January 18th marks the 12th anniversary of The Game ‘s classic debut album, The Documentary . With singles like, “Dreams,” “Hate it or Love it,” and “This Is How We Do,” the album went on to sell over 10 million copies worldwide via Interscope/The Aftermath. In a heartfelt Instagram, the Compton rapper took time to reflect on the life changing project where he credits his mentor Dr. Dre for believing in him and 50 cent for helping push the project through it’s final stages.
Check out the post below.
12 years ago today I dropped my 1st album. An album that would go on to sell 10 million copies worldwide & reshape my city & coast…. I’m forever in debt to @DrDre for believing in my dream… [YOU] my fans for the support then & the ones that are still going hard for me at this very moment…. ain’t no ME without YOU ! @50cent for helping push it through the final stages…. my brother @BigFase100 & @ComptonGRide for helping birth what the world would know as #TheBlackWallStreet & last but not least… my son @hvrlemtaylor for being the motivation behind everything I put into this album. Without the birth of my 1st son, I wouldn’t have ever had the fire inside me to be anything other than dead. Before him, I didn’t give a fuck about who’s life I took or who would take mine…. all I knew was #Compton…. & I figured I’d end up shot dead in the streets over gangbangin just because that is the mentality of a young African-American male coming from where I come from…… When I came out, it was just me, @SnoopDogg, @xzibit & @tyrese representing #LosAngeles on a worldwide scale in music & #TheDocumentary changed the way hip hop fans/critics viewed #WestCoast rap niggas….. after this album, they had to respect us for more than just gangsta rap, but for being lyricists as well…… from @IceCube to @KendrickLamar & @YG, we have flourished as a rap culture…. I can remember being at my grandmothers house listening to @Nas’s albums & perfecting my flow & the pocket listening to @2pac gave me the style & confidence to enter & win every freestyle battle I entered until I met #JTTheBiggaFigga & recorded my demo. The rest is history & this is my acknowledgement to my fans, family & all those who believed in & supported me the past 12 years…. #Happy12thBday #TheDocumentary
A photo posted by The Game (@losangelesconfidential) on Jan 18, 2017 at 8:54am PST
