Snoop Dogg - “R&G (Rhythm &Gangsta): The Masterpiece”
General Description
Artist/Band: Snoop Dogg
Album Title: R&G (Rhythm &Gangsta): The Masterpiece
Year: 2004
Pimp Daddy Mack Dogg Caddy Shack..
How I Got Into This Music
Well.. Like most people listening to rap music, my first experience with this guy was on Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” album and he took the world by storm with his laidback style. The Doctor always could find raw talent.. But up till now I never really paid that much attention to his albums, coz his work was great but still not working for me: too much of the macho gangstah, blunty-assed shit, I guess.
More than 10 years after his debut, Snoop got the world at his feet again in 2003 with the Neptunes produced single “Beautiful” which kept haunting me for months after. Now, a coupla months ago, I heard this track on my TV (my default radio) and I had to turn my head to see what the hell was going on! “Drop It Like It’s Hot“ happened and I thought ’This is way too catchy not to be a blow-up hit..’ That’s when I wanted to listen to this album.
Tracks that got my attention:
Drop It Like It’s Hot
Wow.. Tongue-clicking that’d make Miriam Makeba turn her head and start get nasty nasty.. A groove so minimal that the first time you expect some grandiose shit halfway the track, but the only thing you get is that incredibly cheesy but fantastic keyboard! Pharrell kinda gets on my nerve due to his fragging over-exposure (and me being jealous about the women he got in his videos, heh) but his vocals are great. The Snoop struts his stuff to the max!
Can You Control Ya Hoe
Non-PC, but oh so groovy! Still wished he put other lyrics to a frigging great track!
The Bidness
Ouch, nasty power track with great lyrics
Let’s Get Blown
Now we’re getting to the Rhythm-part of this album, courtesy of the Neptunes. This track will dominate a dance floor!
Ups & Downs
“.. Smiles and frowns.. “ Ooooh! In case you were wondering if Snoop still had it, silly rabbit.. BeeGees haven’t had so much exposure since “Spirits Having Flown“ (one of my first LP’s which kinda explains a lot about me, doesn’t it?)
Stay
Damn! This is da slick-a-di-slick of Slickness. Pharrell’s falsetto, Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like An Eagle“ sample and again, crazy lyrics.
Girl Like You
This track makes Nelly sound great again (and that’s been a while). Great party track!
Promise I
Total R&B Soul groove!
No Thing On Me
Bootsy, nuff said..
Conclusion
Okay, I simply stopped adding tracks to the list coz that’s is the thing with this album: there aren’t a lot of tracks that you can ignore. “Perfect“ and “Fresh Pair Of Panties On“ are real R&B tracks. Gangsta tracks like “Step Yo Game Up“ show the rough side. The album still got a lot of the macho gangstah, blunty-assed shit, but the mix with slick, groovy tracks makes this one of my favorite albums of the moment! Expect a few hit singles banging on your radio and TV from the Doggfather in 2005 and everybody’s gonna be bopping their head, that’s a promise..
Rating: 
August 28th, 2006 at 10:03 pm
[...] That Girl ft. Snoop DoggWhat he does best: the mellow retro soul mixed with a wicked beat and, of course, Snoop Dogg - excellent track! [...]