Vibe sits down with Game to talk about P&P, J. Cole, Wiz Khalifa, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, & more. This is for sure a dope interview and is a must read.

VIBE: Purp & Patron is getting a lot of love online, but did you have any second thoughts about releasing a double mixtape?

Game: I had no idea that it was going to kick off with the reception that it’s gotten—the same way I had no idea that The Documentary would be a classic or that hip-hop would even take me this far. But I had no doubts, even though muthafuckas don’t even want to hear a person on three songs in a row anymore, let alone a double mixtape. I got a lot of hip-hop friendships, so I knew I could keep the people’s attention. Purp & Patron was just an idea that me and Skee came up with, and when we posted the picture online, Flex called me up and said he had to be a part of the tape. We didn’t have any real promotion or help from the label.

This also feels like one of your first releases without a major beef.

It feels good to put out a tape and not have one beef song on it. I can’t even call it rare because it never happens. That’s just not Game-like, so I think it lets everybody know where my mind state is right now. I’m just chillen’. The only thing I’m concerned with is finishing the The R.E.D. Album, which is going to be nothing less than fuckin’ incredible.

You have a big record with hip-hop’s current MVP, Wiz Khalifa, how did you guys connect?

I was just a fan, man. Me and Wiz smoked for probably four hours straight before we recorded anything. He resembles a young Snoop, and I never got to record with a young Snoop [Laughs]. I only got to record with legendary Snoop, that’s the big homie, so it was a no-brainer. Hip-hop always comes 360 degrees. The new generation will always remind you of the pioneers, and it’s a love thing. Just like B.o.B. is to Outkast. We actually did 2 others songs in our session. He’s got another track for his album, and I got one for mine.

Technically, you’re the originator of Taylor Gang [laughs].

I was yelling out Taylor Gang way before the young homie. [Laughs] So people expected me to try and come at him, based off my history and my nature, but it ain’t even about that. I respect Wiz and his artistry. That’s dude’s brand name. It just so happens my last name is Taylor and one of my dead brother’s name is Charles, so I put it together like that before.

Was Wiz in the studio with you when you recorded “I’m The King”, it definitely has his musical feel to it.

Nah, I was in there with my boy Mars from 1500 and the beat was just so bouncy—that’s how my vibe came out. It really sounds LA to me.

When did you record “Su Woo” with Weezy?

We did that right before he went in. Wayne always looks out for me on anything. I’ve been talking to him damn near everyday, he’s actually in LA right now. He’ll see him on the The R.E.D. Album, and you better believe anybody that fucks with Wayne got major problems with me.

Was there anybody that you wanted on the mixtape but couldn’t get?

I really wanted J. Cole on the mixtape. As an artist I can say that I really respect his craft. The music that he makes is stuff that I can get into. In my opinion, he’s one of the next rappers to look out for. We’d have to call it “Cole Game”[Laughs].

I noticed you referenced that you would talk with 50 again, but I can never tell if you’re truly serious about it.

It’s possible for me. I’m an opportunist, and I got a family. I ain’t the one to hold grudges, but 50’s got an ego…I ain’t mad at nobody right now, so maybe one day we’ll be able to put it to bed or maybe we won’t. One thing for sure is that he’s rich as fuck and will do fine without me—and I’m paper-ed up so it never happens—I’ll be cool. The door’s cracked open, it’s not a closed door.

As your mixtape was dropping 50 was all over New York radio saying he shut down Worldstarhiphop.com, did you catch wind of this?

I caught it, man. But I ain’t really got no comment on that. I was just like ‘where the fuck did WSHH go?’ Then it went back up, but 50 is like that. He definitely got enough power to shut some shit down, even if it’s only for a half a day.

Moving back to music, by now we’re all familiar with Nipsey Hussle, Jay Rock, Kendrick, etc, but there’s an even younger and newer movement of rappers emerging from the West. Have you heard of Lil B and Odd Future?

Lil B is on my radar and Odd Future is managed by my dude Chris, who I just made a part of my management team as well. Dom Kennedy is putting in work out here, too. My favorite might be a kid named Famous Fresh. He might have the most crafty style out of all the new cats.

So when are we finally going to get The R.E.D. Album?

Before the world ends [laughs], that’s supposed to be 2012. Nah, man nothing is changing, Pharrell is still executive producing the album. There’s a lot more people on The R.E.D. Album that weren’t on the tape, my fans is going to go nuts. It’s not to be confused with a street album or mixtape, everybody from Dr. Dre, Drake, Wiz, DJ Premier, Just Blaze, Kanye, Swizz, Cool & Dre, and the list goes on.

As long as it doesn’t turn into a Detox situation I think we can wait a little while longer.

If I made muthafuckas wait ten years for The R.E.D. Album, that shit would probably sell one copy, I ain’t going to lie. I don’t think I got that long. Everybody can’t be Dre. He going to do his numbers, and I ain’t taking a page out of his book. He might be the only one that could pull that off. There’s timing and label politics involved, it aint like you just press CDs and put them out, but my fans will be happy with the end product.

I have to ask, who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl?

Green Bay all the way. Green and Yellow, Green and Yellow [laughs], they cant lose.

You seem pretty confident, but what’s up with the Lakers?

I think that the Lakers should just stop playing regular season games and just wait until the playoffs to beat the shit out of whoever is there. It doesn’t matter what happens in the regular season. All we got to do is make the top 8 and we’ll blow away whoever comes to the championship. They always want to shit on Kobe, but we always take the trophy home.

I don’t know man, Amare and the Knicks are looking tough this year.

Yea, it took yall forty years to finally get right. The Knicks ain’t been shit since Patrick Ewing knees went bad [laughs].

We’ll see during playoffs, man. One last thing, you’re no stranger to getting ink on your face. I was wondering if you had a chance to check out Gucci Mane’s new ice cream cone face tatoo.

I seen Gucci’s new face tat and as soon I did, I thought ‘finally they can get off me about his butterfly/star/LA shit.’ That’s what I thought. But you know what man, I don’t give a fuck about what they say about anybody, a muthafucka could tattoo a butterfly, ice cream cone, apple pie on their cheek. Bottom-line, if you know Gucci, you know he’s real. He been on trial for his life and all of that. He bodied people. So he could tattoo a fuckin’ tampon on his face for all I care. You can’t say he’s buster or whatever. And me I done been shot, stole shit, robbed people, everyth-fuckin’-thing you can think of. Tattoos don’t mean shit, they ain’t nothing but good art.