Like a solider readying himself for war, Game and his entourage ride the elevator up to his trendy New York hotel room. Along the ride, he raps sporadically to the music in his headphone. “This year Halloween fell on a weekend. Me and Geto Boys trick-or-treatin,” he says. Later on that evening at the 2010 Hip Hop Honors: The Dirty South, with DJ Domination on the 1’s and 2’s, Game and Willie D (1/3 of The Geto Boys) would perform the classic hit, “My Mind Is Playing Tricks On Me”, in tribute to J Prince and Rap-A-Lot. Once inside the hotel, he appears exhausted. But in the midst of a 40-day promotional tour, who wouldn’t be? Nevertheless, he straightens up, puts on his professional hat and prepares to speak candidly about his past beef, music, Dr. Dre, his looming R.E.D. Album and a possible conspiracy against 50 Cent. AllHipHop.com: So you’re back with Interscope. Are you with Aftermath or is it just Interscope? What’s that whole situation like?Game: It’s a conglomerate of s**t. It’s Aftermath, its StarTraxx, Interscope, its Black Wall Street, its Goon Squad, it’s like everybody’s involved this time. It’s Geffen. It’s AllHipHop. Everybody. Yea.AllHipHop.com: Last time we talked, we talked about you album. Let’s talk a little bit about the album and refresh the reader’s memories.Game: Yea um, the album is titled R.E.D. And um, that’s R.E.D. for some folks and it’s pretty much a rededication of myself to music in general. To my fans and my life and my family. It’s like the re-birth or starting from the beginning if you will because everything this time around feels so brand new. AllHipHop.com: You and 50 have had a roller-coaster relationship since the beginning of your career. Where do you two currently stand, business-wise and/or personally?Game: Um, I think that in life anything can be mended. Right now, I haven’t talked to 50. I don’t talk to him but um, I’m not saying that that can’t happen in the future or that it will or won’t. But I think he’s fine doing him and I’m fine doing me. And if the stars ever aligned and if that day comes where we can have a conversation and then chop it up and we can come to some type of happy medium, you know, I’m wit’ it. But as of now, I guess he’s doing him and I’m doing me.AllHipHop.com: A lot of people said that when you guys first peace’d it up that it was fake. Do you think it was just for publicity? Game: Nah, we uh, I think it was a situation where we both were not forced into it. But I think it was too early for that to happen. I think that if they would of let it [be], waited for a minute, let it simmer down and let us have a conversation which was needed, you know, then it would have been not so short-lived and had longevity to it. And we could have squashed it and got back in and worked. But that ain’t what happened. They wanted to do it like the next day. And there was still a lot of attention in the air and it just didn’t work but it definitely wasn’t staged. AllHipHop.com: Now, Dre is on the album right? He’s done a lot of work on the album, right?Game: Yea.AllHipHop.com: Have you heard Detox? Are you featured on the album at all? Game: Yea, I’ve done some work on Detox. I’ve also feature on some tracks. I don’t know which one will necessarily make it but yea I’ve been working on Detox.AllHipHop.com: Can you tell us what we have to look forward to? You know a lot of people wanna know…Game: (Smiles but remains tight-lipped) Nope. Ain’t nobody gonna tell you what’s up with Detox. AllHipHop.com: Any females in the industry that interest you right now? Professional and/or personally?Game: I think that uh, Nicki Minaj is on everybody’s radar. Just cause she’s like that new Lil’ Kim/Missy. I like her. Her vibe is cool. You know, all the young girls like her and they’re into her. So I think that that’s cool for Hip Hop. Personally, you know, I’m not interested in nobody. I’m just doing me, chillin’. I’m happy with my family and my kids and that’s it.
Game speaking on his willingness to work with 50 Cent again.
AllHipHop.com: Is there any reality T.V. in your future?
