“Dreams” by The Game

The Game is one of the most respected and skilled rappers of all time. Growing up in Compton, California, Jayceon Taylor dreamed of becoming a rapper like West Coast Rap legends N.W.A., Snoop Dogg, and Tupac Shakur. Those dreams came true in the early 2000’s, when he became a protege of 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, and Eminem. He signed with Aftermath Entertainment (Dre’s label), and released his debut album The Documentary in 2005. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, bolstered by tracks like “Hate It or Love It” and “How We Do”. The song “Dreams” is the fifth single off that album, and while it didn’t go number one on the charts, it may very well be Game’s best and most poignant performance.

“Dreams” features a beat that was produced by Kanye West, and it may very well be Kanye’s best. The track features a sample of "No Money Down" by soul music singer Jerry Butler, which gives the song a soulful and timeless feel. The Game acts as a storyteller, recounting his life up to that moment in time. This longform story format and Game’s flow pair incredibly well with the beat, and create an incredibly heartfelt and powerful tale. This is why many consider this to not only be The Game’s best performance on this all-time album, but the best performance of his career.

The music video follows Game on the journey he’s taken to get to this moment. Some of the biggest moments of Game’s life include when he was shot and subsequently fell into a coma in 2001, which is where the video begins. When he wakes up from the coma, the song kicks in and we go through The Game’s rise in the rap world. We see him sign with Dre and record the very album this song is from. We also see Game doing press and photo shoots for the album, where we see him wearing the black chucks he wears on the iconic album cover. All of these shots are contrasted with shots of Game still living in Compton, and holding his infant son, highlighting what really matters to him and what his real dream is. This is a perfect music video, and holds up to this day as the opus of one of the greatest to ever pick up a mic.