'Doggumentary' is Snoop Dogg's 11th album! Now as a big Snoop fan it's tough to be critical, because like many other hip-hop veterans, we miss the old shit (for lack of better terms). Now that's not to say that Snoop doesn't deliver with 'Doggumentary'. It's just that with a tracklist of 21 tracks, half end up being filler tracks that the project could have done without.
The beginning brings it back, with Bootsy Collins giving such a cool vibe off (real G-Funk shit). Unfortunately the majority of the album doesn't have the same feeling. What really intrigues me is that Snoop was close to recording 'Doggystyle II' which of course would have big shoes to fill. He later ditched that idea and came up with this instead. I wonder, what would the finished result of 'Doggystyle II' have sounded like?
The intro opens up nice to the next couple of note worthy tracks. 'The Way Life Used To Be', 'My Own Way', & 'Wonder What It do' all make us feel good to be Snoop fans. After so long he stands out with swag and flow. 'My Fucn House' doesn't fit but damn it is just one of those guilty pleasure that we would have enjoyed on any other rapper's album (so why judge it that it's Snoop? Hmmm).
'Peer Pressure' is another highlight on the album. Truly reminding us of the West Coast back in the early 90s. Which brings me to another track that lands later in the album. 'The Weed Iz Mine'! "I'm a fuck around and bring it back to classic Snoop" That line pretty much summarizes it. From the verses to the hook (and now even the music video) bring it back. Another small glimpse of what Snoop still has in him.
The ultimate low in the album lie in the club tracks that I personally feel Snoop does NOT need. 'Boom' and 'Wet' sound like desperate attempts to land radio airplay. Snoop doesn't need tracks like these but unfortunately the radio wants what they'll play so in the end does it just come to what we choose to listen to as fans? (Those tracks were just a few examples of songs deemed for radio airplay).
The album continues to offer skip worthy tracks. 'Sumthin Like This' and 'Superman' just feel so awkward when it comes to actually listening to the music (perhaps it is because of the features as well as the production). On paper, a track like 'Eyez Closed' feels like a possible diamond for the album, but it just didn't deliver. The production felt really lazy and could have been much better.
With all that being said, the album isn't terrible. Long time Snoop fans might listen to it a couple of times, but hip-hop fans nowadays may never come back to it for another listen. Some tracks show possibility of Snoop possibly delivering a 'Doggystyle II'. But until then the last couple of albums from good old D.O.DOUBLE G may not be a good sign of things to come.
Final Rating: 6.0/10 Not what we hoped for
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