Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$ [PA]

Performer: Snoop Dogg
Artist: Jay-Z; Nate Dogg; Pharrell Williams; Redman; The Lady Of Rage; Ludacris; Charlie Wilson; Warren G; The Dramatics; Latoiya Williams; Soopafly; Lil' Half Dead; Mr. Kane; Traci Nelson; Goldie Loc; E-White; RBX
Distributor: EMI Music Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Snoop Dogg, Pharrell, Latoiya Williams, Jay-Z, Soopafly, Nate Dogg, The Dramatics, Lil' Half Dead, Uncle Charlie Wilson, Mr. Kane, Traci Nelson, Goldie Loc, E-White, Redman, Warren G, Lady Of Rage, Ludacris, RBX. Producers include: E-Swift, Jelly Roll, The Neptunes, Just Blaze, LT Hutton. "Beautiful" was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Awards for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and for Best Rap Song. Though Snoop Dogg never slipped from the charts, Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$ smacks of a comeback, and it's a great one. After finally being released from No Limit (he's still distributed by Priority), Snoop Dogg drafted a set of great producers for his sixth album, as well as a varied cast of featured guests capable of drawing in just about every segment of the hip-hop audience. Still one of the smoothest rappers around and the bemused observer of all around him, he slips on the tried and true pimp and godfather personas, but also has the nerve to feature an X-rated sex romp ("Lollipop," with Jay-Z and Nate Dogg) directly after a tender anthem to love and marriage ("I Believe in You") -- and sound extremely convincing with both. The pair of tracks produced by the Neptunes ("From tha Chuuuch to da Palace" and "Beautiful") are the highlights, two of the best they've done since their commercial breakout. Hardcore fans of rap, though, will want to skip ahead to "The One and Only" for a perfect meld of West Coast and East Coast -- the first meeting of Snoop and DJ Premier on wax. (Premier also turns in a hilariously cartoonish production for "Batman & Robin.") Yes, there are a few missteps: The G-funk roll on a few tracks sounds a little dated, and Bootsy Collins impersonator Mr. Kane makes a few embarrassing appearances ("Stoplight" is a bland, unnecessary update of Parliament's "Flashlight"). And two other remakes sound OK, but won't have a long shelf life. The first is virtually a cover of Eric B. & Rakim's "Paid in Full" called "Paper'd Up," and it's immediately followed by a redo of Robert Palmer's Jam & Lewis anthem "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" ("Wasn't Your Fault"). You've got to be a strong figure to keep together an album this long and this rangy, but Snoop Dogg is up to the task. ~ John Bush On PAID THA COST, Snoop Dogg delivers plenty of the kind of visceral, sensuous, West Coast G-Funk that we've come to love him for. The most blatant example is "Stoplight," which samples and nods to P-Funk's ubiquitous "Flashlight," but somehow ends up sounding more like vintage Rick James gone hip-hop. Though his vintage beats and loopy sense of humor complement that sound perfectly, he doesn't leave things at that. The honey-sweet vocals of LaToiya Williams lend a melodic, slow-jam R&B flavor to the mellow "I Believe in You." A love song from Snoop? Believe it. "Ballin'" features the old-school vocal-harmony soul that's always been close to Snoop's heart, courtesy of the Dramatics. "From tha Chuuuch to Da Palace" ups the humor ante by including a lascivious adaptation of "Buffalo Gals." What's curious is that the already laid-back Snoop often seems to retreat from the spotlight on this album, letting the production and special touches occupy the forefront. Perhaps it's just that he's already proven himself so thoroughly that he's ready to go where no rapper has gone before--egolessness.

Rolling Stone (1/23/03, p.67) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...Snoop stretches his silky flow over tracks by underground ace Hi-Tek and the unstoppable Neptunes..." Spin (2/03, p.100) - 8 out of 10 - "...The most spirited pop record of his career....PAID THA COST is Snoop unleashed..." Entertainment Weekly (12/13/02, p.82) - "...Snoop is reborn, a gangsta rap granddaddy in recline..." - Rating: A- Uncut (01/03, p.128) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...He treads a line between loving monogamy and club bangers, emphasizing accessibility throughout..." Vibe (1/03, pp.125-6) - 3.5 out of 5 - "...His wordplay is still as nimble and quick as ever, giving the beats a beat down with newfound urgency..."

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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