Game – The R.E.D. Album

9/11/11 | By | 11 Comments

game the red album cover 300x300 Game The R.E.D. AlbumGame – The R.E.D. Album
Interscope: 2011

In recent months the rap game has seen the release of the year’s big blockbuster type albums. Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch The Throne arrived to overwhelmingly positive reception. The Carter IV dropped, smashed on the charts, and is pretty much painful to listen all the way through. Now, the almost perpetually delayed The R.E.D. Album from Game is here, and in terms of success, it finds itself somewhere in betweenWTT and Carter IV. 

From the start, the album seems to have the foundation of what could be a solid album. Guest spots from Dre, Snoop, Tyler, the Creator, Kendrick Lamar, and Lil Wayne kick things off. “Martians Vs. Goblins” has Game trying to change things up to bash Lil B and match the OF shock value, to some success, over the gritty head nodding production. Sadly however, you then reach the second Weezy feature and the second, third, and fourth Dre interlude and start to see the first flaw with the album.

In spite of many successful features, more coming from Big Boi, E-40, and Rick Ross, the album starts to get bogged down by the huge number of guest appearances. After the rap features are exhausted the second half gives way to crossover R&B sap courtesy of hooks from the likes of Lloyd, Mario, Chris Brown, and Nelly Fartado.

The R.E.D. Album eventually comes back to what Game sounds most comfortable with on closer “California Dream”. Countless features and 21 tracks later the marathon is over and your left with a  very convoluted statement from Game. The LA spitter could have used some more time in the editing room, to cut down on both features and runtime, to perhaps let a shorter and more focused project help Game shine, instead of his guests. The R.E.D. Album’s overall lack of direction and restraint end up being the downfall for what could have potentially been a step on the right direction for Game’s currently stalled career.

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2.5 out of 5

You can stream “Martians Vs. Goblins” below.

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  • Anonymous

    It does get pretty long by the end, but the songs that are good are REALLY good. It has a total dichotomy of being really good at points and really bad at others.

  • Anonymous

    It definitely has it’s moments, but into the third and fourth listen you really start to realize how much it drags at points.

  • Anonymous

    It definitely has it’s moments, but into the third and fourth listen you really start to realize how much it drags at points.

  • Anonymous

    Bad review. It does have its lows, but the good tracks make up for that. This is at least a 3.5, but I think The Smoking Section got it right with a 4/5.

  • afan

    Very Bad Review. 2.5 is harsh son.

    I agree with the pop songs at the end but technically there not that bad. The Nelly Furtado track is a great track and thats a sick neptunes beat aswell.

    Dj premier track is hot. Just wish Nas had that beat instead.

    the beanie sigel and ricky ross track is great too.

    the album is pretty good.

    3.5/5

    i could give it 4/5 but seriously young jeezy? why would you have this bloke on your record….. thats the only song i deleted on my iphone and the albums sounds better for it.

  • afan

    Very Bad Review. 2.5 is harsh son.

    I agree with the pop songs at the end but technically there not that bad. The Nelly Furtado track is a great track and thats a sick neptunes beat aswell.

    Dj premier track is hot. Just wish Nas had that beat instead.

    the beanie sigel and ricky ross track is great too.

    the album is pretty good.

    3.5/5

    i could give it 4/5 but seriously young jeezy? why would you have this bloke on your record….. thats the only song i deleted on my iphone and the albums sounds better for it.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t think it was a bad album at all, I definitely enjoyed parts of it. First run through had a really good impression (Premier track, Speakers on Blast, The City etc..) but as listened more I just wanted to listen to 8 or 9 songs instead of the whole thing. It could’ve been a gritty 45 or 50 minute album but it doesn’t have the direction to hold me for 72 minutes, and that’s where it lost me, hence the 2.5.

  • sandra O

    I feel that while it might seem overwhelming, the features only compliment him. He has great chemistry with each person he works and the songs end up working out for him. When I first looked at the track list I wondered why Game would need so many guest appearances but after listening I am no longer bothered by that anymore The album has a strong concept that holds it together & is carried out throughout. I do have to agree & say that there’s some songs that could have been left out but i’m sure they’ll grow on me.I personally enjoyed the album but to each its own.

  • sandra O

    I feel that while it might seem overwhelming, the features only compliment him. He has great chemistry with each person he works and the songs end up working out for him. When I first looked at the track list I wondered why Game would need so many guest appearances but after listening I am no longer bothered by that anymore The album has a strong concept that holds it together & is carried out throughout. I do have to agree & say that there’s some songs that could have been left out but i’m sure they’ll grow on me.I personally enjoyed the album but to each its own.

  • afan

    I totally agree with you. You tend to be only listening to 8 or 9 tracks and the album was probably 3 or 4 songs too long. but i think there were some stand outs and i have to admit as much as im not the biggest fan of the Game he is mr consistent when it comes to albums because in my opinion he hasn’t released a bad one. similar to kanye. (besides 808)

    and when i say that im giving hi praise cause jay-z, eminem, snoop, 50 cent, nas and most other commercial artists have all released more then 1 shit album.

    in my standards of music or if this was 10 years ago i would give it 2.5/5 aswell. but in todays rating world i think where abit kind with our ratings so thats why i gave it 3.5/5

    in my standards there has not been one 5/5 album released in the last 10 years. with clipses first 2 albums, dead prez lets get free, eminems slim shady lp, the original reflection eternal and maybe a few others being the closest to it.

    compare that to the 90s where i could name 30 or more albums that i would give 5/5.

  • Harrisburg Boom-Bap

    You didn’t even mention Primo’s beat and Game’s attempt to be lyrical on ‘Born in the Trap’??? WTF.