Before he was dodging bullets as a member of G-Unit, the Game honed his chops with Bay Area underground legend JT The Bigga Figga. JT’s got a good ear, and he’s shrewd, rushing this unreleased collection to market before the Game’s proper Dr. Dre-directed debut drops this winter. Game shows sparks of true skill in his polysyllabic rhyme schemes (“Who the Illest,” “Drama Is Real”) and in starting beef (with Jay-Z underling Memphis Bleek on “Bleek Is . . .”). But most of these tracks sound like the demos they are — unimaginative, plodding beats topped with muddy rhymes. Anyhow, Game had his eyes on a bigger prize. “Who’s really the best rapper since Pac got killed?” he wonders on “When Shit Get Thick.” “Ask me that question when I cop my deal.” OK, we’re waiting.

DOWNLOAD THESE: “Drama Is Real,” “Compton Compton”