Back with his eighteenth studio album, Snoop Dogg offers us a funk-filled tracklist with some strong highlights
I always go into Snoop Dogg albums with optimism, yet I felt nervous for this release. I've been a big fan of Snoop Dogg for a while now, having been listening to his debut album, 'Doggystyle', since I was a teenager. I was very excited about the prospect of a new album from him, as always, but after he dropped 'C.E.O.' that feeling started to dissipate. When he revealed the artwork I got very worried. It all felt quite lazy to me. The cover shows a backdrop of LA with four Crip blue shoes on a wall in front. All we get from this cover is that the music will be LA inspired and Snoop Dogg will continue his LA gang lyrics. After eighteen albums from the west coast icon, I feel that information is obvious. The second single, 'Say It Witcha Booty', dropped along with its music video making me feel terrified of what was to come. The song and it's visuals were extremely comical, leading me to believe 'From Tha Streets 2 Tha Suites' was not going to be the impressive project I prayed it would be.
While the album does have it's ups and downs, it seems I didn't need to be so worried. Let's get to it.
C.E.O.
The album opens with 'C.E.O.', the first single released for the project. The song features an extremely funky beat from Rick Rock. Snoop Dogg offers a mid hook on the track, which starts well but doesn't deliver all the way. Whilst he raps very well over the beat, it still left me to overall feel quite unmoved by the track.
Roaches in My Ashtray
The album's second track is all about smokers stealing Snoop's roaches to get a free high. Prohoezak produces the track and covers the hook. His voice is manipulated, adding to the hazy feel of the song. Snoop Dogg of course continues to rap really well on the verses.
Gang Signs
Snoop Dogg opens 'Gang Signs' with a great first verse, sounding very smooth over this beat. He transitions from his verse into the hook seamlessly, where he sounds just as smooth as always:
Four-fifteens with the zap on my lap Riding through the ghetto, all you hear is the slap Everybody throwing up gang signs (Crip) Throwing up gang signs (Suwoo)
Mozzy offers up a reasonable verse. His style is not to my taste, but his feature doesn't negate from the song overall for me. Snoop takes over again for the third verse, where he boasts about things only Snoop Dogg could boast about...
Still sippin' gin and juice while I'm smoking marijuana I bet you never blew with Obama Crip walking with my homegirl Martha While I'm passing joints to Madonna
Talk Dat Sh*t to Me
'Talk Dat Sh*t to Me' has a great beat, with some deep bass and heavy claps. Snoop flows amazingly over the beat again, but the hook feels quite mediocre. While I like the overall feel of the track, it doesn't stand-out.
Sittin on Blades
This song is comfortably my highlight from the tracklist. The hook is extremely laid-back, very rhythmic, with Snoop offering some smokers lyrics over the top. This is a perfect song for all the smokers out there!
Say It Witcha Booty
I'm very much not a fan of this song, it feels like a parody to me. Other listeners around the world may love the track, so I'd encourage any readers not to skip it. However, for me, this song is the total opposite of what I hoped to get from Snoop.
Get Yo Bread Up
As the title suggests, this is a boastful money track. However, Snoop does offer some solid verses, where he sounds as smooth as ever over the song's funk-filled beat, courtesy of The Mekanix. The only criticism I have for the track is that the hook isn't particularly captivating, not that it sounds bad.
Fetty in the Bag
Snoop Dogg opens this song bursting straight into a very strong hook:
From The Isley Brothers to the Jackson 5 A n**** give it to you on the black hand slide Collide and glide 'til we amplified And do it all together, electric slide It got good to you, now you feelin' the vibe In the Chevy, rollin', ready to ride Hand out the moon, heavy on the gas Steady on the mash, now put the fetty in the bag
As always Snoop Dogg flows really well throughout his verse, before Goldie Loc and Big Tray Deee both offer up a solid verse each. This song is another album highlight for me.
Look Around
In 'Look Around', while Snoop flows well again, the beat is quite average, and the hook is very repetitive. Stylistically the song sounds alright, but it's nothing special.
Left My Weed
The album's closing track, 'Left My Weed', features a really nice hook from J Black. His vocals sounds great over the song's laid-back beat. Snoop of course closes the album as he continued throughout the project, flowing well over the beat with some smooth verses.
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