Born 2 Rap

Born 2 Rap
Studio album by the Game
Released	November 29, 2019 (2019-11-29)
Recorded	2018–19
Genre	Hip hop West Coast hip hop[1]
Length	90:12
Label	eOne Prolific
Producer	The Game Stat Quo Cash "Wack100" Jones Chris "Big Duke" Malloy Azzouz BongoByTheWay Buddah Bless DJ Khalil Ed Sheeran Focus... Jacob Reske Mike Wavvs Mike Zombie Nabeyin Prince Productions Reske Sly Bags Of Shyt Streetrunner Swizz Beatz Tec Beatz Titus E. Johnson Track King Cole Travis Barker Wallis Lane
The Game chronology
1992 (2016) Born 2 Rap (2019) Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind (2022)
Singles from Born 2 Rap
"West Side" Released: June 21, 2019 "Stainless" Released: November 1, 2019

Born 2 Rap is the ninth studio album by American rapper the Game.^[2] It was released on November 29, 2019, via eOne Music. Its release coincided with the Game's fortieth birthday.^[3] It was advertised as his final album before retiring, although Game resumed his recording career in 2021. It features guest appearances from Dom Kennedy, Ed Sheeran, 21 Savage, Anderson .Paak, Bryson Tiller, Chris Brown, D Smoke, J. Stone, Just Liv, Masego, Marsha Ambrosius, Miguel, Mozzy, Nipsey Hussle, Osbe Chill, Red Café, Sly Pyper, ToBi, Travis Barker and Trey Songz.

Background

The Game announced Born 2 Rap as his final album, stating on social media: "I've had a great run & surpassed my rap goals a long time ago. It will always be 'QUALITY' over 'QUANTITY' from where I stand. The REAL music will always prevail & this album will cap off an amazing run".^[4]

In 2019, The Game was found guilty of sexually assaulting Priscilla Rainey, a contestant on She's Got Game. Rainey was awarded $7,000,000 in damages, plus the royalties to the album. The Game's manager Wack 100 claimed that he owned all the royalties to the album, and that he doesn't owe her anything.^[5][6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	82/100[7]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
HipHopDX	3.4/5[9]
NME	[10]
RapReviews	9/10[11]

Born 2 Rap was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 82, based on four reviews.^[7]

RapReviews.com critic Steve 'Flash' Juon said, "Both the length and the effort he put into it justify why it took over three years for it to come out and all the bases are covered here. ... It's hard to find anything to complain about".^[11] AllMusic's Fred Thomas said, "It's a dense volume of street storytelling and especially reflective lyricism from this rap MVP, and even at its extensive running time, Born 2 Rap delivers lots of highlights".^[8] Will Lavin of NME said, "Born 2 Rap isn't just a library of classic records blended together: it's a lesson in storytelling, something The Game has never received enough credit for. ... There's a flawless project somewhere among the album's 25 tracks, which could certainly do with trimming".^[10] Aaron McKrell of HipHopDX said, "As it stands, Born 2 Rap is a proclaimed swan song that feels more like a playlist. Let's hope Jayceon has one more in him".^[9]

