Game
The Game & Keyshia Cole Lyrics

See, ever since the day I got the chance to make a change
I have been striving to make a difference since the first time I was given an opportunity to do so.

I've been in this game, it's a new day
I have been part of the music industry for some time now, and the future looks bright.

And I'm making it known cause I just want the world to know
I'm trying to get my message out to as many people as possible because it's important to me.

I'm paying my dues, and I got the utmost, I just wanna let you know
I have worked hard and earned my place in the industry, and I want to make sure everyone knows it.

I'm payin' homage 'cause you've paved the way for me, yeah
I am showing respect to those artists who came before me and cleared the path for my own success.

I swear to God, it feel like every day is my birthday
I am so blessed to be where I am that it feels like every day is a celebration.

Let the top down, California's my birthplace
I am proud to have been born and raised in California, and I want to represent it in my music.

So I'ma take you there like B.I.G took niggas to New York
I am going to transport my listeners to California with my lyrics the way Notorious B.I.G did for New York.

"Juicy" had us feeling like we was from New York
B.I.G's hit song "Juicy" was so influential that it made people all over the world feel like they were from New York City.

And that's real shit blazed the Philly
B.I.G's music was so powerful it reached all the way to Philadelphia.

It's summertime shout out to Will Smith
I want to give credit to Will Smith for his contributions to music and acting, especially during the summertime when his movies were released.

Cause who didn't wanna be the Fresh Prince
Will Smith's TV show "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" was so popular that everyone wanted to be like him.

Flat top, gold chain and some fresh kicks?
The Fresh Prince's style was iconic and influenced a generation of young people to dress like him.

My nigga Nas told me money make the world go round
Nas, another influential rapper, gave me some valuable advice about the importance of money in our society.

And Uncle Luke showed me how to make my girl go down
Uncle Luke, a rapper from Miami, showed me some explicit sexual techniques.

I've been around Hip Hop since '85
I have been part of the Hip Hop scene for a long time, dating back to when I was a child.

She had her ups and downs but she stayed alive
Hip Hop has gone through some tough times, but it has persevered and continues to thrive today.

I used to think LL stood for Love LA
I used to interpret the initials of rapper LL Cool J as standing for "Love LA," since he was from Queens, New York, but had a deep connection to the West Coast music scene.

He from Queens, how the fuck he put that with Cool J?
It seemed strange to me that LL Cool J, who was from Queens, would have such an affinity for Los Angeles.

Red Kangol hat, red sweatsuit to match
LL Cool J's signature style often included a red Kangol hat and matching red sweatsuit, which became iconic in its own right.

Red Adidas, nigga, Game is back
I am bringing back the old school style of LL Cool J and other early Hip Hop pioneers with my own fresh spin.

Public Enemy and N.W.A is on my boom box, had to say
Two of the most influential Hip Hop groups, Public Enemy and N.W.A, were among my favorites and dominated my tape deck in the 80s and 90s.

Today was a good day, had the hood buzzin'
Ice Cube's classic song "Today Was a Good Day" was so powerful that it resonated with people from all walks of life and had a profound impact on the Hip Hop community.

Ice Cube my favorite rapper, y'all niggas can't tell me nothin'
Ice Cube is one of the greatest rappers of all time, and no one can change my mind about that.

Everybody's first bootleg was Boyz 'n the Hood
Ice Cube's breakout film "Boyz n the Hood" was so popular that it was one of the most commonly bootlegged movies for years after its release.

Whoever thought gangsta rap would make noise in the hood
The idea that a gritty, raw genre like gangsta rap would become so popular in inner city neighborhoods was surprising at the time.

When the cars ride by with the boomin' system
Hip Hop music was made to be played loudly, and the size of one's car stereo system became an important status symbol in certain communities.

Two door Mustang and the roof was missing
The Ford Mustang has been one of the most iconic American muscle cars for decades, and people loved riding them with the roof down on a warm day.

Every girl at ya school had the new extensions
Hair extensions became a popular fashion accessory for young women in the Hip Hop scene.

Even gangstas was dancin' like New Edition
New Edition was a popular boy band of the 80s and 90s that had dance moves that even gang members loved.

Cause the house parties stayed rockin' all night
House parties were a fundamental part of the Hip Hop scene, and they often lasted well into the early hours of the morning.

Niggas came through and shot it up but it was alright
Gun violence was unfortunately common at many Hip Hop parties, but even when things got dangerous, the community remained resilient.

Cause after the cops left, it was a party then
Even when the police would show up to shut the party down, people often stuck around and kept the good times rolling.

You down with OPP, then bring Naughty in
Naughty By Nature's hit song "O.P.P" was a staple of the Hip Hop scene in the 90s, and if you were a fan, you had to let everybody know about it.

They say it never rain in southern California, Tony Toni lied
The popular song "It Never Rains in Southern California" by Tony Toni Tone's was a lie. It actually does rain in Southern California quite frequently.

Sit back, watch Game throw his money in the sky
I am now a successful artist and can afford to live my life the way I want to, spending money on the things that bring me joy.

Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M get the money
Wu-Tang Clan's classic song "C.R.E.A.M." embodied the importance of money and wealth in our society.

In the back, I relax with all the honey's
As a successful artist, I now have access to beautiful women and can enjoy their company.

DJ bring it back, let it go
The DJ controls the music in the club, and I am asking him to replay my favorite songs.

Mix it in with Black Rob, make 'em say whoa!
Black Rob's song "Whoa!" was a club banger in the early 2000s, and I want the DJ to play it next.

Every thing full circle, Game livin' major
I have come full circle from my humble beginnings to now living life as a successful artist.

Girls on my hip like a Skytel pager
Skytel was a popular brand of pager in the 90s, and I am saying that I have beautiful women with me all the time, just like a Skytel pager is always with its owner.

Now I'm on the top, let the champagne pop
As a successful artist, I can afford to indulge in champagne, and I want to celebrate my success with it.

Throw ya hands in the sky 'cause The Game don't stop
I am telling my fans to celebrate with me and raise their hands in the air, because I am not stopping anytime soon.

Just a little more change, gotta Benz and the Range
I am still chasing more success, but I am already able to afford luxury cars like a Mercedes-Benz or Land Rover Range Rover.

Every rap metaphor always ends in my name,
I am so confident in my own abilities as a rapper that I often end my rhymes with my own name.

The Kool Hercs, DJ Red Alerts
Kool Herc and DJ Red Alert were pioneers of the Hip Hop movement in its earliest days, and I am paying homage to them and other early DJs.

Before I was born they was talking 'bout The Game
Hip Hop was already a thriving culture before I was even born, and I am just one of the many artists who have followed in the footsteps of those who came before me.

Ask a Jay-Z fan 'bout Big Daddy Kane
Jay-Z is one of the greatest rappers of all time, and even his fans might not know about an earlier artist like Big Daddy Kane who paved the way for Jay-Z's sound.

Don't know him, Game gonna show 'em
If people don't know about the early Hip Hop pioneers, I am going to educate them through my music and lyrics.

Just like they showed me, my lyrics is O.G
I have learned from the earlier generations of Hip Hop artists, and now I am carrying on their legacy through my own music and lyrics.

When it's all said and done, you niggas gon' quote me
I am so confident in my own abilities and the success of my music that I believe people will be quoting me and remembering my legacy long after I am gone.

See, Mary J. I want you to understand you paved the way (for me)
I am showing respect and gratitude to Mary J. Blige, an iconic R&B singer, for paving the way for other black female artists like myself.

I'm givin' homage (to you)
I am paying homage to Mary J. Blige for breaking barriers and creating new opportunities for artists like myself to succeed.