Compton, California emcee Game has had a massive week, by way of his Purp & Patron
double-mixtape. The effort, hosted by both Funkmaster Flex and DJ Skee has fans excited about the upcoming R.E.D. album.
Speaking with HipHopDX just minutes ago, Game spoke about getting the legendary club deejay and radio personality Funkmaster Flex to co-host this monstrous tape. For starters, the mixtape’s title took its form from simple studio surroundings. “I told [DJ] Skee that it was about time for another mixtape, because I had been getting a bunch of things done just on the random – [not necessarily for the R.E.D.] album. I called [Lil] Wayne and I called [Fabolous], just callin’ in favors. I just knew I was gonna put out a mixtape, but I didn’t even know what I was gonna call it. We was in the studio, drinkin’ this Cafe Patron, which is the bottle featured on the tape [cover], and smokin’ and everything. One of my boys was like, ‘Yo, we gonna call it Purp & Patron.‘ So I called Skee [and asked] to get a cover drawn up.”
Once Game went public with the concept, Hot 97’s evening deejay wanted in. “As soon as I put the avatar on my phone, [Funkmaster] Flex called me up like, ‘Yo, I’m bein’ part of this thing. Call Skee and let him know it’s me and him.'” DJ Skee, who has been making mixtapes with Game for nearly eight years, agreed to have the legendary mixmaster host.
Without much warning, the double-mixtape released on Monday. The short notice was actually game taking a challenge from Black Wall Street producer Ike. “I didn’t think I was gonna be able to make the deadline, but my boy challenged me,” said the rapper. On Saturday at 11 a.m. PST, the rapper says he had nothing recorded, but began feverishly writing and recording. “I just started writin’ my verses to everything I had. Shit, I went in, man. My engineer Sam, I kept asking him, ‘Sam, where we at?'” The contents of Purp & Patron went from three songs, to 12, to 18, to a total of 30. “Send Skee 30 songs,” Game told his engineer, without having previously conceptualized a double-mixtape. “Shit, it’s called Purp & Patron. Let’s make one Purp, let’s make one Patron.”
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When DJ Skee received the weekend recordings, Monday’s 4:20 pm EST deadline was fast approaching. “Skee was on an airplane from New York to L.A. He sequenced the tape and put the drops in, and got the tape right on the plane,” Game revealed. “As soon as he landed [we put it out].” Although the initial deadline was not met, Game teased fans, claiming he meant Pacific Standard Time instead. Once the tape reached online sites, the fans swarmed. With a hearty laugh, Game told DX, “That shit spread like HIV on a homo dick.”
Among the songs that fans are talking about the most on Purp & Patron is the Cool & Dre-produced “The Kill”. Asked about the La Roux-sampling song, Game provided an interesting anecdote. “I hadn’t talked to Nas in like a year, since [L.A.X. when] we did ‘Letter To The King.’ Out of nowhere, I get a text from this fuckin’ [New York] number, and I read the text: ‘Yo, it’s Esco. Two words: ‘The Kill.'” As Game tried to engage in a text conversation with his friend and collaborator, Nas stopped respond. With a chuckle, Game stated, “He disappeared again. He just chimed in to give me props on ‘The Kill.'”
More than just Nas’ blessings, the song is a favorite by fans. “That song is crazy, I love ‘The Kill.’ That’s my favorite song on the mixtape,” said Game. “I just got off the phone with Skee like two minutes [ago], and we was talkin’ about how we gonna shoot this video to ‘The Kill,’ ’cause fans are really going crazy for it. So we’re gonna have to do a visual. We’re gonna work on that in the next seven days.”
Asked about the inspiration to the song, Game affirmed his critics for bringing the lyrics out. “I was in the mind-state of people always doubting me, lyrically. I think it’s ’cause I have fun and I got plenty styles. I can change my voice and change my style, and I’m always havin’ fun on records. I don’t know why people doubt me lyrically, but I really am a superb lyricist.” The self-confident emcee continued, “When I sit down and really give myself a chance to think and vibe with a beat, [I can be great]. I think I’ve proved that album-after-album, joint-after-joint, from ‘Hate It Or Love It’ to ‘My Life’ to ‘Dreams’ on down to ‘The Kill.’ When I start writing real music, it always comes across like this.”
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The emcee also praised longtime collaborators Cool & Dre, as well as his deep for the culture. “When I get a beat like that, and I’m in that real music, real Hip Hop, then that’s gonna be the outcome every time.”