Track listing

Born 2 Rap track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"City of Sin" (featuring Ed Sheeran)	Jayceon Taylor Ed Sheeran Stanley Benton Cash Jones Titus Johnson Tyron Douglas	Buddah Bless Titus E Johnson	1:43
2.	"No Smoke" (featuring Miguel and Travis Barker)	Taylor Miguel Jontel Pimentel Travis Barker Benton C. Jones Nima Jahanbin Paimon Jahanbin Amir Motamedi Edgar Panford	Wallis Lane Travis Barker Nabeyin Prince Productions	3:19
3.	"Five Hundred Dollar Candles" (featuring Dom Kennedy)	Taylor Dominic Hunn Benton C. Jones N. Jahanbin P. Jahanbin Amir Motamedi	Wallis Lane Prince Productions Mike Wavvs	4:47
4.	"The Light"	Taylor Benton C. Jones Brandon Sewell Bruce Malament Norman William Harris Robert Caldwell	Brandon "Tec Beatz" Sewell	3:18
5.	"Carmen Electra" (featuring Mozzy, Osbe Chill and TOBi)	Taylor Timothy Patterson Irshaad Boothe El Oluwatobi Ajibolade Benton C. Jones Sewell Christopher Martin Michael D'Angelo Archer	Brandon "Tec Beatz" Sewell	4:16
6.	"Dead Homies" (featuring Red Café)	Taylor Jermaine Denny Benton C. Jones N. Jahanbin P. Jahanbin Amir Motamedi	Wallis Lane Prince Productions Mike Wavvs Reske	2:53
7.	"Gold Daytonas" (featuring Dom Kennedy)	Taylor Hunn Benton C. Jones N. Jahanbin P. Jahanbin Amir Motamedi Chris Anthony Malloy Jr. James Bedford Roy Ayers Sylvia Striplin	Wallis Lane Prince Productions Chris "Big Duke" Malloy	2:37
8.	"West Side"	Taylor Benton C. Jones N. Jahanbin P. Jahanbin Amir Motamedi Chris Anthony Malloy Jr.	Wallis Lane Prince Productions Chris "Big Duke" Malloy	2:50
9.	"40 Ounce Love" (featuring Just Liv)	Taylor Olivia Walker Benton C. Jones Sewell Johnson Elbernita Clark	Brandon "Tec Beatz" Sewell	2:57
10.	"Gucci Flip Flops"	Taylor Benton C. Jones Kasseem Dean David Willis Lonnie Liston Nasir Jones Peter O. Phillips Shawn Carter Terry Holloway	Swizz Beatz	3:43
11.	"Born 2 Rap"	Taylor Benton C. Jones Sewell Malloy Jr. Johnson	Brandon "Tec Beatz" Sewell Chris "Big Duke" Malloy	4:00
12.	"Welcome Home" (featuring Nipsey Hussle)	Taylor Ermias Asghedom Benton C. Jones Lamont Dozier	BongoByTheWay	4:33
13.	"Help Me (Interlude)" (featuring Sly)	Taylor Sylvester Jordan	Sly	2:18
14.	"I Didn't Wanna Write This Song" (featuring Marsha Ambrosius)	Taylor Marsha Ambrosius Hunn Benton C. Jones Bernard Edwards Jr. Larry Blackmon	Focus...	4:21
15.	"The Code" (featuring 21 Savage)	Taylor She'yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph Benton C. Jones Sewell Amir Motamedi Malloy Jr. Reuben Bell Jerry Strickland	Brandon "Tec Beatz" Sewell Prince Productions Chris "Big Duke" Malloy Titus E Johnson	5:49
16.	"Stay Down" (featuring Bryson Tiller)	Taylor Bryson Tiller Benton C. Jones Malloy Jr. Johnson William Michael Coleman	Chris "Big Duke" Malloy Titus E Johnson Mike Zombie	3:36
17.	"Hug the Block"	Taylor Walker Benton C. Jones N. Jahanbin P. Jahanbin Amir Motamedi	Wallis Lane Prince Productions	4:57
18.	"Ask for Me"	Taylor C. Jones Khalil Abdul-Rahman	DJ Khalil	2:38
19.	"Stainless" (featuring Anderson .Paak)	Taylor Brandon Paak Anderson Nazir Assad Claydes Charles Smith Dennis Thomas George Brown Otha Nash Richard Westfield Robert Bell Robert Mickens Ronald Bell	Track King Cole	3:59
20.	"Gangstas Make the Girls Go Wild" (featuring Chris Brown)	Taylor Chris Brown Benton C. Jones N. Jahanbin P. Jahanbin Malloy Jr. Johnson Linda Creed Thomas Bell	Wallis Lane Chris "Big Duke" Malloy Titus E Johnson	2:48
21.	"Blood Thicker Than Water" (featuring Trey Songz)	Taylor Tremaine Neverson Benton C. Jones Nicholas Warwar Roscoe Corner	Streetrunner Azzouz	3:47
22.	"Rewind II"	Taylor Benton C. Jones Malloy Jr.	Chris "Big Duke" Malloy	2:24
23.	"One Life" (featuring J. Stone and Masego)	Taylor Micah Davis Randy Green Benton C. Jones N. Jahanbin P. Jahanbin Amir Motamedi Nina Simone	Wallis Lane Prince Productions	5:14
24.	"Cross on Jesus Back" (featuring D Smoke)	Taylor Daniel Anthony Farris C. Jones N. Jahanbin P. Jahanbin Malloy Jr. Coleman	Wallis Lane Chris "Big Duke" Malloy Mike Zombie	3:28
25.	"Roadside" (featuring Ed Sheeran)	Taylor Benton C. Jones Tyrone Lindo	Ed Sheeran	3:56
Total length:				90:12

Notes

• "Born 2 Rap" features outro vocals by Nipsey Hussle
• "I Didn't Wanna Write This Song" features additional vocals by Dom Kennedy

