4/5
Old Doggfather, New Tricks.
Snooperbowl. The Dogg is doing it all these days. Proving there's more bow wow in this old chow. Whether it's performing at the Superbowl halftime-show with West Coast luminary Dr. Dre. Or announcing to the mouth of Stephen A. Smith that he and the good doctor are about to prescribe a newly produced Snoop Doggy Dogg album for 'Doggystyle's' 30th anniversary. Aptly titled 'Missionary'. Calvin Broadus is positioning himself as quite the renaissance man. Rap's self-dubbed Dylan has even pulled the lever down on a massive move to acquire his old record label, walking Death Row, again. Last year saw an animated album that brought it all back to that life and reality ('BODR') amongst many compilation collaborations for the Row and some 'Metaverse' drops this year for the record. Let's not forget, the Dogg also moonlighted on a 'Day Shift' with Jamie Foxx as vampire hunters for Netflix, bringing those Def Jam Vendetta moves back. Not to mention, Snoop also remixed the theme tune of Larry David's classic HBO show for my personal favourite of all his recent achievements. Complete with a grey haired, bespectacled, digital Snoop/Larry hybrid video, featuring Tupac and a burrito spite truck, 'All Eyez On Meat'. 'Crip Your Enthusiasm'.
Now, before he assumes the 'Missionary' position for the good doctor (erm), Snoop has another album for us. And you best believe this 'Gangsta Grillz' collaboration with another no stranger to hard work is no mixtape. This is DJ Drama's third release of the week on the same day. After Jeezy's 'Snofall' and Symba's 'Results Take Time' (even though this DJ churns out music like the 'Real Housewives Of Hollywood' do his music moniker). 'I Still Got It'. Did you even doubt it, or read the last paragraph. "How the f### I let Dre talk me back in the booth" (do the same for 'Detox' please, like Eminem said he'd make Dre do) Snoop Dogg asks on the opening 'I'm From 21st Street' new classic featuring Stresmatic rapping. "Couple croquesaques with the tube socks/First bank account was the shoe box/You know the cheese gotta come with the wine/I show you how to make a profit off of twenty-one crimes/Time, time for action, main attraction, flash the captain/A## is clappin', chain reaction, laughin'/Get a whiff of what these h##s be askin'." The rapping Dogg is back like 213, "Warren G, Nate Dogg, corner pocket, 8-ball." Jeffrey, break out Lucille.
"Wreak havoc, I was a savage 'fore 21", the Drama dubbed "world's most famous rapper" (he's not wrong) muses a week before 21 Savage's new album with Drake drops. It gets even bigger on the Dave East and Kurupt assisted 'I'll Holla Back', as Cali' is still active like Tha Dogg Pound unleashed. The title-track says it all though, like the black and white film of the album artwork getting the blue carpet treatment, like this."Baby, I'm a rich n####/Diamonds on my wrist glitter/Show you the big picture (Yessir)." Keeping it 'Lit' with Daz Dillinger, before collaborator of the album Dave East takes it back to 'My City' for the best track of the album, bar the bars of the big-three intro that don't let up. "Let me walk you through the city", your West West tour guide says on this training day like he was Denzel and you, Ethan Hawke.
Running the row electric, what Snoop Dogg album would be complete without showcasing the future like Babyface's latest. It's the West's night out and JANE HANDCOCK ('The Price Went Up' and 'Girls Love Snoop' like LL) and the Saadiq sounding October London ('Lime and Squeeze') are stars right now in the city of them. Even Juicy J steals the show on 'Been Smokin''. But there's 'No Half Steppin'' like Big Daddy Kane for the crip walker, as Big Snoop Dogg spells it out like many a guest appearance. "I'm the dog, I made it through, so they don't ask questions/Long Beach, and it ain't no half reppin'/Once a dog, always a dog, so they don't ask questions." Need you ask any more?
Answering it all, 'Around Here' there's no one like Snoop. 'From tha Streets 2 tha Suites'. Or tha chuuuch to the palace. He's 'Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss', from a 'Last Meal' to a 'Malice In Wonderland'. Masterpieces like 'Rhythm and Gangster' and the soulful 'Ego Trippin'. Reincarnated as a Lion, or a gospel preacher for the 'Bible Of Love'. In this 'Doggumentary' he's even gone country with Willie Nelson. Brothers of the same herb. But on 'Dolla Signs' with Trinidad James for another 13 track with Drama, Snoop lets it be known, "Flyin' in on a Falcon or a Hawk/I'm in the A makin' plays it's the big boss/Keep the ball on the grass or get picked off/Walk around on my grounds you can get lost have a seat/Let me show you what this s### do/Good Game good thangs here to get you/Hit you up no cup just bottles to the face/A little drip from a Crip in and out of State
Bake Cake with the southerners/Drop a Tape with Drama and all the bad b#####s start showin' up/Slowin' up just to get you caught up with the product/Drippin' like Water while I'm flippin' your Dolla." All for one of his best on wax. And then just like that, they're gone. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'I'm From 21st Street (Feat. Stresmatic)', 'I'll Holla Back (Feat. Dave East & Kurupt)', 'My City (Feat. Dave East)'.
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