Doctor's Advocate is the second studio album by American rapper the Game, released on November 14, 2006, through Geffen Records. The album is his second major-label release, following 2005's The Documentary, which was released under Aftermath Entertainment, G-Unit Records and Interscope Records. Due to his disputes with G-Unit leader and founder 50 Cent, Game left Aftermath and G-Unit; he was later transferred from Interscope to its division, Geffen Records, another label under Universal Music Group's Interscope Geffen A&M faction to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit, in the summer of 2006.
Despite the absence of Dr. Dre, who executive produced Game's debut record, The Documentary, the album featured production by four other returning producers—Kanye West, Just Blaze, Scott Storch and Hi-Tek—as well as will.i.am and Swizz Beatz. Production for the album was also contributed by DJ Khalil, Jellyroll, Jonathan "J.R." Rotem, Mr. Porter, Nottz, Reefa, Ervin "E.P." Pope and D-Roc, among others.
Doctor's Advocate debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling 358,000 copies in its first week, making it Game's second number one album on the chart.
Guests featured on Doctor's Advocate include Busta Rhymes, Kanye West, Nas, Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Jamie Foxx and Xzibit. Upon its release, the album received favorable reviews, with music critics praising the album's production and the Game's improved lyricism. Game made a point to prove that he could still make good music and be a successful artist, as he did on The Documentary, without the help from Dr. Dre or 50 Cent. As with The Documentary, Doctor's Advocate was distributed in the United Kingdom by Polydor Records, which is the British distributor for Interscope Geffen A&M releases. Game later called Doctor's Advocate the best album of his career in 2012.
Background When Game signed onto Aftermath Entertainment, it was later arranged that he would work with 50 Cent and his hip-hop group G-Unit. The sudden feud between the pair, who had been marketed as having a mentor/protégé relationship, started soon afterwards. The two were able to put their differences aside for the release of the Game's debut album, The Documentary which was released on January 18, 2005. The album was a success for Game and had three singles that featured 50 Cent. The release date of 50 Cent's second album, The Massacre, was pushed back in order to accommodate Game's album, causing a rift between 50 Cent and Interscope Records. Tensions would rise during the filming of the music video for Game's third single, "Hate It or Love It", when 50 Cent refused to shoot a scene in the front seat of a car with Game, instead sitting in the back (Game's brother, Big Fase 100, would replace him).
50 Cent later dismissed Game from G-Unit on Hot 97 radio. 50 Cent also claimed that he was not getting his proper credit for the creation of Game's debut album and he claimed that he wrote six of the songs, which Game denied. After the announcement, Game, who was a guest earlier in the evening, attempted to enter the building with his entourage. After being denied entry, one of his associates was shot in the leg during a confrontation with a group of men leaving the building.Reid, Shaheem (February 28, 2005). 50 Drops Game from G-Unit; Shots Fired at Radio Station . MTV. Retrieved June 2, 2007.Hope, Clover (March 2, 2005). 50 Cent Cancels New York Appearance amid Shooting Inquiry . AllHipHop. Retrieved July 20, 2007. When the situation escalated, both rappers held a press conference to announce their reconciliation.Fresh, Remmie (March 9, 2005). . AllHipHop. Retrieved July 20, 2007. Fans had mixed feelings as to whether the rappers created a publicity stunt to boost the sales of the albums they had just released.Rodriguez, Jayson (March 1, 2005). . AllHipHop. Retrieved July 20, 2007. Nevertheless, even after the situation deflated,Williams, Houston (May 9, 2005). Game: Winds of Change . AllHipHop. Retrieved July 20, 2007. G-Unit criticized the Game's street cred. The group denounced the Game and announced that he will not be featured on their albums. During a Summer Jam performance, the Game launched a boycott of G-Unit called "G-Unot".Rodriguez, Jason (June 6, 2005). . AllHipHop. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
After the performance at Summer Jam, Game responded with "300 Bars and Runnin'", an extended "diss" aimed at G-Unit as well as members of Roc-A-Fella Records on the mixtape You Know What It Is Vol. 3. 50 Cent responded through his "Piggy Bank" music video, which features the Game as a Mr. Potato Head doll and also parodies other rivals. Since then both groups continued to attack each other. The Game released two more mixtapes, Ghost Unit and a mixtape/DVD called Stop Snitchin, Stop Lyin.
G-Unit posted a cover of Game's head on the body of a male stripper for "Hate It or Love It (G-Unit Radio Part 21)" mixtape, as a response to Game displaying pictures of G-Unit dressed as Village People.Reid, Shaheem (July 10, 2006). Mixtape Monday: 50 Cent Strips Down the Game . MTV. Retrieved June 15, 2007. Although he was signed to Aftermath Entertainment, the Game left the label due to his dispute with 50 Cent. Doing so, he was drafted from Interscope Records to its subsidiary label, Geffen Records (another label under Universal Music Group's Interscope Geffen A&M division) to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit in the summer of 2006, although reports claim 50 Cent pressured Dr. Dre to kick him off.Petipas, Jolene (August 1, 2006). Update: The Game Officially Leaves Aftermath . SOHH. Retrieved June 9, 2007. G-Unit member Spider Loc had also begun to insult the Game on various songs. In addition, the Game released "240 Bars (Spider Joke)" and "100 Bars (The Funeral)" both attacking G-Unit, Spider Loc and others. 50 Cent's response was "Not Rich, Still Lyin'" where he mocks the Game.Chery, Carl (February 3, 2006). The Game takes on Spider Loc, 50 Cent strikes back , SOHH. Retrieved July 23, 2007. Lloyd Banks replied to the Game on a Rap City freestyle booth session. The Game quickly released a "diss" record called "SoundScan" where the Game pokes fun at Lloyd Banks' album Rotten Apple falling thirteen spots on the Billboard 200 chart and disappointing second week sales. Lloyd Banks replied on his mixtape Mo' Money in the Bank Pt. 5: Gang Green Season Continues with a song called "Showtime (The Game's Over)". Lloyd Banks states that 50 Cent wrote half of the Game's first album The Documentary and pokes fun at the Game's suicidal thoughts.