Game: Reality T.V.? I don’t think that my reality can be televised. My reality show, you would have to blur the whole screen. And it would have to be beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. It’s gonna sound like a traffic jam in New York.AllHipHop.com: What’s one of your biggest pet peeve?Game: I don’t like girls who wear open-toe sandals and have like corns on every foot. I think that you should just forever be in socks. You know what I’m saying? That kinda is just like, ewww.AllHipHop.com: Let’s talk a little about Twitter. Finish this sentence, #IfHipHopwashighschool…Game: #IfHipHopwashighschool then I’d probably be the bully. AllHipHop.com: Really? Why would you say that? Game: Uh, because I mean in Hip Hop that’s what people label me as. I guess in the early stages of my career that’s what it seemed like it was. I was just speaking for other people. Yea, I’d definitely be the “bully” and “most likely to succeed” all at the same time. AllHipHop.com: Katt Williams tweeted a few days ago about how he doesn’t understand why celebrities don’t tweet with their fans. He feels like he can talk to celebrities at any given time. Do you actively respond to your fans?Game: As an entertainer, you can’t respond to every fan. I respond to my fans but I don’t have time to respond to everybody. And if you don’t respond to one person, then they get mad but they just don’t understand and they will never understand until they become a star and they see. But it’s difficult to juggle the family and then work and respond to fans. I do the best I can. And anybody that don’t like it, f### you. That’s how I see it.AllHipHop.com: I follow some pretty cool people. I follow The President. I follow Oprah. Everybody follows Diddy cause he’s always saying the cool s**t. I follow like about 300 people. AllHipHop.com: Drake’s album [“Thank Me, Later”] recently hit the streets. Have you had the opportunity to hear it?Game: I’ve heard a couple of tracks on it.AllHipHop.com: Do you think he’s gonna knock it out the park with this album?Game: I think the leak doesn’t matter. I think that, that kid is gonna do his numbers and it’s good for Hip Hop. So everybody just stop what you’re doing for a minute and cheer him on. Give him his lane and let him breathe. AllHipHop.com: Any interest in working with Drake?Game: Uh, it’s Hip Hop. You can look forward to it. It might happen and it might not. It’s Hip Hop and you never really plan to work with anybody. If I record something and I feel like it needs something, I’ll reach out. And vice versa.AllHipHop.com: I’m going say five names and/or words and I want you to tell me the first thing/word/phrase that comes to mind. Wacka Flaka. Game: Oletsdoit.AllHipHop.com: Barack Obama. Game: The man.AllHipHop.com: Betty White (Golden Girls).Game: Get crackin’!AllHipHop.com: Marijuana.Game: Love it.AllHipHop.com: The Game. Game: Life. Game reveals his pet peeves in women.
AllHipHop.com: The original Black Wall Street started out as something to help Blacks during some of the most strenuous times in African American culture. Had you researched the name before you decided to name your company that?
Game: I had already knew what was up with it. Yea.AllHipHop.com: Do you think you’ve fulfilled its legacy?Game: I think that I’ve don’t a lot for a lot of people. If not directly with my music. I’m motivating people and I’ve changed lives. And I’ve helped people see life in a different light. And I know it’s because I’ve gotten feedback from the fans when I see them, so I guess, I mean, I’m doing my part. But I’m not tarnishing it’s legacy or the name. Black Wall Street meant to me African Americans progressing and teaching and I feel like that’s what I’ve done.AllHipHop.com: What’s up with Black Wall Street? Any new artists to watch out for? Game: I got a couple of new artists I’m working with. I recently just signed Misson from New York, he’s out the Bronx. I got a kid name Mad Max from Englewood. He’s like the gangster Kid Cudi. But uh, he’s dope. Chick out of Watts names Canary. She’s pretty good. You know, if I meet somebody and they got the music and sparks for my ear, I’ma take it to the label and see what we can do.AllHipHop.com: Over the years you have expressed the need and/or urgency for music that is more political or that retains more sustenance. What do you think happened to the political landscape in Hip Hop?Game: I think Nas just took a break and it sort of disappears for a minute. Nas is the most political A-List artist and I think that whenever he takes breaks we’re gonna lose that aspect for a little while.AllHipHop.com: Have you gone political on this new album at all?Game: I’m pretty sure there’s always something. A line or two. Or half a song or a verse that you can describe or say it’s political. But I don’t get too much into politics. I just like making my music. AllHipHop.com: A lot of people are blaming Barack Obama for the oil-spill situation that’s going on right now. How do you feel about that?Game: Get off his d**k. AllHipHop.com: Are you bored with Hip Hop or do you still feel you have more to contribute?Game: I think that this point Hip Hop is pretty fun. And a lot of people don’t like these Wacka Flacka records or this Soulja Boy, you know, (raps) Pretty. Boy. Swagg. But I think it’s cool. I think it’s fun for the kids. And I think it’s dope. It goes hard in the clubs. I was just in the club last night having a ball to a bunch of the songs. A lot of people are like, oh, Wacka Flacka ain’t no emcee. I don’t think he’s tryna be an emcee. I think he’s tryna get it crackin’and have fun. When I’m in the club, I get it crackin’ and have fun to those songs. And I’m not looking for it to be Nas, I’m looking to have fun. And I think that’s what a lot of people get misconstrued by Hip Hop. It has different facets. Whatever you need, You go find it. If you’re looking for politics, then you listen to Nas or Talib Kweli or Mos Def. If you’re looking to have a good time, you go Soulja Boy or Drake and Ludacris and Pharell and all of those guys. Or if you want some hardcore then you go to me, Jeezy, Ross. Whatever you want, go find that and stop dissin’ people all the time.
