4/5
The Green Mile
Bow WOW! In the last couple of years, legendary rapper Snoop Dogg has become a hip-hop mogul by acquiring his former label, Death Row Records, reunited with his homie Dr. Dre, for last year's 'Missionary' chart position, and even performed at the inauguration of a president. Too bad it was Trump. But in this era of cancel culture, can we really just disregard everyone for their different opinions? If that was the case, you'd also have to stop listening to Lil' Wayne. Not to mention, stop watching Sly Stallone and Vince Vaughn movies. Mel Gibson and Jon Voight kind of already showed their character year's ago. Maybe he was just accepting a rich payday, like he needs the money. Call him a sellout, but this guy's been in everything before, from 'Starsky & Hutch' to 'Futurama'. There are much worse rappers you should stop listening to right now. Diddy. Possibly (probably) Drake. Opinions are like a##holes, but as long as he ain't s###ing on people, then we should do our best as reviewers and give him a fair and balanced judgement on his work. We can't always separate the art from the artist, with people out here still putting R. Kelly on their Mount Rushmore, but let's give Snoop the benefit of the doubt. Unless he goes full Kanye.
The Doggfather addresses all of this on his new album, 'Iz It A Crime' (kind of). His 21st, not six months after 'Missionary' was unwrapped at Christmastime. Releasing around six albums in that many years, the Willie Nelson of rap, who had rolled records and blunts with the real American songbook, brings everyone to the party like his family on the album artwork in familiar shirt and bandana styling. On the same NMF (New Music Friday) where we got albums from fellow contemporaries (Xzibit's 'Kingmaker') and legends (Chuck D's 'Radio Armageddon'), Calvin Broadus brings October London to the title-track. LaRussell to 'Can't Wait'. JANE HANDCOCK to 'Can't Get Enough'. Charlie Bereal ('What's Hattinin') and Stresmatic ('ShutYoB####A##Up') to 'Keep It Movin''. J-Black (no, not that one, but how good would that be?) and Wiz Khalifa to 'Just The Way It Iz'. Akeem Ali to 'You Want My All'. 'Beautiful' and 'Drop It Like It's Hot' collaborator Pharrell Williams and Tonio Armani to the 'Spot'. Denauan ('My Friend') to the hot 'Cold Summer'. Blaqthoven to 'Life's Journey'. And Sexyy Red to 'Me N OG Snoop'. Now, that's quite the mouthful of dog treats.
Snoop's singles 'Unsung Heroes' (an absolute gem) and 'Let Me Love You' (ain't nothing to do with Mario, but you'll love Snoop doing the white guy voice again) are joined by visualizer videos for 'Joy', 'Snoop Will Make You Dance' and 'West Up', not to mention, a whole movie for this album. On the DJ Battlecat produced 'Sophisticated Crippin', the Dogg raps, "Back in the kitchen/Intuition, sophisticated cripping/This s### different/Still, top billing/The Dogg is chilling/What more can I say? I made a living/Big dipping, we ain't set tripping/This is how they turn superheroes into villains", on an album that is pure Cali' G-Funk, rhythm and gangster, despite Warren G recently revealing he felt left out by Snoop and step-brother Dr. Dre. Get it together, fellas. That's what Nate Dogg would have wanted. On 'My Friend' we see Calvin get real emotional, over one he's lost, crying at church. But on this 21-track set for his 21st (album, dude's 53), Broadus urges us all to 'Live Life' like, "It's us against the world, strap on your Nike's, girl/It's time to show these n####s you ain't just an icy girl/Don't let them get inside your head/Get your paper, making sweet love to the bread/I think I need a baker." DAMN! Now that's something we can all agree on before the 'Rapture'. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'Iz It A Crime (Feat. October London)', 'Spot (Feat. Pharrell Williams & Tonio Armani)', 'My Friend (Feat. Denaun)'.
Spin This: Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre - 'Missionary'
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