Snoop Dogg - Ego Trippin'

GENERAL REVIEW

Although he didn't have enough force to pull off an album without guest appearances (as he first intended), he did keep guest appearances on the minimum. He was also "overseeing" the music of the album with teaming with living legends of rap beatmaking, DJ Quik and Teddy Riley - "QDT Music". Wow, too good to be true!

And it is too good to be true. Quik, Teddy and Snoop did produce the large part of the record - including all better songs from the album - but the rest is again left to outside producers of the day. It could be expected, and it didn't come as good as it could be if Snoop really kept this album as his ego trip.

After four extremely enjoyable songs in the beginning of the album, made from similar artistic personalities, experimental but easy-going and slick, album suddenly loses its focus. Snoop tried to put in, at the same time, retro 80's-sounding songs, Dirty South beats and his ventures into singing ("Sexual Eruption", Prince cover and country song). Pretty much of a variety, right? Way too much for keeping the album on point made by introductory songs.

So now we have a, by today's standards, a very creative album with too much flaws to be anywhere near classic status. Snoop tried to show his greatness by trying way too many styles for twenty-one tracks, and it ended with a feeling that he spread himself too thin for having a true substance in the album. Add a few of generic "modern" beats and Snoop's unwillingness to give up his gangsterism - that doesn't make a good couple with his new "family man" peronality - and we have a messy album which shows too many brilliant moments to be dismissed as mediocre, but also not enough juice to be a masterpiece that it was intended to be.




SONG-BY-SONG REVIEW


A Word Witchya! (Intro)
Produced by Scoop DeVille

Nice intro to the sound and staff of the album, and what he wanted to do with it. All that over a good, weirdly sampled beat.
4/5

Press Play
Produced by DJ Quik

Quik went sick for this one; brilliant mixture of a triumphant horn beat and echoing background singing. (Beat: 5/5)
Snoop did his usual gangsta posturing, complemented with a nice talked-rapped Kurupt chorus. A nice opening to the album. (Lyrics: 4/5)
4.5/5

SD is Out
Produced by Teddy Riley

Once again, Teddy Riley proved he's a master of booty-shaking beats. This one is nicely skeletal, exotically rhythmic, with atmospheric keys and Roger-Troutman robotic singing that make it an excellent dance-floor beat. (Beat: 5/5)
Rhymes are those that don't force you into listening, and at the same time they avoid being dumbed-down. (Lyrics: 4/5)
4.5/5

Gangsta Like Me
Produced by Teddy Riley

The beat is from the same frame of mind as the last one, but is simply not done so well. (Beat: 4/5)
One of the lots of Snoop's sex rhymes. Not that it's bad, but we heard all that already in better versions. (Lyrics: 3/5)
3.5/5

Neva Have 2 Worry
Produced by Niggaracci (Snoop Dogg & Terrace Martin)

Excellent somber beat, coupled with heartfelt chorus singing. One of the best productions on the album (Beat: 5/5)
Snoop went retrospective on this one, reminiscing of his rap career, acknowledging he went wrong at times - but also warning the critics that he is what he is, and that he has a point to what he does. Lovely. (Lyrics: 5/5)
5/5

Sexual Eruption
Produced by Shawty Redd

The beat is good, really good, retro 80's kitch stuff, but it still leaves a feeling of an empty song. The T-Pain vocoder singing didn't help as well. (Beat: 3/5)
As for Snoop... well, the whole singing stuff seems a bit forced into the album. (Lyrics: 3/5)
3/5

Life of da Party
Featuring Too Short & Mistah F.A.B.
Produced by Scoop DeVille

Here we have the first missed beat on the album: after such unconventional start of the album, a generic Southern synth beat CAN'T sound well. (Beat: 2/5)
Too Short came up with generic, played out womanizer verse. Snoop was more original and relaxed, he sounds more than Short as the life of the party. Everything downed by a boring, nothing-new, sizzurpy chorus. (Lyrics: 2.5/5)
2.25/5

Waste of Time
Featuring Raphael Saadiq
Produced by Raphael Saadiq & Bobby Ozuna

This beat is some good stuff, with bubbling synths and relaxed rhythm. Definitely a relief after last two songs. And Saadiq can sing, definitely. (Beat: 4.5/5)
Snoop delivered witty break-up, funnily misogynist rhymes. Too bad he only has 16 lines in whole song. (Lyrics 4/5)
4.25/5

Cool
Produced by Teddy Riley

This is a straight-up cover of Prince's 1982 song. And Prince is simply... dope. Superb synth-pop beat, fun lyrics 'bout riches. (Beat: 5/5, Lyrics: 4.5/5)
4.75/5

