Snoop Dogg - Ego Trippin': Album Review
Snoop Dogg, Ego Trippin' (Geffen, 2008)
This, the ninth Snoop Dogg album, wasn't gonna have any guests, just Snoop Dogg. Hence the title. But Snoop probably smoked a shiteload of weed and forgot what he was doing. It was probably for the best though, since you'd have to be from California to think Snoop is that good of a rapper. Plus, could there have been a "Sexual Eruption" without Snoop's heroic weed consumption? Nullus.
A WORD WITCHYA! (INTRO)
Snoop Dogg tells you to listen to his new album, in case you weren't sure what your aim was here.
PRESS PLAY
A little disjointed, with the ridonkulous bass, and the Isley Brothers sample, and the horns and what have you. I'm sure it's way better though if you listen to it on anything other than laptop speakers.
SD IS OUT
The inevitable song where Charlie Wilson fucks around with AutoTune. How obnoxious is it? Pretty obnoxious. Also, what's the deal with Snoop Dogg running with Charlie Wilson and now Teddy Riley? Is this some sort of tax strategy?
GANGSTA LIKE ME
Just like that hyphy record from the last Snoop Dogg album... except less hyphy. No wonder Teddy Riley is now homeless.
NEVA HAVE 2 WORRY
Snoop runs down his life story over some "reflective" sounding garbage. Speaking of washed up R&B singers... is this K-Ci & Jo-Jo?
SENSUAL SEDUCTION
The instant classic about blowing one's load.
LIFE OF DA PARTY
Featuring Too Short and Mistah FAB, who might be the guy who did that Ghostbusters record. This ain't no hyphy bullshit though. This shit fucking cranks. You'd think it was the Neptunes, but apparently it isn't. (It hasn't been for quite some time, has it?)
WASTE OF TIME
Limp R&B teh gheyness, featuring the guy from Tony Tony Tone, or whatever it was called, on the chorus.
COOL
A remake of a Morris Day and the Time record. Could covering Morris Day ever not be a losing proposition? This might manage to ride the "Sensual Seduction" wave to a certain degree of success anyway.
SETS UP
Trying to be the next "Vato." Sounds just like some other Neptunes record I don't like. I can't remember which one though. There's so many of them.
DEEZ HOLLYWOOD NIGHTS
Like a Macy Gray take on a Jackson Five record, but maybe even worse. Truly awful.
This month's hip-hop quotable: "Every night I'm in a limo Excursion. With some whites, some Asians, and some Persians."
WHATEVA U DO
There was one of these songs with the weird bass on Tha Blue Carpet Treatment. I didn't like it either.
STAXXX IN MY JEANS
Something even worse than a song about a Viagra-induced six hour-long boner - a Snoop Dogg take on Texas rap.
BEEN AROUND THE WORLD
Like "Paris, Tokyo" if it was infused with five or ten god-awful LCD rap-isms. Probably what Lupe was going for in the first place.
LET IT OUT
Features several ill-advised Chinese musical flourishes. Call it happy ending rap.
MY MEDICINE
A country song about copping heroin? Weed might be a worse drug than we thought.
RIDIN' IN MY CHEVY
Sounds like something Paul Wall might do. In a bad way, natch.
THOSE GURLZ
One of these "songs for the bitches" that you can hardly imagine any girl actually liking. Except that it's piss poor music, and you know how girls like bad music.
ONE CHANCE (MAKE IT GOOD)
Is this a song about how to distinguish one's self in a gang bang?
WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME
Is this the real Akon, or just some African fellow Snoop found at... uggh, the cab company?
CAN'T SAY GOODBYE
Like 2Pac's "Changes," but with Charlie Wilson, who really is a brilliant singer, on the chorus. If only he was ever actually put to good use.
COMMENTS: It's like a more mediocre Blue Carpet Treatment (which, as a Snoop Dogg album, was rather mediocre itself), but with a few amusing gimmicks that really are pretty funny... the first few times you hear them. I doubt they'll stand up to repeat listens though.
BEST TRACKS: "Press Play" "Sensual Seduction" "Life of da Party"
BONUS VIDEO: "Chronic Masturbation"
