The Game Deserves The Respect He Gives; None

      Courtesy: Independent

I love hip hop and I definitely have an appreciation especially for debut albums. The Game's debut album "The Documentary" is one of my favorite debut albums of any artist. I happen to think the majority of his discography is pretty solid. But I have always been conflicted with The Game as a person and his view of women. I really believe that he doesn't respect women and sees them as completely subservient to him. I want to share some thoughts today about my issues with The Game's mentality and how it is indicative to a problem among Black men.

Last week I came across several tweets that reported this:


Apparently on The Game's forthcoming ninth album, the rapper details a past tryst with Kim Kardashian before the notoriety came her way. He also apparently throws Cyn Santana's name in there as well, who happens to be the fiance of one Joe Budden. There was some blow back from #Blacktwitter along with Joe Budden. You can watch some of his remarks here:


A lot of the backlash stemmed from The Game's consistent instances in which he degrades women. You can trace such behavior all the way back to "Wouldn't Get Far." An expertly produced track which is an ode to ousting women and the people they have slept with. A lot of us would categorize this behavior as "sucka shit." And I would say there is no better way of categorizing such behavior.

The Game represents the kind of man that believes that his status should be enough of a license for him to be beyond reproach. He has money and proverbially can have any woman that he wants. It's that same attitude that was apparent throughout the run of his former reality show "Marrying The Game." It was a show that chronicled the hope of walking down the aisle with his then fiance Tiffney Cambridge. Throughout the show, Game exhibits his male privileged brattiness." He often refers to the lifestyle that he provides Tiffney with as a reason why she shouldn't be pushing for marriage or accountability from him.


Unfortunately, I couldn't find footage of the many heated arguments that took place throughout 3 seasons of the show. Of course the show was meant to show a balance of this rough exterior of a man, showing his softer side to his family. But Game's lack of respect and discipline continuously led to conflict.

The Game threatening to release video footage of him having sex with Kim Kardashian or Cyn Santana represents a lot of what is wrong within our communities as men. The lack of respect we have for women that we sleep with should be higher. And it shouldn't be compromised by who that woman is. A woman allows us to enter her, hell a woman brings us into this world. Women deserve respect on the most basic of levels anyone else does. It should be as standard as power windows at this point. The Game is a public figure, he has slept with notable women. Why  does he ever feel the need to expose women for the sake of giving credence to his bars?

The Game is turning 40 years old this year. It can be disheartening to many women that someone at his age still possesses the views that he does. For other women, it might unfortunately be a reality that they are or have been with someone like this. I think a serious discussion needs to be had about The Game and his treatment of women throughout his life. A discussion that catches his eye and causes him to react.

I anticipate that  if he were to be held accountable, the first types of things he would point to is the fact that he is a present father and that he contributes to his community. We have to begin telling people that that is no longer enough! You give kids backpacks for back to school, or you hand out turkeys during Thanksgiving season, that's all well and good. We have a responsibility to our community and our fellow man. We are supposed to be a blessing to others when we ourselves have some blessings. My point is that he is doing what he is supposed to do. He is an active father, hooray! Kudos to him, but again, that is his duty.

Another duty of ours is to be respectful to our women. Regardless of your views of Cyn or Kim, neither of these women have defamed The Game in any way. Both women are in serious relationships. Those relationships should be respected. I'll go as for to highlight Game's dishonor by referencing music that The Game has created with Kanye on several occasions which include the aforementioned "Wouldn't Get Far." You would think that the fact that someone with whom he seemingly has no issue with, that Game wouldn't feel the need to  reference his Ye's wife in his rap in such a way. Women who have an issue with how Kim rose to fame would say that Kanye deserves this. But as a man, it's just extra to go into detail about a woman who is now someone else's wife in a public and crass manner.

I have been in situations, as we all have, where we are in settings where "old work" is present as well. People in attendance that know the history, they know what they know. But more times than not, you're not running around telling the world of someone else's business, it's in poor taste. When men act like this, it continues to make women more weary of us.

I think it's fine to feel proud of who you have slept with and shared special times with. I think it's fine to remember someone's beauty and their myriad of skills. They are a part of your life experience. I think it's unrealistic to think that they would never cross your mind again. But putting them on front street for the world to see is wrong. Especially when those people are in new and fulfilling relationships. In those situations, less is best.

It's extremely juvenile to want to leak sex tapes to the public for literally no reason. I really question the example that Game thinks he is setting for his sons as well as his daughter. What seeds is Game sowing exactly? It's time that these things no longer get brushed away by the news cycle. It matters not how I feel about the past music. All I continue to see is a lack of growth within Game's self as a man. He does not value women and possibly never will at this point. But I think it's necessary that we as Black men continue to call him out on his bullshit, because none of these stunts here that he's pulling is playa.

These are my words and I make no apologies.


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