By Fifi Enyi
Drugs, sex, money, guns, and profanity is what you would expect from your typical rap cd. Well, Snoop Dogg does not deviate from the norm.
What distinguishes this cd from others of its genre is that executive producer, Master P, combines his own musical finesse with that of Snoops’ to yield a more enjoyable and better quality piece of music. The difference is apparent in “Ghetto Symphony,” a track that includes special guests Mia X, Fiend, C-Murder, Silkk The Shocker, Mystikal, and Goldie Loc. Instead of your typical G-funk or West Coast Rap song, it takes on the body and form that all good rap songs contain: good lyrics and groove-worthy beats.
Top Dogg is a cd that is musically diverse and unique in sound. It was hard to resist the head-nodding appeal of “Betta Days” or the smooth R&B rhythms created by, “Somethin Bout ffio Bidness,” a collaboration that includes the legendary, clever and smooth rhymes of Raphael Saadiq.
It’s apparent that Snoop Dogg has capitalized on previous successes seen in the early ’90s with albums Doggfather and Doggystyle to aid in the creation of Top Dogg.
Perhaps the most redeeming quality of this cd is the simple fact that it leaves you satisfied, not quite like Thanksgiving dinner, but close. With 21 songs to its credit, the rap-lover is given the forbidden apple, an item worthy of its price-tag-an element seriously lacking in today’s rap industry.
So even if you don’t particularly enjoy Snoop’s rap style, there are numerous guest appearances that add to the overall appeal. Guest appearances include the likes of Dr. Dre, xzibit and Warren G, to name a few.
Though this cd exceeds the boundaries established by most rap artists, don’t expect any major revelations to follow.