Biography Early life Jayceon Taylor was born in Los Angeles, California to an African American mother, Lynette Baker, and his father George Taylor, who is of Spanish and Native American descent. He spent the earliest years of his life in the district of La Brea before his family moved to Compton, California when he was four years old.[1] After his older sister accused his father of sexual molestation[7] when Taylor was five, his family was split up and young Taylor lived with a foster family for eight years in Carson, a suburb of Los Angeles (located immediately southwest of Compton). When Taylor was thirteen, his mother was regranted custody and he was reunited with his family in Compton. He spent his later life living in a primarily Crip gang neighborhood known as Santana Blocc,[8] although the rapper would grow up to become a member of the Bloods.[9][10] Taylor claims that his mother and father were both affiliated with Crip gangs. After graduating from Compton High School,[11] Taylor had a short stint at Washington State University on a basketball scholarship. However, he was kicked out in his first semester because of drug allegations.[12] It was then that he started fully embracing street life and turning towards selling drugs.[13] At the age of eighteen, he began to follow his older half brother "Big Fase 100", who was the leader of the Cedar Block Pirus. Taylor was shot five times after a failed drug deal in 2001,[11] receiving bullet wounds to the heart, stomach, and arms. This attack put him in a three day coma and while recovering in the hospital, he decided to pursue a career in the rap industry. Early career Studying various influential rap albums, The Game developed a strategy to become a rapper himself, and with help from Big Fase they founded The Black Wall Street Records. The label originally featured such artists as Glasses Malone, Vita, and Nu Jerzey Devil, along with The Game himself. The rapper's stage name was coined by his grandmother, who gave him the nickname because she claimed he was always "Game" for anything. The Game first gained prominence when he attended a hip-hop summit hosted by Russell Simmons and Louis Farrakhan,[14] releasing his first mixtape named You Know What It Is Vol. 1 in 2002, followed by a record deal with the independent label, Get Low Recordz owned by JT the Bigga Figga. Originally Sean Combs of Bad Boy Records was going to sign him to his label,[15] but Game's mixtape found its way into the hands of famed producer Dr. Dre, who proceeded to sign him to Aftermath Entertainment. To capitalize on the growing buzz, The Game continued to release music. In October 2004, The Game released his first album Untold Story through Get Low Recordz, which managed to sell over 82,000 copies within its first 3 months.[16] The album featured artists like Sean T, Young Noble (of the Outlawz), and JT the Bigga Figga.[17] The Game also appeared on various mixtapes hosted by DJ's such as DJ Kayslay, DJ Whoo Kid, and DJ Clue. The Game also released a second mixtape You Know What It Is Vol. 2 through his own record label, and appeared on the video game NBA Live 2004 on a song produced by Fredwreck called "Can't Stop Me".[18] Rise to fame The Game was originally signed as an artist ..math Entertainment, but Interscope Records CEO Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre decided to have The Game also work with 50 Cent and G-Unit. The arrangement was to help build a growing buzz around The Game which would also fuel interest in G-Unit. Since then he made numerous cameo appearances in music videos by 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, and Fabolous. Even at this early stage in his career, he was embroiled in rap feuds associated with G-Unit, including those with Joe Budden, Ja Rule, and Memphis Bleek. His first appearance on a single was on Jim Jones' "Certified Gangstas", before his own single "Westside Story" was released in 2004. The original title of the album was Nigga Wit' An Attitude Volume 1 (as can be seen in the lyrics to "Dreams"), but an injunction filed at the request of Eazy-E's widow prevented him from using N.W.A.'s name in the album title. Dr. Dre and 50 Cent were executive producers on The Game's major label debut album, The Documentary, which spawned the hit singles "How We Do" and "Hate It or Love It" (the latter receiving two Grammy nominations).[19] The album debuted at number one on the Billboard music charts and was the tenth best selling album of 2005 in the United States.[20] It also debuted at number seven in the United Kingdom and sold over five million copies world wide.[21] Due to his disputes with 50 Cent, The Game left Aftermath Entertainment and signed with Geffen Records in order to terminate his contractual obligations with G-Unit in the summer of 2006. The rapper finished working on his sophomore album Doctor's Advocate, which was released on November 14, 2006. This album was set out by The Game to prove that he is able to make good music and be a successful artist without the help of Dr. Dre or 50 Cent. He is also working on getting his own label, The Black Wall Street Records, signed to a distribution label. While The Game originally claimed Dr. Dre would still do production work on the album in the November issue of XXL magazine,[22] 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 on the album[23] (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 album debuted at number one in the U.S., selling over 358,000 copies its first week.