The Death Row: The Lost Sessions, Vol. 1 [PA]

Performer: Snoop Dogg
Artist: Tha Dogg Pound; Nate Dogg; Tray Deee; Big Pimpin'
Distributor: E1 Entertainment

Notes: In early 2009, WIDEawake Entertainment purchased the 1990s glory and notorious mess that was Death Row Records, and wasted no time in releasing a snazzy re-mastering of the label's lynchpin, Dr. Dre's THE CHRONIC. Building upon that success, the folks at WIDEawake dug through unreleased recordings by Dre's one-time prot�g� and fellow superstar Snoop Dogg. Maybe it's a testament to just how spectacularly poorly the label was run during its heyday, but unlike many "from the vaults" hip-hop collections, DEATH ROW - THE LOST TAPES, VOL. 1 contains very little chaff; the majority of the album showcases a supreme performer at his prime. After Snoop sets the scene with a mournful intro chronicling the exit of Dre, followed by the death of 2Pac, the program begins with the steamy funk of "Doggystyle," a sparse-but-fun track featuring some top-shelf George Clinton cameo moans. "Fallin' Asleep on Death Row" ups the ante with some vintage acrobatic Snoop rhymes over the perfectly swirling D.R. beat. Another high-level highlight comes on the original cut of "O.G.," with its alternate flows and requisite Dogg Pound luminaries.

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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