The Game explains the old Black Wall Street and how he signed a “Gangsta Kid Cudi”
AllHipHop.com: Does Game do “The Dougie” in the club?
Game: I don’t know how to do “The Dougie”. Teach me how to Dougie. Teach me, Teach me how to Dougie.AllHipHop.com: We’ve seen how national politics affected Hip Hop in the 80s and 90s. How do you think national politics is affecting Hip Hop right now?Game: Um, I think that Hip Hop has gotten so big over the years, it is itself national politics. We’re directly involved because whatever happens in the world, we’re artists and we paint these pictures on our records and those politics are involved. It’s like when the earthquakes came, you got people mentioning it in their raps and the oil spill and Hurricane Katrina. We become directly involved because we are multi-cultural writers and we’re always gonna involve world news.AllHipHop.com: Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing you in some more movies. I saw Belly 2 and I was a little confused about the plot. I wasn’t sure how it tied to Belly 1…Game: Yea, it didn’t. Originally it was called something else. And they sold it to Lionsgate, who out Belly 1. And then they just called it Belly 2 out of no where. And then I saw it. And people was like, yo, I saw you in Belly 2. I was like s**t, I’m in Belly 2? You know what I’m saying? But, it was just a real quick little hood flick that me and my dudes did and then we flipped it over and then we sold it. At that point, they can do whatever they want with it. And then they put it out. But we was watching it the other day on the bus and we was just laughing and thought it was cool. It was just a cool little hood flick. Like one of those BET movies. So it was cool.AllHipHop.com: Some of Hip Hop’s elite have all faced or are currently facing issues within our legal system. Game: I’m done (with the legal system).AllHipHop.com: Wayne, Gucci, T.I., etc. What keeps The Game out of jail?Game: S**t, just probation. I got about 5 more months on my probation so after that, try me if you want. But for now, I’m just walking a straight line. AllHipHop.com: What are your thoughts on the Illuminati? Game: Who the f**k are the people saying it. The Illuminati? Who they f**k are they just some bored a** people mad at they job and mad cause Rihanna getting it poppin’. Doing her rude boy s**t. And Jay man, Jay is a mason, man just, who gives a f###? That’s just one person’s opinion on they computer. You know these lap-tops and stuff give people the power to…AllHipHop.com: Do stuff…Game: No, cause you could be on there and you could be anybody because nobody knows what you look like, nobody knows anything about what you look like, it’s just words. And so you have the power to do and say what you want. But then you have to go back to your life and be as pitiful as you are. So man, f**k them people. AllHipHop.com: When you first came out, it was you, 50, Em, Dre. How difficult is it to remain friends [given the whole 50 situation]? For example, I can talk to this person but I can’t talk to that person…Game: I think at this point, I feel like you can talk to Dre and not talk to nobody else because Dre’s the man and whatever message you wanna get across you just send it through Dre and he’ll analyze it. And if it’s important enough, he’ll make that happen. He has the power to do so. But I’m not lost without those entities but of course it would have been a bigger picture if we would have just, you know, did the right thing. But I can’t look back and regret that because it happened and I can’t change it. Maybe one day we will have a rebirth of that situation. But until then I’m just coasting. AllHipHop.com: A lot of people see you working with Ashanti and have raised a lot of questions and/or started a lot of rumors. Is there a conspiracy against 50?Game: I can only speak for myself. But um, I met Ashanti and she’s pretty cool and I don’t have no problems with her. Nobody should have a problem with her. She’s not one of those guys, she’s a girl.AllHipHop.com: Lastly, can you kick a little rap or free-style?Game: I can’t free-style. I ain’t never free-styled in my life. But you know what free-styles is? Free-style is just somebody running over a bunch of words. I like to think cause I don’t want anything to come out my mouth that I’ll regret. That’s what free-styling is, you just throwing words out. You might say some s**t that you don’t necessarily mean.