Snoop Doggy Dogg's most personal songs to date

Releasing two years ago quite a successful album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, Snoop Doggy Dogg has started turning to the basics, to the beginning of his creative path connected with the gangsta culture alternating it with his today's life. Probably such a turning has made the rapper review a lot in both his past and present, and these reflections have resulted into the idea of a new record on which the hip hop legend would be present alone without guest stars present on all the previous works, just telling his story. It is Ego Trippin that was supposed to become such a record and its name corresponds to the main idea. Yet at the last moment Snoop Dogg has decided to leave the traditions unchanged so there are some collaborations on the album even though not as numerous as it could be. Nevertheless Ego Trippin contains songs that have proved to be the rapper's most personal to date, and also his classical rap compositions devoted to the eternal themes of drugs, cars, women and other forms of pure entertainment.

Ego Trippin is about Snoop Doggy Dogg's past, present and himself

On his introductory word A Word Witchya! (Intro) we are offered to hear a new album, it is a traditional greeting of the listeners. A great composition Press Play with a faultless bass line sounds best when listened with powerful speakers and maximum volume, and song SD Is Out, the first appearance of Charlie Wilson on the album, is interesting for its electronic arrangement. Naturally there are tracks from the series "talking good of oneself" on the record, and Gangsta Like Me is a bright example for here Snoop Doggy Dogg gives advice to freshmen sharing his experience. A calm composition Neva Have 2 Worry from those reflective species tells of the rapper's life struggles and single Sexual Eruption is certainly devoted to women, one of the artist's favorite topics. Having a lot of in common with the predecessor of Ego Trippin track Life Of Da Party featuring Too Short and Mistah F.A.B. continues the never-ending party, whereas Waste Of Time performed Raphael Saadiq is a great example of R&B as Snoop Dogg sees it. Rapper describes his way of having fun in detail on Deez Hollywood Nights, and the frankest track is Staxxx In My Jeans which not just dwells on the theme of sex but explores it thoroughly. To have some rest song Been Around Tha World suits perfectly for here the rapper once again talks of himself, and then comes a surprise, a country song My Medicine about heroine performed with the accompaniment of Whitey Ford. The album's last part consists of a song for the girls Those Gurlz in the rapper's hard style, and a song for the guys One Chance (Make It Good) about gangs, then romantic, filled with angry sufferings, Why Did You Leave Me, and finally comes the climax Can't Say Goodbye again with Charlie Wilson which, as the mc confirmed himself makes him want to cry for it is about his past, his present and himself.

Signs of introspection and honesty

There are no changes on the West Side would be a short way to characterize the Californian rapper's new work. If somebody thinks that Snoop Doggy Dogg can ever loose his will to compose music one can have some rest for this artist will never be tired, largely because his creative work is his entertainment, it is connected with entertainment and will always remain like this. Yet even though Ego Trippin does not widen the borders of the rapper's typical works, there are signs of introspection and honesty that Snoop Doggy Dogg hardly ever had before. This is however by no means a reason to think that he has become more serious. On the contrary his texts about women are growing bolder and franker, the songs about drugs are becoming less ambiguous and the street life is described with more detail each time. Even if Ego Trippin cannot outshine the sensational debut it will still occupy a worthy position among the best creations of Snoop Doggy Dogg whose party is still going on.

Alexandra Zachernovskaya
17.03.2008