The Game

Born Jayceon Taylor on November 29, 1979, in the tough neighborhood of Compton, California - where the Bloods and the Crips gangs ruled the streets - the rapper and hip-hop star is better known by his stage name The Game. Born into a dysfunctional family – his parents were both members of the Crips – Jayceon Taylor eventually became a member of the Bloods along with his brother George Taylor III (a.k.a. Big Fase 100). In 2001, he spent time in the hospital recovering from gunshot wounds and listened to classic rap albums, studying many different styles and creating his own style in the process. Adapting the stage name The Game, he and his brother set up their own label and released the mixtape You Know What It Is Vol 1 (2002) with his brother. The success of the mixtape attracted the attention of Sean Combs and Bad Boy Records, but The Game eventually signed with Dr. Dre and his Aftermath Entertainment label in 2003. The Game released his first indie album, Untold Story, in 2004. Before pushing him as a solo artist, Dr. Dre and Interscope Records’ Jimmy Iovine paired him with 50 Cent in the rap group G-Unit. After breaking away from G-Unit in 2005, The Game released his major label debut The Documentary, which was a critical and commercial success. Featuring contributions from Kanye West, 50 Cent, Eminem, Busta Rhymes, and Mary J Blige, the album shot straight to Number 1 in the US, going on to sell over 6 million copies worldwide. A high profile "beef" with former friend 50 Cent saw The Game part company with Dr Dre and his record label shortly after, but he again topped the US charts with second album Doctor's Advocate (2006). Ongoing spats with Suge Knight, Lil Eazy E and Jay-Z have further increased The Game's notoriety, while third album LAX (2008) continued to pay homage to the history of West Coast gangsta rap. His 2011 release, The R.E.D. Album, reached Number 1 in the US and the Top 10 in Ireland, Canada, and Switzerland. Despite the presence of many guests, Jesus Piece (2012) was still a hit in the US, but The Game lost commercial traction internationally. After the 2014 compilation Blood Moon: Year of the Wolf, The Game returned to ground zero with The Documentary 2 and The Documentary 2.5, both released in October 2015 and both returning him to international success. The following year, he issued the album 1992, which was followed three years later by Born 2 Rap, which only reached Number 19 on the Billboard 200. In 2022, he released the highly anticipated album Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind, which featured guest appearances by Kanye West, Ice-T, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Wayne and Ty Dolla Sign.