The Game
“DOCTOR’S ADVOCATE”
RATING: 1 1/2 SOUND LEVELS
Any fears that the Game’s beef with 50 Cent would doom “Doctor’s Advocate” are misplaced. There’s nothing here as catchy as last year’s hit “Hate It or Love It,” but there’s no shortage of good hooks or vigorous rhythms. And he tightens his brusque, baritone flow and improves his wordplay.
What undermines the album is how the absence of its titular inspiration becomes hyper-present. The back story behind Dr. Dre’s recusal is worth a few bars, but the Game exhausts the topic with incessant, contradictory boasts: “I’ll never fall off/even without the Doc” vs. “I’m the heir to the Aftermath dynasty.” This internal conflict bubbles over on the overwrought title track, an apology addressed to Dre that can’t decide between soul-baring sincerity or drunk-dialed irony. Game’s awkward attempt to assert independence while avoiding burnt bridges drags on in an otherwise likable effort.
