The Game at Manchester Ritz review

Image: The Game

Whilst it’s a hip hop convention to include at least one star studded collaboration on a rap album, there’s few who could get the likes of Dre, Snoop, Kendrick, Drake, Q-Tip and Kanye to all appear on the same record. Pharrell perhaps, but are his gangster rap credentials strong enough? Perhaps not. 

Certainly his production of Snoop Dogg’s BUSH last year saw big names such as Stevie Wonder and Gwen Stefani appear on the gate-fold, but aside from Rick Ross there were no rap collabs you wouldn’t have predicted. K-Dot was there but that shouldn’t have come as a surprise given his obvious west side connections. 

So who was the man who brought the biggest names in hip hop together? One Jayceon Terrell Taylor, who by name and nature is The Game. 

The Documentary 2, also released last year, was one of the most star studded hip hop albums of recent years and unlike BUSH and To Pimp A Butterfly, was the cause for a tour that would visit a whole host of European cities.

Whilst Manchester is a world away from the chaos and climate of Compton, The Game embodied all of hip hop’s celebrated traditions to the delight of a frenzied crowd.

Perhaps the least surprising was his appearance on-stage over an hour later than expected, although this seemed to be down to the sheer volume of people queuing the length of Whitworth Street in an attempt to enter the venue.

Maybe it was an ego induced delay, we’ll never know. It mattered little though as the crowd were suitably warmed up with a lengthy mix of hip hop classics.

Looking resplendent in an all red tracksuit and rather fittingly, a parka, the Game was welcomed to a rapturous response. It wasn’t long before the entire room was filled with Dre beats, basslines and inevitably bouncing heads and waving arms, including the congregation of at least 30 other fans who must have paid a pretty penny to be stood at the back of the stage. 

Naturally, many of Documentary 2 made its way into the set, notably the disappointingly short ‘On Me’. Although, it would have been unfair to give the Game’s two hype men the mammoth task of trying to replicate Kendrick’s lengthy verses.

Sound issues blighted the gig throughout but this seemed only to add to the Game’s already imposing onstage demeanour. Some particularly nasty feedback from the rappers microphone meant his aggression turned to the soundman, saying that 10 years ago he would have “fucked him up” for such an error.

The birth of daughter, California "Cali" Dream, seems to have softened one of the most intimidating men in the industry and coincidentally, a journey with her to McDonalds led to The Game meeting Mvrcus Blvck, one of the hype men onstage. 

He also appeared on Documentary and their track ‘Made in America’ was touched on briefly as the Game blitzed through a back catalogue that spans over a decade.  

Further sound problems led to a period of onstage selfie snapping and some more hip hop anthems but no one seemed to notice or care and before long the Game was back with the two 50 Cent collaborations that made him a household name in hip hop. 

Both ‘How We Do’ and ‘Hate It Or Love it’ are the type of tracks you’d only hear from a Dre protégé, with heaps of swagger, hooks and triumphant bars. 

While the room was still a bouncing sweaty mess The Game dedicated the final song of the night, ‘El Chapo’, to a disabled 13 year old who had requested the song be played twice that night. A touching tribute indeed and a sign that a reformed man with a family lies underneath the shredded torso and gangster persona.

The truest reflection of the rapper’s talents came unwittingly during ‘Red Nation’ half way through the set. The Game peeled off his hoodie to reveal a Manchester United shirt sporting “Documentary 2” on the back and while the blue half of the audience may have been somewhat perturbed, truthfully it wasn’t that important. 

Like Documentary 2, the Game brought people together. In a country where incidents of racism are still barbarically high, it was a touching sight to see whites, blacks and Asians unified through hip hop’s widespread appeal. 

Whilst the lyrics may glamourise gun crime and smoking weed, they have the power to unify people and regardless of colour they create one nation under a groove.

Read: Massive Attack at Manchester Apollo review