The Documentary

Dr. Dre's latest protégé boasts not only an impressive set of producers and guests for this highly anticipated throwback to early 90s West Coast gangsta rap, but also a hoarse, guttural vocal style that commands more presence than precedessor 50 Cent.

Almost lives up to the hype.

Production biggies have brought some truly tasty heat rockets to the table, nearly rendering Game's well-studied, adaptable flow an afterthought.

He’s a self-conscious, malicious, nihilistic gangsta rapper with a heart and lyrical content.

The most remarkable aspect of the Game is how he can be such a blatant product of gangsta rap and leave a mark so fast.

It's The Game's candour that is his unbridled strength.

The gang’s all here and Game’s probably going to be banging on wax for years to come.

The guy hasn’t even been rhyming 2 years, and it isn’t like he that good to warrant the instant superstardom. Still, that doesn’t change how good this album is.

A mostly rich and involving experience.

This has all been done before. Repeatedly. Gone is the sense of exhilaration I felt when I first listened to The Chronic. That excitement has been replaced by the images of countless suburbanites emulating today's big hip-hop artist, be it Snoop or Biggie or Puffy or Pac or 50.

Documentary just seems like a Dre/50 Cent side project -- something to tide you over until 50's new album in March but not quite as strong as the Lloyd Banks disc from last year.

Now his press sheet is calling him "the most significant West Coast gangsta rapper since Snoop." That's a hard call to make, especially since it's hard to tell who The Game is, cuz he keeps getting killed on his own shit by the A-list producers and cameos.