In October 2006, the Game extended a peace treaty to 50 Cent, which was not immediately replied to.Fresh, Remmie (September 30, 2006). The Game Extends Peace Treaty to 50 Cent , Allhiphop. Retrieved June 23, 2007. However, a couple days later, on Power 106, he stated that the treaty was only offered for one day.Audio of the conversation on Power 106 URL The Black Wall Street Forum . The Black Wall Street. Retrieved October 11, 2006. On Doctor's Advocate, Game claims that the feud is over on several songs.
Music
Lyrics Doctor's Advocate contains various staples of West Coast hip-hop albums including explicit rhymes about gang violence, drug use and sex. The album looks into the Game's relationship with his former mentor Dr. Dre on several tracks, most notably "Doctor's Advocate" which also features former Aftermath Entertainment rapper Busta Rhymes. This album is known for its heavy West Coast hip-hop sound, something that didn't feature much in his debut The Documentary. He worked with a number of west coast artists such as Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit and Tha Dogg Pound. Rapreviews said "He is absolutely quintessentially relentlessly and unapologetically thugging it up on this CD, but unless your name is Joe Lieberman or Tipper Gore you're gonna enjoy the hell out of the dope beats and lyrical bravado and be begging for more." DJBooth praised his lyrical skills by saying "to briefly touch on the lyrics, only Eminem and Lil’ Wayne are currently equals." However, once again many critics panned the Game's namedropping throughout the album, but Steve Juon of Rapreviews says that "some accused him of being a "name dropper" back then and still will today, the references seem more in keeping with his "soldier of the West" philosophy and less like a filler for lack of content."
Production While the Game originally claimed Dr. Dre would still do production on the album in the November issue of XXL magazine, he admitted in September (after the XXL interview was conducted) during an interview on radio station Power 105 that Dr. Dre would not be producing any tracks (although four previously unreleased tracks produced by Dr. Dre were released on the internet, but no reason was given as to why they were not included on the album).
The production on the album was praised by critics. Allmusic writer David Jeffries stated: "beat-makers like Kanye West, Just Blaze, Scott Storch and Swizz Beatz are all on fire" and went on to praise will.i.am's return to his "hood sound after years with the polished Black Eyed Peas". A.V. Club's Nathan Rabin noted that the beats created a "gleaming, hydraulics-enhanced '64 Impala of an album to ride".
With its use of more West Coast-type beats, crispier drums, and deeper bass, the album leans more towards the West Coast sound than The Documentary. The album's production stands out with its combination of sampling and live instrumentation. Tracks like "Why You Hate the Game" combine soul samples with string arrangements, and piano-playing, while other tracks like "Remedy" rely heavily on sped-up funk samples. "Too Much" was noted for being an "ABBA-inspired disco-thump", while "Remedy" revolves around "pilfering Public Enemy's hard-hitting sound". The production on "Ol' English" was depicted as "slow-rolling" music, and "Compton" was declared a "return to old-fashioned gangsta rap".Pareles, J. (2006, December 26). James Brown, the "Godfather of Soul" dies at 73. The New York Times. Retrieved January 31, 2007. "Why You Hate the Game" was driven by a "sparkling piano-heavy...track".Breihan, Tom. (November 14, 2006) The Game: Doctor's Advocate Pitchfork. Retrieved July 20, 2008. Production for the album would also be contributed by DJ Khalil, Hi-Tek, Jellyroll, Jonathan "J.R." Rotem, Mr. Porter, Nottz, Reefa, Ervin "E.P." Pope and D-Roc.
Title Doctor's Advocate explicitly refers to Game's former mentor and producer Dr. Dre, whose name is dropped on every song from the album except "Wouldn't Get Far". During several of the songs, Game uses words like "family" and "father" to pay tribute to their relationship before at Aftermath Entertainment. Dre associate Busta Rhymes is brought in as a guest on the title track.
Release and promotion As the release date of Doctor's Advocate approached, it became unclear, due to the G-Unit contract, whether the album be released by Aftermath Entertainment or Interscope Records. Due to his disputes with 50 Cent, in summer 2006 the Game left Aftermath Entertainment and signed with Geffen Records, another label under Universal Music Group's Interscope-Geffen-A&M, division to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit.
On September 7, 2005, the Game released a promotional mixtape, Ghost Unit through 101 Distribution and West Side Entertainment, intended to promote Doctor's Advocate.