It's sweet relief as Blood Moon turns out the odd Game album where folks like Tyga excel with strip club cuts such as "Best Head Ever," and while Snoop Dogg always seemed absent from the MC's hallowed hall of West Coast worship, the great "Or Nah" with Too $hort comes off like a tribute to Doggystyle and the classic album's love of pimp walks plus Zapp. Game debuted with Eminem and Jay-Z while Ocean's class is whack goes the argument, an argument rehashed on the solo "F.U.N.", making 2 Chainz the album's first rational voice once he joins "Really," a fun posse cut with the party people in mind. In spite of all that, the 2014 album kicks off with the solo "Bigger Than Me" where the Game goes after the very 2011 target of Frank Ocean, and uses homophobia and past associations as his weapons. Features from returning guests, even, like Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, and 2 Chainz, plus features from newcomers Dubb and Skeme, both of them signed to Blood Money.
So what's all this then? Blowing up the rapper's decent run of solo albums, Blood Moon was announced as a compilation focused on Blood Money, the label the MC launched with Stat Quo, and it was tagged as a "The Game Presents" release until the last minute, which might help explain why it is so darn feature-heavy. Dre gets some mentions on Blood Moon: Year of the Wolf, and according to the Game, he's still behind the boards, working on the man's 2015 album and brewing up a game changer. Dre, the superstar producer who only occasionally works with this loose cannon rapper but still colors so much of his work in absentia. The Game's previous discography is nothing if not interesting, as the rapper willingly succumbed to his obsessions. Let’s hope The Game saved the goods for The Documentary 2, the sequel to his highly-regarded 2005 debut, slated for release on its 10th anniversary.Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs. “The Purge” is a powerful indictment on the plagues affecting black communities “Trouble On My Mind” and “Food For My Stomach” are similarly reflective showcases for Blood Money Entertainment signee Dubb and Freddie Gibbs and Bobby Shmurda (whose “ Shmoney dance” is referenced throughout the album) show up on “Hit Em Hard” for some good-natured gun talk. He comes across as desperate at this point, calling himself the “Black Marshall Mathers” while making homophobic references to Frank Ocean again (see “Freedom” on 2012’s Jesus Piece), and it’s clear The Game is trying to stay relevant by adopting 2014’s trends in flows and beats (as heard on “Really”).Īll that said, Blood Moon: Year of the Wolf does have its strong points. “Bigger Than Me,” Blood Moon’s lead single, exemplifies The Game’s biggest problem as a rapper: he continues attempting to situate himself among hip hop’s royalty through name dropping rather than great lyricism, storytelling, or even personality. The Game doesn’t even show up on three of the album’s tracks, but by the time the album’s over, who’s going to complain? Given the glut of guest appearances and inconsistent production, it certainly sounds like a poorly-curated compilation. Label: Blood Money Entertainment/eOne Musicīlood Moon: Year of the Wolf was initially slated to be a compilation showcasing The Game’s Blood Money Entertainment label to The Game’s detriment, it was released as his tenth solo album.