Doggystyle

Originally, I was excited to get Snoop Dogg's debut album at some point on this journey, especially since earlier this year I enjoyed Snoop's featuring on Dr. Dre's solo debut, The Chronic. But I'll admit my overall enjoyment of Snoop has waned in the past couple of months with the antics he's gotten himself into, to the point where he put out a surprise album last week that delves into a defense for his recent actions. I'm not going to say any further on this matter, as it should not be relevant to the discussion around his debut from over twenty years ago. If anything, I will try and do my best to meet the man where he was back in the day.

With all that said, let's spin it back to the beginning. Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. grew up in Long Beach, California, with a Baptist background. He started rapping as early as sixth grade, frequently doing it at school. It wouldn't be long though before Calvin got caught in the middle of Cali's persistent gang violence environment, ending up as a member of the Crips. He was incarcerated for a few years for cocaine possession, but once out was able to put that life to the side and rekindle his joy of rapping. He ended up recording mixtapes with his cousins, Nate Dogg and Lil' 1/2 Dead, and his friend Warren G. The tapes were sent out to labels, and one in particular caught the interest of Dr. Dre. He was so impressed that he called for Calvin to audition for his label, Future Shock, which would later become Death Row Records. Through Dr. Dre's opening the door, and N.W.A. affiliate The D.O.C.'s lecturing on lyrical structure and theming, Calvin began his rapping career under the stage name of Snoop Doggy Dogg.

Snoop got quick to work with Dr. Dre, first for the theme song for the film Deep Cover, then featuring on The Chronic, as I mentioned earlier. The intense exposure in such a short window paved the way for interest in Snoop recording his solo debut. Thus, Doggystyle was born.

Now, it makes sense that Doggystyle and The Chronic go hand-in-hand when discussing the former. After all, both albums feature Snoop, were produced by Dr. Dre, follow the newfound G-funk styling that would help reshape West Coast hip hop to be more melodious with groovin' beats, and lyrically deal with the gang violence and harsh reality that persisted in California at the time. As I've established, Snoop was a Crip, and as such, he's been in some shit with the street life. He certainly ain't praising that lifestyle if the lyrics to "Murder Was the Case" and "Serial Killa" are to go by, but rather offering cautious tales to sway young kids in the ghettos away from that grift. In that regard, Snoop's pretty effective in that lane with his laid-back cadence that emphasizes pronunciation so the listener understands every word he's saying. Of course, there are plenty of other bangers throughout this record, and not always about gang violence, as Snoop also shares his love for his vices on "Gin and Juice", and establishing his identity on "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" over phat beats and layered arrangements. Not to mention, the amount of talent that Snoop and Dre brought into the fold, including the furious bars of The Lady of Rage opposite George Clinton on "G Funk Intro", Jewell's infectious hook on "Who Am I (What's My Name)?", and the posse cut run from "For All My N----z and Bitches" through "Doggy Dogg World".

My one gripe with this album is simply how dated it all feels. Much like with The Chronic, there's a certain attitude toward women for sex that left a sour taste for me. The "bitches" and "hoes" get bragged about a lot through this record, to the point where the skit at the beginning of closer "Pump Pump" involves a woman ditching her man for Snoop. I don't consider it as bad as The Chronic was, as Snoop's cadence allows for a more sensual nature that can be carried effectively on cuts like "Lodi Dodi" and "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)". But it is a persistent subject matter that's hard to ignore. At least the skits are shorter and better integrated into their respective songs, which is also an improvement from The Chronic.

Overall, Doggystyle is a solid debut for Snoop. Even if I am currently experiencing a fallout in interest with the man, he has already established himself decades ago, with a record that is fundamental in the evolution of West Coast hip hop.

The only good thing snoop ever created. This album also really shows off how talented Dre is

4.5

Would have been a 5 a decade ago.

Easy 5 stars. One of the best rap albums of all time. What's My Name solidified Snoop as a talent after Aint Nothing But a G Thang but Gin and Juice is what made everyone know he was here to stay. Great album, the rapping is smooth, the rhymes are fun (though misogynistic, unfortunately part of the gangster rap genre at the time) and the beats are memorable. 5/5

So much heavy and funky beats, it's an absolute classic of the 90s that I discovered very late.

I named my cat Snoop because I found very funny to name a cat Snoop because of this guy. And because Snoop is a very cool name.

Probably 4.5 rounding up because I loved so much my cat.

Favorite Songs: G Funk Intro ; Gin and Juice ; Tha Shiznit ; Lodi Dodi ; Who Am I (What's My Name) ; For all My Niggaz & Bitches ; Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None) ; Gz and Hustlas

Many listens. I dig the production but not the misogyny.

I’m at a 5, if not higher.

“The Chronic”, for as good as it is, has a point where it just kinda falls down after “The $20 Sack Pyramid”. Snoop’s solo debut here doesn’t have that at all; this thing just keeps going & going & going, and it is a barrage of great rap tracks. Snoop’s voice is made for this shit; even if you have no interest in hearing the lyrics out, the man’s flow is silky smooth with the precision of a machine gun on this album. He sounds fantastic. I understand the misogynistic gangsta rap lifestyle isn’t palatable to everyone, but I honestly don’t think he takes it that far on this album; at the very least, it’s not as blatantly hypersexist as Ice Cube was on “AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted”. Kurupt takes it a bit far at times, and I do think he could’ve toned it down, but when he comes in on some of these tracks, it’s like a needed battering ram to balance out Snoop’s laid back energy on this album.

