and model Valeisha Butterfield, the daughter of U.S. Congressman G. K. Butterfield. The couple were set to marry in March 2007, but the engagement was called off in June 2006. After the couple broke off their engagement, Game became involved in a relationship with Tiffney Cambridge, a sixth-grade teacher. VH1 broadcast two seasons of ''Marrying the Game'', a reality television series about the Game and Cambridge, as they prepared to walk down the aisle. The relationship was "love at first sight" when Cambridge met Jayceon. Despite reservations regarding Game's career, the relationship lasted eight years, but no marriage plans materialized despite the series. Cambridge accused Game of physical abuse throughout the relationship, which he denied.


Legal issues


2005 case of fan assault

Game,
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
, and
Tha Dogg Pound Tha Dogg Pound is an American Hip hop music, hip hop duo made up of rappers Kurupt and Daz Dillinger. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. Kurupt and Daz went on to release solo albu ...
, were
sued - A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil acti ...
for assaulting a fan on stage at a May 2005 concert at the
White River Amphitheatre White River Amphitheatre is a Live Nation managed concert venue, located 8 miles (13 km) east of Auburn, Washington and 7 miles (11 km) west of Enumclaw, Washington on the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation. It is 22 miles (35 km) nor ...
in
Auburn, Washington Auburn is a city in King County, Washington, United States (with a small portion crossing into neighboring Pierce County). The population was 87,256 at the 2020 Census. Auburn is a suburb in the Seattle metropolitan area, and is currently rank ...
. The accuser, Richard Monroe Jr., claimed he was beaten by the artists' entourage while mounting the stage. He alleged that he reacted to an "open invite" to come on stage. Before he could, Snoop's bodyguards grabbed him and he was beaten unconscious by crewmembers, including the rapper and producer
Soopafly Priest Joseph Brooks, (known professionally as Soopafly born December 8, 1972) is a hip hop producer and rapper from Long Beach, California. He is a member of the DPGC. Early life The oldest of three children, Brooks grew up in Long Beach. He ...
; Snoop and Game were included in the suit for not intervening. The lawsuit focuses on a pecuniary claim of $22 million in punitive and
compensatory damages At common law, damages are a remedy in the form of a monetary award to be paid to a claimant as compensation for loss or injury. To warrant the award, the claimant must show that a breach of duty has caused foreseeable loss. To be recognised at ...
,
battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
,
negligence Negligence (Lat. ''negligentia'') is a failure to exercise appropriate and/or ethical ruled care expected to be exercised amongst specified circumstances. The area of tort law known as ''negligence'' involves harm caused by failing to act as a ...
, and
intentional infliction of emotional distress Intentional infliction of emotional distress (IIED; sometimes called the tort of outrage) is a common law tort that allows individuals to recover for severe emotional distress caused by another individual who intentionally or recklessly inflicted ...
. The concerned parties appeared in court in April 2009.


2005 case of disorderly conduct

On October 28, 2005, Game was charged with
disorderly conduct Disorderly conduct is a crime in most jurisdictions in the United States, the People's Republic of China, and Taiwan. Typically, "disorderly conduct" makes it a crime to be drunk in public, to " disturb the peace", or to loiter in certain are ...
and resisting arrest in
Greensboro Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...
,
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. At one point, police said his companions were
pepper spray Pepper spray, oleoresin capsicum spray, OC spray, capsaicin spray, or capsicum spray is a lachrymatory agent (a compound that irritates the eyes to cause a burning sensation, pain, and temporary blindness) used in policing, riot control, cr ...
ed when they surrounded officers in a threatening manner. Mall security officers said the rapper was wearing a full-face
Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
mask, filming shoppers, cursed loudly, and refused to leave when asked. Game continued to act up and was arrested, a police statement said. Game claimed that officers overreacted and that he did nothing wrong when he was pepper-sprayed by the mall security. The five officers involved in the incident ended up suing Game for
defamation Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party false statements about a person, place or thing that results in damage to its reputation. It can be spoken (slander) or written (libel). It constitutes a tort or a crime. The legal defini ...
. The officers were awarded $5 million in compensatory damages, which was upheld on appeal by the
North Carolina Court of Appeals The North Carolina Court of Appeals (in case citation, N.C. Ct. App.) is the only intermediate appellate court in the state of North Carolina. It is composed of fifteen members who sit in rotating panels of three. The Court of Appeals was create ...
in February 2012.


