The Game

Whether you believe the Game's beef with Dr. Dre is real or that his lyrical digs are just another PR stunt meant to cover up Dre's uncredited contributions, the Game's new disc is still a better-than-expected follow-up to his multiplatinum debut. Of course, it's not a classic, as the Game (aka Jayceon Taylor) claims, but most of the guest producers, including Scott Storch and will.i.am, wisely play to his West Coast base, even when sampling East Coast greats like Schoolly D and De La Soul. And the Game shows improvement as a lyricist, flashing a previously unseen wit: "All these new video bitches try to be Melyssa Ford, but they don't know Melyssa Ford drive a Honda Accord."