[24] In May 2007, The Game said while filming Beef IV, that his tentitive third album would be his last.[25] Other ventures As a result of his fame, The Game has ventured into areas outside of rap. The Game was chosen to play and had bought a large selection of shares for the now defunct Inglewood Cobras, an ABA franchise team.[26] The Game is also venturing into acting. In 2004, he had a minor role voicing the character "B-Dup", in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. He will also voice a character in the upcoming video game Def Jam: Icon. In 2006, he made his film debut in the movie Waist Deep as a character named "Big Meat" and has been/is filming at least two more movies.[27] The Game has also partnered with 310 Motoring to create his own shoe called The Hurricanes. A portion of the proceeds of the shoe are donated to the victims of Katrina. Personal life The Game has one child, a son named Harlem Caron Taylor, who was born on June 30, 2003. Baron Davis, a basketball team mate in high school,[13] and current NBA all-star was named Harlem's godfather.[28] The Los Angeles Times reported that as of 2006, The Game is a resident of Glendale, California after having purchased a home in the Kenneth Village neighborhood. The Game announced that he was engaged to actress/model Valeisha Butterfield, the daughter of U.S. Congressman G. K. Butterfield. The couple were set to marry in March 2007, but the engagement was called off in June 2006.[29] In February 2007, The Game revealed in an interview with Mistah F.A.B. on radio station Wild 94.9 that he was expecting his second child in April, with former substitute teacher Tiffany Webb.[30] Controversy Even before releasing his debut album, The Game has been involved in feuds with many rappers. The rapper has previously had rivalries with Suge Knight of Death Row Records, Ja Rule, Joe Budden, Yukmouth, as well as Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, and the Young Gunz of Roc-A-Fella Records. The most prominent rivalry he has is with 50 Cent and G-Unit. The Game has also had minor feuds with Xzibit, Ja Rule, Guerilla Black, Bishop Lamont, Domination, Benzino, and model Vida Guerra (see Wouldn't Get Far). Joe Budden The origin of the feud with Joe Budden began when 50 Cent criticized Joe Budden's album for "lacking street credibility". Joe Budden took offense and released various insults directed at G-Unit. The Game previously did a freestyle for DJ Clue, and then Joe Budden used the end of the freestyle without notifying The Game. While on the end, Joe Budden took shots at G-Unit. In defense, The Game made several records against Joe Budden, most notoriously the track "Buddens". Joe Budden mocked The Game's appearance on the dating game show Change of Heart. The Game has consistently defended his appearance on the show. Later, at a party in New York, the rappers mutually announced their intention to stop making hostile records about each other,[31] but The Game has subsequently suggested in songs and videos that he won the feud. Yukmouth Yukmouth first met The Game at a club, and at the time Yukmouth was engaged in a feud with 50 Cent and G-Unit. The Game released a diss track aimed at the rapper over the beat of "I Got 5 on It", a song which Yukmouth recorded when he was a part of Luniz.[32] Yukmouth responded with a track that mocked The Game's appearance .. of Heart. The two later tried to bury the hatchet, due to a personal friend and even recorded a song together, named "Peace". However, the beef continued afterward, since The Game dissed Yukmouth on "Peace" (they recorded their verses separately).[33] Since then, Yukmouth responded by releasing a freestyle music video over Fabolous' "Breathe" single. In the video, there is a look-a-like of the rapper getting robbed and beaten up. In that song, Yukmouth claimed that The Game had a tongue ring and was slapped by mogul Suge Knight. Since the West Coast Peace Conference, both rappers ended the feud. Death Row Records Dr. Dre's old nemesis Suge Knight had an ongoing feud with The Game stemming from when Yukmouth claimed that The Game had been slapped by Suge Knight. The Game responded on his website, saying that if Suge Knight had ever touched him, he would be "six feet under". After the 2005 BET Awards, associates of Death Row had their invitations to a party hosted by Ciara rescinded. Supposedly, a member of Death Row had tried to steal The Game's chain. The Game stated on his Black Wall Street website that he dislikes Suge Knight because of "the lives he has endangered". In Miami for the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, Suge Knight was shot and wounded at Kanye West's party by an unknown gunman.