The Game had a hell of a 2007, dropping virtually off of the face of the earth after “Doctor’s Advocate†dropped. While “It’s Okay†and “Let’s Ride†both made it into the top 20 of the Billboard rap charts, neither track got far into the top 50 of the U.S. Hot 100. It took a track – “Wouldn’t Get Far†– with Kanye West – for The Game’s fortunes to change, and that track still only made it to 11 on the U.S. Rap chart. “Game’s Painâ€, the newest Game track (with Keyshia Cole) may be about a different type of pain, but I would have to think that The Game is struggling and suffering due to a lack of commercial success after parting ways with 50 Cent.
The track starts out with Cole’s own distinct style of singing, laying out a much more slow, laid-back type of track that had been present during a number of previous Game singles. The calls out to summertime and the slower, sunnier style of the track ensures that “Game’s Pain†will be played through the summer. However, both Cole and The Game struggle to insert their hooks into the hearts of listeners. This struggle is something that both individuals face, and despite a mention of all of the major rappers of the last twenty five years, there is little to distinguish the track from all the others currently on the market.
Rating: 5.3/10
The Game – Game’s Pain / 2008 Geffen / 3 Tracks / http://www.comptongame.com / http://www.geffen.com /