10 Years Ago Today, The Game Released The Documentary. Consider It A Classic?

Ten years ago today (January 18, 2005), The Game (n/k/a Game) released The Documentary. His major label debut would garner double-platinum status, and afford Dr. Dre his first star protege from the same Compton, California streets—more than six years before Kendrick Lamar.

Game’s debut quite definitively remains his highest-profile and best-selling album. The only Jayceon Taylor effort to be officially released through G-Unit, this studio debut featured strong involvement from 50 Cent, Eminem, Just Blaze, Timbaland, Nate Dogg, Tony Yayo, Busta Rhymes, Havoc, Cool & Dre—as well as the aforementioned Aftermath Entertainment CEO.

On the strength of hit single “Hate It Or Love It,” the album would be one of the first breakthrough West Coast Hip-Hop debut albums to garner commercial and critical acclaim since the Death Row Records dynasty in the early 1990s, which also greatly involved Dre. In the years that followed, Game’s violent falling out with 50 Cent, and estranged relationship with Dr. Dre has been the subject of many of his own songs, and profiles.

Now reported to be an artist on Cash Money Records (with his own Blood Money imprint), Game is said to be working on a thematic sequel to his debut effort. Both Dre and Just Blaze are “promised” to be involved by the veteran MC.

Ten years also allows Heads to use the proper distance to truly evaluate an album’s merits. That said, 10 years later, with plaques, accolades, and hit singles, is The Documentary a classic Hip-Hop album in immortal company?

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