“I woke up out that coma 2001/’bout the same time Dre dropped 2001,” were the opening words from The Game’s unforgettable, Kanye West-produced single “Dreams” back in 2005.
At the time of the song and his debut album The Documentary was released, Jayceon Taylor was just a few years removed from almost losing his life after being shot five times in the chest area.
18 years to the day, on Tuesday (October 1), the Compton-bred rap star felt obliged to revisit the dark times through an Instagram vent.
“OCTOBER 1ST 2001 ‼️” he began. “18 years since I was in a coma after getting shot 5 times in the dope spot… I look at this video of the younger me & I can’t do anything but thank God for the opportunity to have a second chance. All I knew was Cedar Block Piru !!!! I’m tellin y’all, I was a real fuck up…
While rappers have been bragging about holding heat since the beginning of rap itself, Game didn’t mince his words when he said he was always packing.
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“I didn’t go nowhere without 3 guns on me..,” he continued. “I used to play basketball wit a glock on my waist in the holster… Compton made me that way. 2 dead brothers, n everybody make in my family gang banned…. that was the way. Foster care… the system wouldn’t let me go back to my momma & then when They finally did.. I was different than my momma was used to.. I wasn’t her sweet 8 year old baby anymore.. So my momma didn’t want shit to do with me at that point, my granny died on me right after high school & crushed me… I was in & out the County Jail, hardcore gang banging… shoot outs wit rival crip niggas round my way, all my homies that were alive then that are dead now…. from then to now so much has changed for me… I didn’t have any children when I got shot now I have 3 & their doing amazing in life.”
Eight albums, several multi-platinum plaques and dozens of wild news headlines later, Game, 39, has slowed his tempo for the most part but couldn’t help to admit he used to be 100 miles and runnin’ like N.W.A.
“Back then, I didn’t care if I lived or died & that was normal to me. I never expected nor cared to live past 25 years old. I literally didn’t give a fuck !!!! My childhood was rough…. sometimes I do not know how I made it out of all I’ve been through… but, I did… & I guess that’s the only important part of my story at this point in life. I’m here….. & I look at my kids & they have no idea what I went through so they could be here & have what they have….. #HateItOrLoveIt #HappySurvivalAnniversarySelf ??”
Despite hinting at retirement for much of the past year, Game is expected to deliver at least one last album, still titled Born To Rap as of press time.
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