This is the 18th full-length album from the LBC OG himself: Snoop Dogg. His 1993 debut album Doggystyle is widely regarded as a west coast essential, but his output since has been hit or miss whether it be Tha Last Meal & Tha Blue Carpet Treatment almost reaching the same caliber of his debut or Da Game is to be Sold, Not to be Told & Bible of Love falling flat on their faces. Uncle Snoop’s previous outing I Wanna Thank Me came out a couple summers ago & that was a decent listen but after dropping a small handful of singles throughout last year, it’s only right for one of hip hop’s notorious tokers to take listeners From tha Streets 2 tha Suites on stoners’ favorite holiday.
The album kicks off with “CEO”, where Snoop jumps on a hyphy beat from Rick Rock as he shows off his longevity in the rap fame. The next song “Roaches in My Ashtray” returns to his g-funk roots with lyrics about getting high of course whereas “Gang Signs” taps in Mozzy to reminisce on their life as Bloods & Crips respectively over a spacious, bass-heavy instrumental. The track “Talk Dat Shit to Me” responds to Eminem’s jab on “Zeus” as he goes back on the g-funk tip with the help of Battlecat, but then “Sittin’ on Blades” dives into boom bap territory is as Snoop is singing from beginning to end with heavy talk-box usage à la Roger Troutman.
The song “Say It Witcha Booty” is an awkward attempt at making a strip club theme, but then Larry June hops on “Get Your Bread Up” for a Bay Area-influence money anthem. Tha Eastsidaz make an unexpected return on “Fetty in the Bag” as Big Tray Deee & Goldie Loc reunite with Uncle Snoop to talk about being amplified over some synths & hand-claps. The Nottz-produced “Look Around” is taken straight from Tha Blue Carpet Treatment Mixtape back in 2006 & it still sounds as gangsta as it did then, but then the closer “Left My Weed” with Devin the Dude is a more seductive cut that I’m not sure is a proper send-off to the album.
Regardless though, this is the best Snoop Dogg album I’ve heard since Coolaid. I like the fact that he didn’t overload it like he did on I Wanna Thank Me & how it takes listeners back to the sounds that skyrocketed him to where he is now.
Score: 3.5/5
Legends Will Never Die 