Witness the strength of the West Coast gangsta rap resurrection

The Game's major-label debut is a blast of big-budget mid-’00s hip-hop overseen by gangsta rap pioneer Dr. Dre, whose executive-producer role guarantees a high-end sheen to the rider music. Check out the Compton-raised Game dropping husky-voiced street sermons on the eerie, piano-based "Westside Story" and the sinister "How We Do," while Kanye West's nuanced way with soul samples adds depth to the project by casting "Dreams" as a brooding gangsta's lament on life.