Why He's No. 88

A relative newcomer to the music industry, The Game is being heralded as the future of West Coast rap thanks to the success of his Grammy-nominated debut album with Aftermath, The Documentary. Even if you haven't seen him live, you may have seen his performance at the Hurricane Katrina concert benefit, ReAct Now: Music & Relief, or heard him in the best-selling video game, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Back Stage

Despite the album's undeniable success, The Game and 50 Cent had a very public falling out over The Game's perceived disloyalty and lack of respect. The feud resulted in The Game being dropped from G-Unit altogether.

Tensions reached a fever pitch on February 28, 2005, when The Game's entourage attempted to confront 50 Cent and G-Unit while they did a radio interview at New York's legendary Hot 97. Before the two groups could come face-to-face, a member of The Game's entourage was shot in the leg.

The Game and 50 Cent finally put an end to their rivalry on March 9, 2005, when they held a press conference. In addition to announcing their truce, the two men also donated $253,500 to the Boys Choir of Harlem and the Compton Unified School District music program.

The Game is currently working on a follow-up to The Documentary entitled The Doctor's Advocate. The album is scheduled for release in April 2006.

Forcaste

Despite a bevy of honors, The Game manages to keep it real. The rapper still owns multiple properties in Compton and visits his old neighborhood regularly with his Black Wall Street entourage. "I'm not a star," he says. "I'm just a regular guy who has a great rap album and is the protg of Dr. Dre. But I'm the most down-to-earth guy."