Tag: Mount Westmore

Snoop Dogg – “From tha Streets 2 tha Suites” review

This is the 18th full-length album from Long Beach icon & WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg. His 1993 debut 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.

“CEO” jumps on a hyphy beat from Rick Rock as he shows off his longevity in the rap fame while the next song “Roaches in My Ashtray” returns to his g-funk roots with lyrics about getting high of course. “Gang Signs” taps in Mozzy to reminisce on their life as Bloods & Crips respectively over a spacious, bass-heavy instrumental prior to “Talk Dat Shit to Me” responding to Eminem’s jab on “Zeus” as he goes back on the g-funk tip with the help of DJ Battlecat.

As for “Sittin’ on Blades”, we dive into boom bap territory is as Snoop is singing from beginning to end with heavy talk-box usage à la Roger Troutman while “Say It Witcha Booty” is an awkward attempt at making a strip club theme. Larry June appears on “Get Your Bread Up” for a Bay Area-influence money anthem & Tha Eastsidaz make an unexpected return on “Fetty in the Bag” to talk about being amplified over some synths & hand-claps.

“Look Around” produced by Nottz gets taken straight from Tha Blue Carpet Treatment Mixtape back in 2006 & it still sounds as gangsta as it did 15 years ago when the world had initially heard it for the very 1st time until the closer “Left My Weed” featuring Devin the Dude comes off as a more seductive cut that I find myself reluctant towards in terms of it finishing the celebratory 4/20 offering.

Regardless of some older cuts making it feel more like a mixtape due to their resurging presence, this has gotta be 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 primarily takes listeners back to the g-funk sounds that skyrocketed him from an up-&-comer signing with Tha Row to the entrepreneur he has become in light of his 50th birthday in 6 months.

Score: 3.5/5

Ice Cube – “Everythang’s Corrupt” review

Ice Cube is a 49 year old MC, songwriter, actor, film producer, CubeVision founder & BIG3 founder from Los Angeles, California who started as a member of C.I.A. in 1984 & disbanded 3 years later after gaining limited commercial success. He then became a member of the iconic N.W.A, but left after the release of their infamous debut album Straight Outta Compton to focus on his solo career. He dropped a handful of albums in the 90’s with his first 2 AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted & Death Certificate becoming West Coast essentials. But as the 2000’s came around, he began focusing on an acting career & his musical output was shortened. However, he’s coming back from an 8 year hiatus with his 10th full-length album.

After the Super OG intro, we go into the first song “Arrest the President”. It’s no surprise that he’s going at Donald Trump on here & despite his statements being valid, the mixing on here is ass. The track “Chase Down the Bully” talks about beating up Trump supporters over a thumping instrumental while the song “Don’t Bring Me No Bag” speaks out against snitches in the drug house over a mediocre trap beat.

“Bad Dope” sees Cube comparing himself to just that over a menacing instrumental while the song “On Them Pills” is talks down on the current drug trend over a nondescript instrumental. “Fire Water” contemplates how Cube is gonna die while the song “Streets Shed Tears” talks about his respect in the hood over a churchy instrumental

The track “Ain’t Got Haters” with Too $hort sees the 2 brushing off their naysayers over a smooth instrumental from DJ Pooh while the song “Can You Dig It?” talks about being old school referencing WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson over a funky Hallway Productionz beat. “That New Funkadelic” serves as a pretty solid sequel to “Bop Gun (1 Nation)” off his 4th album Lethal Injection back from 1993 while the song “1 for the Money” talks about why he’s still rapping over a piano & strings.

“Still in the Kitchen” talks about drug dealing over a chaotic beat from E-A-Ski while “Non Believers” reminds the listeners to bow down to him over a thunderous beat with a sitar. The title track touches down on the political system over a bustling rap rock instrumental from Fredwreck & “Good Cop Bad Cop” advises all of the officers who do their jobs correctly to stand up for those who abuse their badge over a somewhat funky beat with some triumphant horns.

It’s been a long 8 years & while it’s not perfect, it’s a solid comeback for the West Coast icon & certainly more of a consistent listen than his previous & worst LP I’m the West was. It’s the most lyrically conscious that I’ve heard him in a while addressing the current state of politics, society & culture even if I feel like the production could’ve been better at certain points.

Score: 3.5/5