Music Review: Rapper The Game comes strong with spiritually street-themed album, ‘Jesus Piece’

The Game, “Jesus Piece” (Interscope Records)

The Game returns with a heavy dose of guest appearances on his fifth offering, including Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Jamie Foxx and 2 Chainz. But like his last album, “The R.E.D. Album,” he isn’t outshined by any of the features on “Jesus Piece.”

With his hoarse delivery, Game’s words are full of bravado, his topics are concise and his rhymes are easy to digest on these well-produced tracks. That’s certainly evident on “Pray,” featuring J. Cole and JMSN, where the Game tells a compelling story about being a “guardian angel” for a woman struggling with drug abuse.

On “Can’t Get Right,” featuring K. Roosevelt, Game is in confession mode. He raps about his struggles to avoid the fast life and envisions through a nightmare that his mentor, Dr. Dre, was shot as a gospel choir sings background.

Game is able to mesh his brash raps while talking about his trials of spiritual growth — especially on “Heaven’s Arms” and “See No Evil,” with Kendrick Lamar and Tank.

But the album takes a wrong turn on “Hallelujah,” where Game opens the song praising God with the use of profanity, rapping about the struggle to overcome his worldly desires during church services. Some have said the song is offensive, but don’t let this particular track overshadow the rest of this quality album.

CHECK OUT THIS TRACK: “Jesus Piece” is an entertaining song with verses from Game and Common, and a hook from Kanye West.

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Follow Jonathan Landrum Jr. on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mrlandrum31

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