I'm not a big fan of The Game. He's always seemed like he's trying very hard to be something he's not. And his raps rely far too heavily on name-dropping and rehashing petty hip-hop gossip. (Also, and sort of speaking of which, did you ever watch the clips of his appearance, pre-music-career, on the dating show "Change of Heart"? Totally ridiculous.) He gets some good beats, though. Like the one, made by Miami production team Cool & Dre, for his new single, "Shake"-which samples Sam Cooke's classic 1964 hit of the same name.

Foreign Policy examines the difficulties of exercising hegemonic power in modern society when faced with an insistent opponent of disproportionate strength.