The Game has finally dropped The Documentary III, and one collaboration is already turning the rap world upside down. Released as a surprise on August 20, 2026, the 24-track album brings together Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, YG, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Drakeo the Ruler and more, while several lyrics have reignited questions about The Game’s relationship with Kendrick Lamar.
At the centre of the storm is “No Brakes,” The Game’s new collaboration with Drake. But despite the Kendrick-related speculation, the album does not confirm a new feud. Instead, it increasingly looks like The Game is making one thing clear: his loyalty to Drake is personal, even when the rest of hip-hop wants him to pick a side.
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The Game Drops The Documentary III as a Surprise Release
The Game announced The Documentary III on August 20, revealing that it would arrive at 9 p.m. Pacific and midnight Eastern. Sharing artwork photographed by Jonathan Mannion, he wrote:
“The Documentary III available on ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS at 9pm pacific & midnight eastern TONITE !!!!!”
He later thanked everyone involved, adding:
“Everybody that worked on album, I love & appreciate you in a major way.. we bout to reset this shit one time for the one time !!!”
He also told fans:
“& my fans who’ve been more than patient with me while trying to bring yall this heat.. I’m super down for yall. We here now.. let’s get it !!!!”
The Game co-produced the album with Tommy Brown, Mike & Keys and Travis Wilson, while Treyvonce Moore handled mixing and mastering. The project arrives 21 years after the original The Documentary was released in 2005, although The Game has described the gap as 21 or 22 years.
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Drake’s “No Brakes” Collaboration Puts Loyalty Under the Microscope
DJ Akademiks previewed “No Brakes” on August 20, immediately putting the Drake collaboration under the spotlight.
The Game raps:
“Me, Drake and a Draco, we the Three Amigos”
and:
“N***a said pick a side, then I’m picking homicide.”
Early transcriptions differed slightly, but the message is unmistakable: The Game is standing with Drake rather than allowing outside pressure to dictate his relationships.
Drake’s appearance is brief, with the Toronto rapper appearing on the hook instead of delivering a conventional guest verse. That makes the track feel less like a standard feature and more like a statement.
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“Geezus” Makes The Game’s Position Even Clearer
The Game doubles down on “Geezus,” directly addressing the criticism surrounding his Drake relationship:
“I say the Drake the homie, y’all say it’s treason”
He follows with:
“Want me to pick sides while y’all dickride”
before declaring:
“When you’re from the westside you ain’t gotta pick sides”
That distinction matters. The Game is defending his relationship with Drake, but he is not explicitly saying that loyalty to Drake requires hostility toward Kendrick.
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“LA Monster” Fuels Kendrick Lamar Speculation
Then comes “LA Monster,” where The Game says:
“I ain’t got no problem with the boogeyman and he ain’t got a problem with me.”
He also raps:
“I might drive the Rolls today, the GNX scare the h*es away.”
Listeners and media outlets have interpreted the “boogeyman” and GNX references as possible Kendrick Lamar nods, particularly because of Kendrick’s GNX era and his status in Los Angeles hip-hop. However, Kendrick is not explicitly named, meaning any claim that these are confirmed Kendrick-directed shots remains interpretation.
Why The Game and Drake’s History Matters
The Game and Drake have history. They previously collaborated on “100” from The Documentary 2 in 2015.
That relationship was highlighted again during The Game’s July 2026 VERZUZ battle with YG. Before performing “100,” The Game shouted out Drake:
“Shout out to the boy,”
then added:
“I don’t give a fuck how a n***a feel about it.”
Drake was not present, making the public acknowledgement even more notable amid continuing discussion of West Coast loyalties after Drake and Kendrick’s 2024 feud.
The Kendrick Lamar Connection Goes Back More Than a Decade
The Game and Kendrick are both from Compton and once shared a very different relationship. They collaborated on “The City” from 2011’s The R.E.D. Album, and that year The Game, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre publicly recognised Kendrick as part of the next generation of West Coast talent.
During a memorable 2011 performance, West Coast veterans surrounded Kendrick and symbolically passed the torch to him, leaving Kendrick emotional.
The Game continued supporting Kendrick in later years. In 2017, while praising DAMN., he referred to Kendrick as his “lil n-gga.”
That history makes The Game’s current Drake alignment far more complicated than a simple beef narrative.
YG and the West Coast Identity of The Documentary III
The album also keeps its Los Angeles roots firmly intact. During the July VERZUZ, The Game revealed:
“YG on it. That’s it, that’s all I’ma say about that. The Documentary 3. 22 years [sic. It’s actually 21 years] since the first one. Blood is on my shit, and I’m proud about that. It’s some West Side Bompton shit.”
The Game and YG also released “Red People,” produced by Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, on their VERZUZ event day.
The reported The Documentary III guest list includes Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Drakeo the Ruler, PARTYNEXTDOOR, YG, Leon Thomas, Tyga, Larry June, Black Thought and others.
The reported 24-track lineup includes “Geezus,” “Love It or Hate It,” “Steppers,” “The Life,” “Scary Times,” “20 Deep,” “No Brakes,” “Sticks,” “Geekin,” “40 Nights,” “Do You Love Me,” “Run It Up,” “Party At Game’s,” “BABY,” “In The Way,” “The Part,” “HELLA,” “Nothing 2 Hide,” “LA Monster,” “Meet The Parents,” “The Pen,” “The Cookout,” “I Won’t Be Afraid,” and “Game Recognize Game.”
Has The Game Actually Started a New Kendrick Feud?
So far, there is no confirmed statement from Kendrick Lamar declaring a new conflict with The Game. Reactions from people associated with Kendrick’s camp, including TDE president Punch, have also not amounted to an explicit declaration of war.
That leaves The Documentary III in an interesting middle ground. The Game is clearly comfortable standing beside Drake, referencing their friendship and rejecting pressure to choose sides. Yet the most heavily discussed Kendrick references remain interpretations because Kendrick is not directly named.
The bigger story may therefore be loyalty rather than beef. More than a decade after The Game helped symbolically pass the West Coast torch to Kendrick, he has released an album that puts his relationship with Drake front and centre.
For now, The Documentary III is best understood as The Game drawing his own line in the sand—not formally reigniting a Kendrick Lamar feud. Whether Kendrick or his camp responds directly is still unknown.
Disclaimer
This article is based on research of the sources provided below, including Complex, The Source, Hot 97, AllHipHop and Hip-Hop Wired. Confirmed statements, reported information, lyrics and interpretations have been kept distinct. References to Kendrick Lamar in lyrics are presented as media or fan interpretations where Kendrick is not explicitly named. This article does not claim that The Game has formally declared a new feud with Kendrick Lamar or that Kendrick has responded unless explicitly stated in the reported source material.
Sources: Complex — The Game’s Documentary III announcement and “No Brakes” coverage; The Source — DJ Akademiks’ “No Brakes” preview and The Documentary III/Kendrick-related lyrics; Complex — The Game’s Drake comments at VERZUZ; Hot 97 — Kendrick affiliates’ reactions; AllHipHop — The Game’s history of supporting Kendrick Lamar; Hip-Hop Wired — the 2011 West Coast “pass the torch” moment.
Sources
- Complex — The Game’s Documentary III announcement and “No Brakes” coverage
- Complex — The Game shouts out Drake at VERZUZ
- AllHipHop — The Game’s history of supporting Kendrick Lamar / album release
Image Credit:
- Featured Image: Instagram (@losangelesconfidential / @champagnepapi)
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