There’s hit after hit after hit after hit after hit here, including “Gin and Juice”, “Tha Shiznit”, “Lodi Dodi”, “Murder Was The Case”, “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?”, “Doggy Dogg World”, “Ain’t No Fun (If the Homies Can’t Have None)” & “Gz & Hustlas”. I know that “Ain’t No Fun” is by far the most objectifying track on the album. It blatantly calls the ladies bitches & hoes that are practically being passed around from man to man like a blunt while the guys practically beg for oral. It is so absurdly misogynistic that I understand people hating on that track. I personally think it’s one of the funniest on the album. I’m sorry; I can’t take it that seriously. Nate Dogg sings every line in that first verse with such soul that I can’t help but laugh. Snoop’s first lines are “Guess who's back in the motherfuckin' house / With a fat dick for your motherfuckin' mouth?” – like, come on. That’s objectively funny as fuck. Warren G fucking comes in near the end like he’s doing a guest star spot on a sitcom, and the whole thing is so over the top that I can’t possibly imagine anyone being that taken aback by it. It’s catchy as hell, I’m sorry.

“Gin and Juice” might be the best West Coast party anthem ever. “Tha Shiznit” has one of the most underrated Dre beats ever with Snoop’s charisma flying off the charts; if it’s a full freestyle, that’s genuinely incredible. “Lodi Dodi” is a great flip of a Slick Rick track & a great homage. “Murder Was The Case” has some of Snoop’s best storytelling work. “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?” is a killer single to start a solo career with. “Doggy Dogg World” has a trio of super dynamic verses that are all centered really nicely by the chorus. “Gz & Hustlas”, if it really is a full freestyle like “Tha Shiznit” apparently is, might be one of the best freestyles ever put to tape. Every verse on that track kills & the beat is one of Dre’s best.

The other tracks all range from good to great; “Bathtub” is a solid skit to start. “G Funk Intro” has Rage absolutely killing it on her verse. “Serial Killa” gets a little violent in the chorus & RBX’s verse, but it’s still good. “For All My N****z & Bitches” is a little inconsistent from verse to verse, but it’s still a fun listen. “Gz Up, Hoes Down” suffers from a pretty bad mix that takes a lot of the attention from Snoop’s flow, but I still think it works. “Pump Pump” is a way better closer than I remembered, especially with Mr. Malik sounding like New Edition-era Bobby Brown going full gangsta on his verse. I don’t know that I would’ve ended on that track, given the 8 tracks I mentioned earlier all being that damn good, but it’s certainly not a bad choice.

Overall, the entire album is 55 minutes of G-Funk that just flies by. Everyone is on their A-game here, whether it’s a hungry Snoop with something to prove, a seasoned Dr. Dre taking his production to an even higher level than on “The Chronic”, and a multitude of guest artists who all feel like they fit in perfectly. It is even better than The Chronic, it’s probably a top 5 rap album of the 1990s, and one of the best solo debut records ever in hip-hop. It’s an easy 5, if not higher. There is a chance it can get to a 10 someday. It more than earns its spot on the list.

Troede faktisk, jeg ville synes, det var bedre. Det er helt fint, nogle gange rigtig fint, og så ikke så meget mere. Fedt nok med noget med definerende G-funk, men altså for mig er det endnu et eksempel på, at hip hop i dag er bedre, end det var dengang, sue me

3.7

I really don't want to listen to this really ever.

This shit is gorgeously produced. Musically, it's banging. Remove the rap and it's still good, thanks to the funk roots. A lot of those songs (especially "Gin and Juice") reminded me of the GTA San Andreas main theme.

Snoop also has a great, often melodic voice and a perfect flow. And he's funny. That helps a lot to accept the more questionable elements of the lyrics.

But more than that, Snoop is crazy good as a storyteller. "Lodi Dodi" is a bit boring if you're not paying attention, but it's fucking hilarious. And "Murder was the case" could be a whole-ass movie.

"Ain't no fun" is genuinely one of the grossest song I've ever heard tho. Good beat, stunningly vile lyrics. But hey, it's the only song that's actually bad, that's a feat for a hip-hop album.

All-around a very enjoyable listen.

No, I don't like this at all.

First full snoop album for me. I think. I recognized "gin and juice." The rest was meh. 2*

G-funky

Classic rap album that perhaps didn’t age well lyrically, but you’d be hard pressed to find one that did.

Has some fun parts. Probably won’t relisten in full but that’s only because I’m not into rap like that. I still give this a 7/10

Snoop werd (ons) al gepresenteerd door Dre. De stijl van The Chronic wordt doorgezet door Snoop. Dre zou op zoek zijn geweest naar een artiest die ook de dames aantrok. Volgens het internet met name, omdat daar simpelweg een gat in de markt lag. Die aantrekkingskracht komt vast niet vanuit de teksten. Of wellicht kunnen de dames uit de doelgroep daar wel mee om gaan, en nemen ze het met een korreltje zout. De aantrekkingskracht zal vooral vanuit de relaxte deuntjes met krachtige, maar toch ook relaxte raps komen.

Toch staat er op dit album ook nog wel wat stevigers en geldt ook voor de subtielere nummers, dat het nog niet altijd de Snoop is, die je uit duizenden herkent. Want zoals eerder gesteld. De rap-wereld kan niet onder deze man uit.

Damn that was a lot better than I was expecting

Beats are kinda tuff and fresh. Can't and won't relate to the gangsta life though (3-3.5).

I finished the project quickly again today. Hip-hop and rap aren't music. 1/5

While it has Snoop's best songs, the album has aged rather poorly, as is the case for most 90s hip hop, but worse is that the album all in all isn't that great.