2007 trial on assault and weapons charges

On May 11, 2007, Game was arrested at his home, reportedly in connection with an incident at a basketball game in
South Los Angeles South Los Angeles, also known as South Central Los Angeles or simply South Central, is a region in southwestern Los Angeles County, lying mostly within the city limits of Los Angeles, south of downtown. It is "defined on Los Angeles city maps as ...
in February 2007. He is alleged to have threatened a person with a gun. The arrest took place after his home was searched for three hours. Game was released early the next day after posting $50,000 bail. On January 9, 2008, a Los Angeles judge scheduled February 4 as the beginning date for Game's trial on assault and weapons charges. After pleading
no contest ' is a legal term that comes from the Latin phrase for "I do not wish to contend". It is also referred to as a plea of no contest or no defense. In criminal trials in certain United States jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neith ...
to a
felony A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "félonie") to describe an offense that resu ...
weapons charge on February 11, Game was sentenced to 60 days in jail, 150 hours of community service, and three years of
probation Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such ...
.


2011 controversies

In 2011, Game was refused entry to Canada for alleged gang ties in Los Angeles; concert organisers said he was associated with the
Bloods The Bloods are a primarily African-American street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. It is identified by the red color worn by its members and by particular gang symbols, includ ...
. On August 12, 2011, the Game decided to tweet his search for a supposed internship opening. In the message sent to his over 580,000 followers, he posted the number to call as the emergency line for the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. The Game's fans jammed the line for hours. Initially, the Game denied any wrongdoing, saying the tweet was "a mistake". The Game then posted a message saying the sheriff's department can "track a tweet down but you can't solve murders!" A criminal investigation was launched stating that the Game could be charged for obstruction of justice. Despite all of this, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department issued this statement: "Based upon our investigation, as well as consultation with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, the LASD considers the criminal investigation into this matter closed. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will not be seeking criminal charges." The Game issued an apology on CNN saying, "My sincerest apologies to the Sheriff's Department, it was a joke gone wrong."


2012 physical altercation with 40 Glocc

On July 8, 2012, 40 Glocc got into an altercation with the Game. In a video clip, allegedly shot by the Game via Game's iPhone during the fight, 40 Glocc is seen running into a bush after being beaten up by the fellow West Coast rapper. Game defended what he did by saying he was retaliating for Glocc going up to rappers
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
and Plies in the past with large entourages. In October 2012, 40 Glocc filed a lawsuit for $4.54 million for assault and
battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
, as well as damaging his reputation. This included $500,000 in pain and suffering; $500,000 in emotional distress; $750,000 in lost earnings; $2 million for punitive damages; $25,000 in medical expenses; and various other reasons. Since then, Glocc has gone on a smear campaign against the Game, releasing his diss "The Full Edit" in December 2012. Game has similarly addressed the situation in several interviews, claiming that filing a lawsuit of this nature "disintegrates your street cred". In December 2012, 40 Glocc assaulted Game's manager Dontay "Taydoe" Kidd in Las Vegas, Nevada. Glocc won the lawsuit and was awarded $3000.


2016 sexual assault case

In 2016, a judge ruled that the Game was liable for sexually assaulting Priscilla Rainey, then a contestant on '' She Got Game'', a VH1 reality show starring the Game. Rainey claimed she had agreed to go on a date with the Game, believing it would be on camera; however, when she met the rapper at a Chicago restaurant, there was allegedly no production crew. The lawsuit further alleged the Game showed up to the date "highly intoxicated on alcohol and drugs (which was typical), and sexually assaulted the plaintiff aineyon several occasions that night. This included him forcefully reaching his hand inside her dress to rub her bare vagina and buttocks". In 2019, an appellate court affirmed the entire $7.1 million judgment. However, according to Rainey, the rapper failed to paid her any money in the years since she received the judgement. Rainey subsequently filed a
motion In physics, motion is the phenomenon in which an object changes its position with respect to time. Motion is mathematically described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, speed and frame of reference to an observer and mea ...
, requesting the seizure of the Game's income, and in April 2020, she was granted ownership of the Game's independent record label Prolific Records, as well as
royalties A royalty payment is a payment made by one party to another that owns a particular asset, for the right to ongoing use of that asset. Royalties are typically agreed upon as a percentage of gross or net revenues derived from the use of an asset o ...
from his 2019 album, ''
Born 2 Rap ''Born 2 Rap'' is the tenth studio album by American rapper the Game. It was released on November 29, 2019 via eOne Music (now known today as MNRK Music Group). Its release coincided with the Game's fortieth birthday. It was advertised as his fin ...
''. This resulted in Rainey gaining full control over any salary the Game would receive through his imprint label, which was launched in late 2019. In November 2019, the Game had addressed his legal battle with Rainey during an appearance on ''
Complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
''s ''Everyday Struggle'', calling Rainey a liar, and insisted he was never going to pay her.


