Snoop Dogg - Blue Carpet Treatment
The laid back and lanky Long Beach Native, Snoop Dogg, showed up in the industry circa 92 with the release of Dr. Dre’s Da Chronic and was a big part of making this effort a bona fide classic. Then Snoop dropped his own debut, Doggystyle, a year later which proved to be another classic. Based upon those two releases alone, Snoop, at an early point in his career was written into rap history. Snoop’s seamless flow, distinct voice and limitless charisma has allowed him to remain relevant in rap through the years. Now a decade and some odd years later, Snoop Dogg is back to do it again with Tha Blue Carpet Treatment
Snoop eases the listener back into that West Coast G-Funk rhythm over the first few tracks of the album. On “Think About It” Snoop taps into the old school with production reminiscent of the Shaft soundtrack as he flows from topic to topic unrelenting over the retro-feel track. On the following track “Crazy” West Coast OG, Nate Dogg, chimes in with his vocals as the familiar tandem (Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg) tell about the dangerous streets of California. Snoop picks a pocket in the beat that allows his rhymes to seem intertwined with the beat, a talent the OG has mastered over the years. “That’s That” marks the return of long gone, self-proclaimed R&B thug, R. Kelly in an obvious attempt to cater to the ladies. The track turns out to be eerily catchy and assuredly a crowd favorite for the females
From funk to strictly gangsta rap is where the album transitions mid-way through the effort. With “Gangbangin’ 101” featuring The Game, Snoop and The Game attempt to unite Bloods and Crips all over Cali. Game drops an above par verse with references to Huey P. Newton and Martin Luther King and a few standout lines like “I been shot five times/Now I bleed Hennessy” and “It ain’t a gangsta party until I go dig Pac up.” Then “10 Crips” continues the gangsta rap until it finally settles later in the album. The highlight of the album comes with the reflective “Imagine” featuring Dr. Dre and D’Angelo. Dre gives the signature piano key production, a verse of hypothetical ifs i.e. what if Pac and Big were still alive and Snoop uses his verse to question injustice via violent run ins with the cops. The album ends on a spiritual note with “Conversations” featuring demigod, Stevie Wonder an apt ending to the album. On the track, Stevie Wonder croons away while Snoop makes peace with God (ironic how emcees rhyme about shooting cats all album and make peace with the heavenly father).
This is some of Snoop’s best music in years. The production is on point, the rhymes are on par with Snoop’s lyrical performance in the past and there are a variety of feels on this album. Snoop offers the laid back G Funk of the past, the more gangsta rap sound, and even a hyphee track. The album does seems about 5 or 6 songs too long and could have been trimmed down for a more concise effort. For instance, the track “Beat Up On Yo Pads” which is a track meant to get youngsters hyped about playing little league football. Although it’s an admirable feat to include this track, it may have been a stretch. Also the cliché “A Bitch I Knew” where Snoop enumerates a list of the many women he’s had; another track that could have been left off this one. Besides a few slip ups here
and there, this is Snoop at his best
p-e-a-c-e