Sample credits

• "Five Hundred Dollar Candles" contains an excerpt from Crips and Bloods 80s Interview (2016), courtesy of CBS News, and uncredited elements of "If Light Escapes", written by April George and Matthew Thompson, and performed by April + VISTA.^[12]
• "The Light" contains samples of "Open Your Eyes", written by Bobby Caldwell, Norman Harris and Bruce Malament, and performed by Caldwell.
• "Carmen Electra" contains samples of "Devil's Pie, written by Christopher Martin and Michael D'Angelo Archer, and performed by D'Angelo.
• "Gold Daytonas" contains a sample of "Get Money", written by Roy Ayers, James Bedford, Lamont Porter, Sylvia Striplin and Christopher Wallace, and performed by Junior M.A.F.I.A.
• "Gucci Flip Flops" contains a sample from "Dead Presidents", written by Shawn Carter, Davis Willis, Lonnie Liston Smith, Nasir Jones and Peter O. Phillips, and performed by Jay-Z.
• "Welcome Home" contains samples from "Shine", written and performed by Lamont Dozier.
• "I Didn’t Wanna Write This Song" contains a sample of "I Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto" by 2Pac.
• "Hug the Block" contains interpolations of "Selfish", written by Aretha Franklin, R.L. Altman III, Jason Powers and Kanye West, and performed by Slum Village.
• "Stainless" contains an uncredited sample of "Winter Sadness", written by Robert "Kool" Bell and Claydes Charles Smith, and performed by Kool & the Gang.
• "Gangstas Make the Girls Go Wild" contains a sample of "People Make the World Go Round", written by Thom Bell, Linda Creed and George Perry, and performed by the Stylistics.
• "Rewind II" contains a sample of "Rewind", written by Nasir Jones, William Mitchell and Rick Rubin, and performed by Nas.
• "One Life" contains an excerpt from That Blackness, performed by Nina Simone, courtesy of the Estate of Nina Simone.
• "Roadside" contains elements of "Happier", written by Ed Sheeran, Ryan Tedder and Benny Blanco, and performed by Sheeran.
• "Blood Thicker Than Water" contains elements of "I Shall Wear A Crown" written by Deleon Richards

Charts

Chart performance for Born 2 Rap

Chart (2019)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[13]	53
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[14]	18
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[15]	70
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[16]	40
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[17]	66
US Billboard 200[18]	19
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[19]	5
US Top Rap Albums (Billboard)[20]	7
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[21]	10

References

1. Brabo, Joseph (November 30, 2019). "The Game Releases Final Album "Born 2 Rap" Ft. Nipsey Hussle, Dom Kennedy, Miguel, Mozzy, Ed Sheeran, D Smoke, + More". Respect My Region.
2. Ivey, Justin (November 28, 2019). "The Game Releases 'Born 2 Rap' Album". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on November 20, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
3. "The Game Releases New Album 'Born 2 Rap'". Complex. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
4. "The Game Is Not Retiring, Readies New Project '30 for 30'". Rap-Up. January 17, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
5. Espinoza, Joshua. "The Game's 'Born to Rap' royalties and record label seized to pay $7 million to accuser". Complex. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
6. "Wack 100 Says The Game's 'Born 2 Rap' Royalties Are His: 'I Don't Owe That Bitch A Dime'". HipHopDX. April 18, 2020. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
7. "Born 2 Rap by The Game". Metacritic. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
8. Thomas, Fred. "Born 2 Rap - The Game | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
9. McKrell, Aaron (November 30, 2019). "Review: The Game Jogs Through A Marathon On 'Born 2 Rap'". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on December 1, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
10. Lavin, Will (November 29, 2019). "The Game – 'Born 2 Rap' review". NME. Archived from the original on December 1, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
11. Juon, Steve 'Flash' (February 11, 2020). "The Game :: Born 2 Rap – RapReviews". www.rapreviews.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
12. Mowatt, Robyn (December 9, 2019). "The Game Gets Called out for Sampling Uncleared April + VISTA Song on 'Born 2 Rap'". okayplayer. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
13. "ARIA Chart Watch #554". auspOp. December 7, 2019. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
14. "The Game Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
15. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Game – Born 2 Rap" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
16. "Charts.nz – The Game – Born 2 Rap". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
17. "Swisscharts.com – The Game – Born 2 Rap". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
18. "The Game Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
19. "The Game Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
20. "The Game Chart History (Top Rap Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
21. "The Game Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2019.

External links

Born 2 Rap at Discogs (list of releases)