The popular success of The Game‘s previous album, “Doctor’s Advocate”, resulted in a rush of fans heading towards their local music stores on August 26 to receive The Game’s final album, L.A.X. Despite The Game’s feud between Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, and 50’s rap crew G-Unit, fans were anxious to finally hear his sophomore attempt at a solo album. During the filming of Beef 4, The Game explained that L.A.X. would be his last release because he believes that his total of three albums is enough to get his point across.

The Game introduces his album with a prayer by DMX. Throughout the track DMX thanks God for sleeping at night, waking up in the morning and his other unappreciated events. Listening to DMX’s lyrics, it’s hard to understand what the intro is trying to get across, especially when he begins shouting at the “Devil” at the end of the track. The intro is followed by the second track on the album, “LAX Files”. From this point on, the explicit material and The Game’s profanity fills up the album. Before the instrumentals play in “LAX Files”, The Game tells his listeners that he wants them to go blind so they can feel how he felt when he was in coma. The Game is referring to his three day coma, after he was shot 5 times in a bad drug deal. “LAX Files” has The Game rapping about his past life to a slow beat mixed with a piano riff playing the whole duration of the song. “LAX Files” left the impression that the remainder of the album would be as strong and upbeat as the introduction seems to be.

The 6th track of L.A.X., My Life, was made into a music video featuring Lil Wayne before the album was released. The beginning of the track, like much of the album, is violent and involves The Game killing an intruder inside his home. Lil Wayne is a poor addition to the song, and rather than complement each of The Game’s verses, does more to annoy and disappoint Hip Hop fans. Lil Wayne’s shaky, and sometimes irritating voice nearly ruined track. The Game has a phenomenal way of making his words flow while talking about how lives are taken away, and how tough it was to live in Compton without his father. If it wasn’t for Lil Wayne more listeners might want to listen to the song again.

Despite the absence of producer Dr. Dre from the production of The Game’s third album, every song starts off with hard bass and good rhythm. Dr. Dre is known for the beats and songs he produces, so it comes as a surprise that L.A.X. is still head bumping and car cruising material. “Money” and “House of Pain”, both of The Game’s singles, really emphasize the dangers and nightmares of living in Compton. While it may seem like The Game is being repetitive, each of his tracks and rhymes are unique.

The Game’s 16th track, “Dope Boys”, featuring Travis Barker, is one of the greatest songs on the album. Barker on drums in any hip hop song forces the track to instantly become much louder and more real. The Game sticks with the typical material that every Hip Hop star uses in their hit songs, but it’s the rough style, dirty lyrics, and Baker’s drumming that proves The Game to be above the rest. The song intimidates any other artists to top the collaboration’s hardcore performance.

Lil Wayne and Travis Barker are not the only collaborations on the album. Artists such as Ludacris, Chrisette Michele, and Common give the album more variety and depth. “Ya Heard,” featuring Ludacris, shows an example of how their collaborated track reestablishes the charisma the album started with. The instrumentals playing in “Ya Heard” could not be compared with any other producers work. Ludacris and The Game pour continuous rhymes onto the track, leaving their statement before the album’s close.

The album wraps up with another prayer by DMX, which is once again out of place and confusing. The mix of The Game’s bold lyrics and heavy bass proved the albums success. The Game made sure his performance revealed perfection, and that the months he spent producing were worthwhile. With L.A.X. ending The Game’s profession, I can honestly say that L.A.X, The Game’s final album, is the perfect ending to his stint in the music industry.