Sets Up
Produced by The Neptunes

Quite standard Neptunes beat, without much substance. (Beat: 3.5/5)
Lyrically, song's better than that. Snoop masters gangsta rhymes, and sounds fresh and convincible in this OG posturing. (Lyrics: 4.5/5)
4/5

Deez Hollywood Nights
Produced by Nottz

Beat sounds like a big joke. Which is good, by the way. (Beat: 4/5)
Snoop's humorous lyrics about his escapades in Hollywood night life and a silly chorus fit the beat, making it one of the better songs in the album. (Lyrics: 4.5/5)
4.25/5

Whateva U Do
Produced by Khao

This is another weird beat straight up inspired by the music of the 80's, again quite successful. (Beat: 4/5)
However, lyricism is average, uninspired, money-and-bitches. (Lyrics: 3/5)
3.5/5

Staxxx in My Jeans
Produced by Rick Rock

Rick, Rick, you disappointed me. The Bay Area master of enjoyable and groovy beats making a dated Dirty South, "Grillz" style beat... (Beat: 2/5)
Plus, possibly weakest and most forgettable Snoop's delivery (Lyrics: 2/5)
2/5

Been Around tha World
Produced by Niggaracci (Snoop Dogg & Terrace Martin)

Snoop & Terrace tried to do another weird retro synth-pop beat on this one, but the result wasn't quite on par with former similar beat. (Beat: 3/5)
The lyrics also sound like an unsuccessful experiment of doing a tribute to the lady of his life from the perspective of gangsta star. For a tribute song, there's too much Snoop and not enough his lady. (Lyrics: 3/5)
3/5

Let it Out
Produced by Teddy Riley

Teddy did this one as a silly baroque, pimpster beat - a sure shot for Snoop. (Beat: 4.5/5)
Snoop also stayed on familiar terrain on this song: finessed and trained, weed and bitches. (Lyrics: 4/5)
4.25/5

My Medicine
Produced by Everlast

Well, this song surely has a dope concept - Snoop paying a tribute to the "real American gangster" Johnny Cash on a country song. As for being country, it is quite good - Everlast plays his guitar well and makes a fun, energetic arrangement, practically without faults. (Beat: 5/5)
Snoop didn't come very lyrical, though. I mean, it's a country song, not a rap, but if doing a tribute for greatest country lyricist of all times, you should come lyrical too, right? (Lyrics: 3.5/5)
4.25/5

Ridin' in My Chevy
Produced by Scoop DeVille

No. No, no, no. This beat is a real downer after the playfulness and energy of "My Medicine". (Beat: 2/5)
Snoop's lyrics are also really, really tired and uninspired on this one. (Lyrics: 2/5)
2/5

Those Gurlz
Produced by Teddy Riley, DJ Quik & Scoop DeVille

First collaboration by members of QDT music resulted in a nice, bright, easy piano beat with a fine chipmunk chorus. (Beat: 4/5)
Over that, Snoop delivered another familiar lyrics. (Lyrics: 4/5)
4/5

One Chance (Make it Good)
Produced by Frequency

Frequency made an easy-going, lounge beat for this one, without much gimmicks or pretending. (Beat: 4/5)
But Snoop, he completely flipped the script on this song. This time, he's saying to young players that they must stick to the woman of their life - because they have only one chance. Even if Snoop gets a bit preachy in few lines, I can't help myself, from liking this song. (Lyrics: 4.5/5)
4.25/5

Why Did You Leave Me
Produced by Hitboy & Polow Da Don

Oh, my, my... This beat is so sweet, I'm sure it would melt on first rain. (Beat: 3/5)
Snoop became sweet too. He wanted to make a heartfelt love song of missing his lady, but it seems that he's more missing that no one is making him breakfasts before he raises his lazy ass from the bed. Corny, Snoop, I'm sorry. (Lyrics: 3/5)
3/5

Can't Say Goodbye
Featuring Charlie Wilson
Produced by Teddy Riley

As to Snoop wanted, to make this song his definite statement, this beat is large. Maybe too large. Teddy did use his big-budget producer experience to make it sound dope, but the beat is more often blown-out and empty than with some real feeling in it. Still... (Beat: 4/5)
But Snoop did succeed in explaining his loyalty to the streets that raised him, even after multi-platinum success and few porno-flicks. It is a warm statement of homie love that wasn't washed away by success. I love it. (Lyrics: 5/5)
4.5/5

FINAL SCORE

Beats: 4/5
Lyrics: 3.5/5

Total: 3.75/5 (above average)