Music / Game Theory

Today's gon' be the day, we start livin' in the new world

People think that I'm crazy, just cause I wanna be alone
You can't depend on friends to help you in a squeeze
We all deal with shit on our own
And sometimes the beef can grow, get out of hand
Yeah, you know it gets full blown
I never said that you mean the world to me
Maybe it's best that you never know

- "Clock with No Hands"

Game Theory is the seventh album by hip hop music group The Roots released in 2006 on Def Jam.

Inspired by darker subject matter such as the war in Iraq, the state of contemporary black music and the death of J Dilla. The record would be much darker lyrically and sonically in comparison to their previous record The Tipping Point, with the record harkening back to their tight jazz-influenced sound with more influence from experimental music and conscious lyrics that would put them in the realm of seminal political hip hop artists such as Public Enemy. The record would also see the band using newer recording techniques as much of the record was produced using GarageBand,a music software application developed by Apple.

Considered one of their most acclaimed records, it would lauded for its dense, often dark lyrical content and experimental sound, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album.

Not to be confused with the pop band Game Theory or the Web Video series of the same name.

Tracklist

1. "Dilltastic Vol Won(derful)" (0:28)
2. "False Media" (2:44)
3. "Game Theory" (4:01)
4. "Don't Feel Right" (4:08)
5. "In the Music" (4:07)
6. "Take It There" (2:50)
7. "Baby" (2:50)
8. "Here I Come" (4:11)
9. "Long Time" (4:21)
10. "Livin' in a New World" (1:47)
11. "Clock with No Hands" (4:23)
12. "Atonement" (2:35)
13. "Can't Stop This" (8:35)

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Tropetastic Vol Won(derful)

• Album Intro Track: "Dilltastic Vol Won(derful)"
• Darker and Edgier: Game Theory would be this to The Tipping Point and the beginning of these for most of their future releases.
• Epic Rocking: "Can't Stop This". Which lasts for eight minutes.
• In Memoriam: "Can't Stop This" is this for hip hop producer J Dilla, as the track opens with a voicemail of Questlove's lauding Dilla's skill an personality and even ends with members of The Roots praising him with the phrase "J Dilla Forever" being echoed at the end.
• Longest Song Goes Last: "Can't Stop This" is the final track on the record an the longest at eight minutes.
• Miniscule Rocking: "Dilltastic" is only twenty-eight seconds, however it gets a pass given it's the record's introductory track. However, "Livin' in a New World" doesn't even make it to two minutes.
• Political Rap: Although this record wouldn't be the first time they would delve into this subgenre of hip hop, it would be the record be focused completely in this subgenre.
• Protest Song: Quite a few songs are this including, but not limited to "False Media", "Don't Feel Right" and "Take it There".
• Record Producer: The Roots would largely self-produce this record along with help from associates who were already mostly associated with them.
• Sampling: "Dilltastic Vol Won(derful) samples "You'll Know When You Get There" by Herbie Hancock & "Fantastic" by Slum Village.
  • The title track utilizes a vocal sample "Life of Fortune and Fame" by Sly and the Family Stone & interpolates "Don't Believe the Hype" by Public Enemy
  • "Don't Feel Fight" samples "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & the Gang and "Ecstasy" by the Ohio Players
  • "Can't Stop This" heavily samples "Time: The Donut of the Heart" by J Dilla and a vocal sample of "All I Do Is Think of You" by The Jackson 5. The final half of the track utilizes a drum loop from "To You With Love" by The Moments.
• Shout-Out: The intro to "Baby" is this to Next Friday, he quotes the scene where Craig goes into Pinky's record store.
• Take That!: "Baby" is this to critics of rap music. With verses telling the perspectives of those who mostly write it off as just "black music".
  Your old man don't like to jitterbug, said this old dirty music
  Hip hop just so ridiculous, them stories too confusing
  • "Don't Feel Right" is this towards mainstream rappers who choose to portray a hard image and refuse to speak on social ills for the sake of commercial success.
  If you ain't saying nothing, you the system's accomplice
  It should play with your conscience, do away with the nonsense
  I'm overseeing anything within my circumference
  This ain't a press junket, I ain't seeking responses
  I stand where the people got the heat in they pockets
  You mesmerized by the calm nonchalantness
  I spin a dark web on some John Hitchcock shit
  If you ain't speaking your life, your rhyme's adopted
  If it don't feel right, then stop it, you know what I'm saying?
• Textless Album Cover: Most variants of the cover are. However, like the above image, some do come with the band and album name.
• Title Track: "Game Theory"

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