[34] The Game vigorously denied involvement in the shooting, but the incident renewed efforts to pacify hip hop feuds and The Game has consequently been discouraged from attending certain events in hopes of averting retaliation.[35] Later, The Game and various representatives of California's rap cliques formed a West Coast "peace treaty" to end many rivalries between various West Coast rappers.[36] Although Suge Knight did not attend, he and The Game declared their feud over. Roc-A-Fella Records The feud between The Game and Roc-A-Fella Records grew out of an earlier rivalry with Memphis Bleek over the name of his label (Get Low Records), which was similar to the one The Game was previously signed to (Get Low Recordz). On the single "Westside Story", The Game raps that "I don't do button-up shirts or drive maybachs", which was perceived as being directed towards Jay-Z. Later Jay-Z performed a freestyle on Funkmaster Flex's radio show on Hot 97 and in it he repeatedly used the word "game", which some hip-hop fans believed was directed towards The Game.[37] The Game responded and made several remarks directed at Roc-A-Fella Records. While The Game was feuding with Roc-A-Fella artists, his first album featured production from Kanye West and Just Blaze,[38] two Roc-A-Fella producers. In an interview with Ed Lover and Monie Love, The Game said the Maybach line on "Westside Story" was referring to Ja Rule, he also said he has a lot of respect for Jay-Z and would never take shots at a legend. Jay-Z later insisted that the "game" references were just about the rap game itself, not the rapper. The Game still addressed Memphis Bleek and Young Gunz on some songs, but the beef between them cooled off. There were rumors that Jay-Z was planning on "declaring war" on The Game and others at a concert. Despite the feud, Jay-Z instead used the opportunity to make peace with many of his rivals.[39] 50 Cent and G-Unit Main article: G-Unit vs. The Game feud In early 2005, The Game began a feud with G-Unit. Even before The Game's first album was released and their feud became public, there was tension between The Game and 50 Cent.[40] Soon after The Documentary's release, 50 Cent felt that the rapper was disloyal for saying he did not want to participate in G-Unit's feud with other rappers, and even wanting to work with artists with whom G-Unit were feuding, such as Nas and Jadakiss. Stop Snitchin, Stop Lyin is a documentary released by The Game in 2006.50 Cent also claimed that he was not getting his proper credit for the creation of the album, and he claimed that he wrote six of the songs, but The Game denied that. During that dispute, a member of The Game's entourage was shot after a confrontation at the Hot 97 studio in New York City[41] After the situation between them escalated, 50 Cent and The Game decided to hold a press conference to announce their reconciliation.[42] Fans had mixed feelings as to whether the rappers created a publicity stunt designed to boost the sales of the two albums the pair had just released.[41] Nevertheless, even after the situation had apparently deflated,[43] G-Unit continued to feud with The Game, denouncing his street credibility in the media and claiming that without their support, he will not score a hit from his second album. The Game responded during a performance at Summer Jam and launched a boycott of G-Unit called "G-Unot".[44] After the performance at Summer Jam, The Game responded with "300 Bars and Runnin'", an extended diss going at G-Unit as well as members of Roc-A-Fella Records on the mixtape You Know What It Is Vol. 3. Many of The Game's fans felt that the diss song was the pivotal rebuttal that gave The Game the advantage in his beef with 50 Cent and G-Unit. 50 Cent responded through his "Piggy Bank" music video, which features The Game as a Mr. Potato Head doll and also parodies other rivals.[45] 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. 50 Cent's rebuttal was "Not Rich, Still Lyin'" where he mocks The Game.[46] In addition, G-Unit started to respond on numerous mixtapes, and new G-Unit member Spider Loc began dissing The Game. The Game responded with "240 Bars (Spider Joke)",[46] a song mainly aimed at Spider Loc, but also addressing Tony Yayo and rap group M.O.P.,[46] and on the song "The Funeral 100 Bars". In October 2006, The Game extended a peace treaty to 50 Cent, which was not immediately replied to.[47] However, a couple days later on Power 106, he stated that the treaty was only offered for one day.[48] On The Game's new album Doctor's Advocate, on a few of the songs, he says the beef is over. There have been some rumors about Busta Rhymes trying to get 50 Cent and The Game on a song together on his new album so they can end the beef. However this seems highly unlikely. The feud seemed to have gained steam since Tony Yayo assaulted Jimmy Henchmen's fourteen year old son. The Game responded with "Body Bags" which is on You Know What It Is Vol. 4... .. ..I edited my profile at Freeweblayouts.net , check out these Myspace Layouts!
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