2017 battery misdemeanor

In 2017, Game pleaded no contest to assaulting an off-duty police officer on March 29, 2015, during a basketball game at a Hollywood high school. Jayceon Terrell Taylor, then 37, entered a no contest plea to one misdemeanor count each of criminal threats and battery, and also pleaded no contest to one felony count of grand theft, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. He was immediately sentenced to three years of formal probation, 120 hours of community service and 26 anger management counseling sessions, and a 6-month suspended sentence. Taylor and an off-duty Los Angeles police officer were on opposing teams in a basketball game when the defendant intentionally fouled, then sucker-punched the victim who had just stolen the ball from the defendant and scored a basket. Taylor threatened to kill the victim once the defendant was ejected as a result of the punch, and on April 11, 2015, Taylor grabbed and threatened a man filming him being served with legal papers outside of his house and kept the victim's camera, according to the prosecutor.


Discography

* ''
The Documentary ''The Documentary'' is the second studio album by American rapper the Game. It was released on January 18, 2005, by Aftermath Entertainment, G-Unit Records, and Interscope Records. In 2001, while the Game was in a hospital recovering from a shoo ...
'' (2005) * ''
Doctor's Advocate ''Doctor's Advocate'' is the third studio album by American hip hop recording artist the Game, released on November 14, 2006, through Geffen Records. The album is his second major-label release, following 2005's ''The Documentary'', which was r ...
'' (2006) * ''
LAX Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the W ...
'' (2008) * '' The R.E.D. Album'' (2011) * '' Jesus Piece'' (2012) * ''
The Documentary 2 ''The Documentary 2'' is the seventh studio album by American rapper the Game. It was released on October 9, 2015, by Blood Money Entertainment and eOne Music. The album serves as a sequel to his debut album. The project is first half of a two ...
'' (2015) * '' The Documentary 2.5'' (2015) * ''
1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
'' (2016) * ''
Born 2 Rap ''Born 2 Rap'' is the tenth studio album by American rapper the Game. It was released on November 29, 2019 via eOne Music (now known today as MNRK Music Group). Its release coincided with the Game's fortieth birthday. It was advertised as his fin ...
'' (2019) * '' Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind'' (2022)


Filmography


Film


Television


Documentaries


Games


Awards and nominations

, - , rowspan="7", 2005 , rowspan="4", The Game ,
BET Awards The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...
Best New Artist The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as ...
, , - , Billboard Music Awards – Rap Artist of the Year , , - , Billboard Music Awards – New Artist of the Year , , - ,
MTV Video Music Award The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
Best New Artist in a Video – "
Dreams A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Humans spend about two hours dreaming per night, and each dream lasts around 5 to 20 minutes, althou ...
" , , - , " How We Do" (feat.
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
)
, Billboard Music Awards – Rap Song of the Year , , - , rowspan="4", "
Hate It or Love It "Hate It or Love It" is a single by American rapper and West Coast hip hop artist the Game, featuring 50 Cent. It was released as the third official single from the Game's debut studio album ''The Documentary'' (2005). The song features produc ...
" (feat.
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
)
, BET Awards – Best Collaboration , , - , MTV Video Music Award – Best Rap Video , , - , rowspan="2", 2006 ,
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
Best Rap Song The Grammy Award for Best Rap Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rap music genre. Honors in several ...
, , - , Grammy Awards –
Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group was awarded between 1991 and 2011, alongside the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. Previously a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance. The award was discontin ...
, , - , 2007 , ''
Doctor's Advocate ''Doctor's Advocate'' is the third studio album by American hip hop recording artist the Game, released on November 14, 2006, through Geffen Records. The album is his second major-label release, following 2005's ''The Documentary'', which was r ...
'' , Ozone Awards – Best West Coast Rap Album , , - , 2008 , The Game , Ozone Awards – Best West Coast Rap Artist ,


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Game, The American rappers 1979 births Living people African-American male actors African-American male rappers Aftermath Entertainment artists American male television actors American music industry executives American shooting survivors Businesspeople from Los Angeles Bloods Compton High School alumni DGC Records artists MNRK Music Group artists G-Unit Records artists Gangsta rappers Geffen Records artists Interscope Records artists Male actors from Los Angeles Musicians from Compton, California Rappers from Los Angeles West Coast hip hop musicians World Music Awards winners 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American people