Album Review: "Doggystyle" - Snoop Dogg (1993)

INTRODUCTION

After playing sidekick to Dr. Dre on The Chronic, Snoop Dogg put out his own solo album, Doggystyle, in 1993. Produced exclusively by Dre, it was similar in tone to Dre's debut, but much more advanced musically and sonically.

Doggystyle was the first installment of what would become an extraordinarily profitable career by Snoop Dogg, and to this day, it remains--and forever will remain--his crown jewel.

This was a time when Snoop actually used to care about the quality of hip-hop. It's not like now where he stamps his name on an album comprised of, let's be honest, trash (a reggae album? Seriously Snoop?), and hopes to succeed off of the popularity off one or two singles.

No; Doggystyle was a legitimate hip-hop record, one that further advanced the state of west coast G-funk and catapulted the status of Dr. Dre in the production world.

Doggystyle has been certified quadruple-platinum, and it represents Snoop Dogg's best-selling project to date.

Of course, in 1993, Snoop was known as "Snoop Doggy Dogg," so I guess there was at least one downside to Doggystyle.

Anyway, let's actually review the album now, because I don't think you need any more background information on one of the most well-known artists (not rappers; artists) around.

TRACK-BY-TRACK

1. Bathtub
Intro...

2. G Funk Intro
This is technically a song, but you know what? Snoop Dogg doesn't even drop a verse. Instead, it's Lady of Rage who actually raps. It's a shame, too, because Dr. Dre's beat is sick. Way to waste a perfectly fine instrumental, Snoop.

3. Gin and Juice
The second single, and Doggystyle's most popular song. Actually, this might be Snoop's most popular song period. That's for good reason, too, as this track is awesome. Dre's production is outstanding, sounding far more advanced than anything he laced on The Chronic. You know what else is awesome? David Ruffin Jr., yes, the son of the deceased legendary lead singer of The Temptations, sings the hook, and he made this cut even better.

4. W Balls
The hell kind of skit was this?

5. Tha Shiznit
Another outstanding instrumental by Dr. Dre, but Snoop raps like he is half-asleep. Even with that, this record still managed to sound really freaking good. Plus, no one really listens to Snoop Dogg for his technical rap skills--or lack thereof--anyway.

6. House Party
Skit.

7. Lodi Dodi
Dre's beat here is just plain old goofy. It still works, though, and it fits Snoop like a glove. It doesn't, however, fit guest female singer Nanci Fletcher, and yet, she still sounds good over it. Weird. That being said, this track was a bit too long, and let's be real: it was strange. And no: Biggie did not steal his hook for "Hypnotized" from "Lodi Dodi." Snoop originally took it from Slick Rick, and so on and so forth.

8. Murder Was The Case
Easily the most combative beat on the album, and even though I usually love aggressive productions, I wasn't all that crazy about "Murder Was The Case." I don't really have much else to add, and I'm sure most of you disagree.

9. Serial Killa
This is the best song on Doggystyle and the best thing Snoop Dogg has ever done. Dr. Dre's instrumental bangs, and the guests, especially Tha Dogg Pound, tear it to pieces. I have also always loved the hook on this, regardless of how simplistic (and kind of morbid) it is. "Serial Killa" is just ill. That's it.

10. Who Am I (What's My Name)?
This record is just great in all aspects. Dre's beat is phenomenal, and Snoop rides it seamlessly. The interpolation of George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" also suits Snoop Dogg pretty damn well, don't you think? This embodies rider music in all its forms (not that it has "forms," but you get the picture).

11. For All My Niggaz & Bitches
Kurupt owns this cut, demonstrating why he was the best pure rapper to ever be on Death Row. Considering that Daz Dillinger drops a verse and that Snoop isn't even on here (unless you count what are essentially ad-libs he drops at the end), you have to wonder why this wasn't saved for Tha Dogg Pound's first album, but whatever. Dre's beat is pretty engaging, and Tha Dogg Pound and Lady of Rage hold it down.

12. Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None)
This is another one of those cartoonish Dr. Dre instrumentals, and it is freaking great. Nate Dogg's incredibly over-the-top misogynistic first verse aside, this was just awesome. Just like any other record that Kurupt was on during this time period, he walks away with the best verse, even if it wasn't one of his greatest lyrical performances (not that this song was about good lyrics, anyway). The hook is also catchy as hell.

13. Chronic Break
Another skit.

14. Doggy Dogg World
The Dramatics, of all people, serve as guest artists on this track, and hearing them croon "it's a doggy dogg world" on the hook is both disconcerting and hilarious at the same time. Tha Dogg Pound makes another appearance, too, and, as per usual, Kurupt comes more than correct. Dre's beat is cool, as well, particularly the piano riff that he laces throughout the instrumental.

15. Betta Ask Somebody
You know what I need to ask somebody? Why the hell rappers insist on littering their albums with basically useless skits.

16. Gz and Hustlas
My least favorite song on Doggystyle, and by a pretty considerable margin, too. I just wasn't feeling Dre's production at all, and not even a fairly addictive hook by Snoop could save it.

17. U Betta Recognize
I'll tell you what I do recognize: that three of the last five tracks have been freaking skits.

18. Gz Up, Hoes Down
Due to sample clearance issues, this song is no longer on pressings of Doggystyle. It was, however, on the original ones, and good thing, because this record is really freaking good. Dre's beat, containing the same sample that Irv Gotti used to make Jay-Z's "Can I Live," does not even remotely sound like a west coast track usually would, but Snoop sounds perfectly comfortable rapping on it. A dude named Hug sings the hook, and he does an outstanding job, making me wonder why he was never heard from again afterward (unless he was; you tell me). I just wish this cut was a little longer, because it really is great.

19. Pump Pump
A 50-second long skit starts the song. Way to sneak that one in there, Snoop. Anyway, this track is pretty damn good, having an uptempo Dre beat that Snoop does a fine job adjusting to. The hook was kind of lame, but "Pump Pump" is good enough as a whole to ignore that. Plus, how about that Lil' Malik kid rapping the second verse? He sounded pretty freaking solid. I wonder what became of him, because if something did, I didn't know about it. Nice way to close out Doggystyle.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Let's cut through the meat and get right to it: Doggystyle is awesome and is deserved of every bit of praise that has been heaped upon it over the last two decades.

To me, this album was a hell of a lot better than The Chronic, as the raps were significantly sharper (no surprise there) and Dr. Dre's beats were far superior to the ones he did on his own debut solo LP. 

There really isn't a dull moment on Doggystyle. Snoop sounded comfortably loose over every one of Dre's instrumentals, and the guests (especially Kurupt) do their thing throughout.

There is something for everyone on this album. You have the true gangsta tracks, the party songs and the records where Snoop Dogg just goofs off and decides to have some fun.

If you've listened to Doggystyle, then you obviously understand what I've been talking about. If not, then I have no idea what the hell you are waiting for. Give this a spin now, and it will probably change your life for the better.

It's just a shame that Snoop's career has become such a joke nowadays. He put out some decent songs here and there after Doggystyle, but no album he would release afterward would even come close to matching the overall genius of his debut.

Then again, you can say that about most hip-hop artists from the golden era.

Oh well. You might as well relive Snoop's (and rap's) glory days and listen to Doggystyle again like I just did.

TOP TRACKS

1. Serial Killa
2. Gz and Hustlas
3. Who Am I (What's My Name)?
4. Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None)
5. Gin and Juice