After our nice discussion about the new LP from The Game, I decided to listen careful to my copy of LAX and check out how many times Game is shouting out names of rappers and other personalities. Don’t ask me why Game is droppin’ so many names in his songs. Lookin’ for publicity, dissin’, paying homage?? What do y’all think?
Well, the winner is The Notorious B.I.G.! Who would have thought?
Here are the results:
- The Notorious B.I.G. – 9 times
- Dr. Dre – 8 times
- 2Pac – 7 times
- 50 Cent – 5 times
- Kanye West – 5 times
- Ice Cube – 4 times
- Suge Knight – 4 times
- Jay-Z, P. Diddy, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Snoop Dogg, Scott Storch, Common – each 3 times
- Lil Wayne, Ludacris, NWA, Mary J Blige, Jesse Jackson, Coretta Scott, Martin Luther King, Rakim, Ne-Yo, Frank Lucas – each 2 times
Mentioned one time:
Beyoncé, Young Jeezy, Scarface, Outkast, Big Boi, Mack 10, Beanie Sigel, Shabba Ranks, Spice 1, Pharrell, Wu-Tang Clan, Eminem, Kurt Cobain, John Lennon, Do Or Die, Eazy-E, Birdman, Tommy Lee, Akon, LL Cool J, MC Ren, Irv Gotti, Young Buck, T-Pain, Mobb Deep, M.O.P., Ghostface Killah, Shock G, Shyne, OJ Simpson, Ronald Reagan, Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Cease, Naughty By Nature, Shawnna, Will Smith, Nas, Public Enemy, New Edition, Tony Toni, Black Rob, Kool Herc, Big Daddy Kane, Rosa Parks, Bill Gates, Barack Obama, Rihanna, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Tookie
I just counted real name droppings, but also nicknames (Biggie for The Notorious B.I.G. etc).
And I was listening to the regular version of LAX, not the deluxe edition with the bonus tracks.
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Kev,
Too much time on your hands! :0
Damn, I can’t believe you counted all the name drops on LAX. Very thorough report!
This was Carsten’s post actually.
ha ha yeah it was a lazy sunday!
I wasn’t paying attention I see!
I think Game think if he transforms into every other rapper alive, people may see past his utter wackness!
I’m not the biggest fan of The Game. Personally I think he’s talking out of his ass most of the time but as far as the constant name dropping goes most prople don’t get it. The guys name is “The Game”. His first album was titled “The Documentary”. This dude is obviously very knowledgable about the culture and history of hip-hop. Although it can be annoying at times, he has created his own style, his own voice, and his own brand of hip-hop. Which is more than a lot of cats can say right now. Hate it or love it(no pun intended), when his song comes on you cannot mistake this dude for anyone else. He doesn’t sound like(insert random artist) or anyone else but “The Game”. So either way he’s already made his mark whether this is his final album or not. He’s written his chapter in the book of hip-hop. Name dropping or not, he will be remembered and as an artist isn’t that what we’re all striving to do? Think about it.. Peace to all.
Great words Drew, couln’t agree more! Even I don’t think he’s talking out of his ass all the time lol
The Game is ill one of my favorite M.C.’s name droppin’ is what he does I’ve pretty much come to accept that. I think on “The Documentary” it was more of payin’ homage on “The Doctor’s Advocate” he said Dre name so many times and made that song dedicated to him was kinda borderline creepy and he also does it to diss/sneak diss throw subliminal shots like always dissin’ Jay he dissed R.Kelly on “The Documentary” then turned around a made a song with him so he’s kinda bi-polar but he has his own lane in the rap game.
Yo Carsten you need to count how many times he says Dre’s name on “The Doctor’s Advocate” I need it’s close to triple digits!! lol
should I? I guess Kev would kill me for another Game post on the blog ha ha
Oh, I left out Nelson Mandela on “Letter to the King” sorry guys
He says “Deelishus” (spelling?) from flavor of love a few times. I think he says it twice.
Actually, Drew…I think he sounds alot like Nas. There are certain songs I can hear playing from downstairs when I am upstairs and I think it is Nas. But, I agree with everything else you said….why does he drop names? Because that is how he raps! From a guy whose name is The Game and whose first album was called The Documentary….why would you expect him to not do that?
Don’t forget about Jadakiss!
That actually seems like a lot of improvement for Game in the name-drop department. In his other two releases, he had at least a few names dropped in the double-digits. Maybe he’s finally getting over it.
Drew-
Yeah I definitely agree he’s made his mark on the game. I actually think the fact that he is definitely talking out of his ass most of the time is what makes him so appealing. He’s vulnerable, emotional, and unashamed of it. It could sound stupid but you gotta love his honesty.
Greg-
The emo-vulnerability honesty makes him more akin to Pac than Nas, in my ear.
it’s just a style. he wants 2 be the “game” but cant deal with everything that it means to be the “game”: beefs, fake-ass people, label issues, etc. but i think the biggest issue that game has is with dr. dre. when dre played him funky, i think that messed him up.
He never says “DeNiro” – he says “Dinero,” which is Spanish for “money.”
Seriously, why the hell would he drop a name like that on a track about money? The song is called “Money.” Put it together and listen to the cadences closer.
“…Cause I was more hood than Suge, had more rocks than Jay
More scars on my face than the original “Scarface,” or the homeboy Scarface
Al Pacino couldn’t be no gangsta, DeNiro in “Casino” he no gangsta…” Track 2, “LAX Files”, Verse 1. Listen closer Curtis, lol