Ego Trippin [Edited]

Performer: Snoop Dogg
Artist: Too Short; Mistah F.A.B.; Raphael Saadiq; Charlie Wilson
Producer: Snoop Dogg; DJ Quick; Teddy Riley
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Snoop Dogg. On album number nine, Snoop branches out a bit, assuming executive producer credits and working as one-third of the production team QDT (along with Teddy Riley and DJ Quik). While the production hovers around 1970s R&B, soul, and smoothed-out funk (with conspicuous samples from Marvin Gaye, the Isleys, Brooklyn Dreams, and Prince Phillip Mitchell), there are also a few curious excursions into '80s synth-pop ("Cool") and even country music ("My Medicine"). At the same time, Snoop's lyrics are all over the place. Over the course of the album's 21 tracks, he goes from mega-boasting on his fame and wealth ("Gangsta Like Me," "Staxx in my Jeans") to celebrity name-dropping ("Deez Hollywood Nights") to seductive talk-box crooning ("Sexual Eruption") and groupie-love anthems ("Life of da Party," "Those Gurlz") to bittersweet reminiscing on his rise from the hood ("Can't Say Goodbye") and dedications to his wife and kids ("Been Around tha World"). As the title suggests, EGO TRIPPIN' is all about Mr. Calvin Broadus, and therefore the outing contains just a handful of guest spots from Too Short, Raphael Saadiq, Mistah F.A.B., and Charlie Wilson. On album number nine, Snoop branches out a bit, taking executive producer credits and working as one-third of the production team QDT (with Teddy Riley and DJ Quik). While the production hovers around 1970s R&B, soul, and smoothed-out funk (with conspicuous samples from Marvin Gaye, the Isleys, Brooklyn Dreams, and Prince Phillip Mitchell), there are a few excursions into 1980s synth-pop ("Cool") and country music ("My Medicine"). At the same time, Snoop's lyrics are all over the place. Throughout the album's 21 tracks, he goes from Uber-boasting about his fame and wealth ("Gangsta Like Me," "Staxx in my Jeans") to celebrity name-dropping ("Deez Hollywood Nights") to seductive talk-box crooning ("Sexual Eruption") and groupie-love anthems ("Life of da Party," "Those Gurlz") to bittersweet reminiscing about his rise from the 'hood ("Can't Say Goodbye") and dedications to his wife and kids ("Been Around tha World"). As the title suggests, EGO TRIPPIN' is a selfish outing with just a handful of guest spots from Too Short, Raphael Saadiq, Mistah F.A.B., and Charlie Wilson.

Rolling Stone (pp.63-64) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[H]is languorous rapping has a way of inspiring inventively freaky sounds from producers....Result: the best Snoop disc in years..." Entertainment Weekly (p.p.74) - "All of Snoop's personalities make appearances on his ninth CD, Ego Trippin'....It's sentimental, it's fun....Maybe this old Dogg doesn't need any new tricks." -- Grade: B Vibe (p.80) - "Lead single 'Sensual Seduction' is an undeniable masterpiece of throwback funk schmaltz..."

Snoop Doggy Dogg ensured his place in rap history by providing the perfect vocal complement to Dr. Dre's mellow, ominous, West Coast G-funk sound. His distinctively lazy singsong and soft-spoken drawl was first heard on Dre's title cut from the DEEP COVER soundtrack in 1991. Snoop's appearances on Dre's solo album THE CHRONIC shortly thereafter propelled him to almost overnight stardom, and his albums DOGGYSTYLE and the DOGGFATHER both hit the top of the charts. Despite a much-publicized murder trial, and a falling out with Death Row Record's CEO Suge Knight, Snoop Dogg ascended to the highest echelon of rap royalty, and through shrewd marketing, brilliant collaborations, and his smooth pimp persona, he has kept his crown well into the 21st century.

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