Doggystyle

Doggystyle
Studio album by Snoop Doggy Dogg
Released	November 23, 1993
Recorded	January—October 1993
Genre	Hip-hop, gangsta rap
Length	53:24
Label	Death Row/Interscope/Atlantic 92279
Producer	Suge Knight (exec.) Dr. Dre (co-exec.)
Snoop Doggy Dogg chronology
Doggystyle (1993) Tha Doggfather (1996) Singles from Doggystyle "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" Released: November 30, 1993 "Gin and Juice" Released: January 15, 1994 "Doggy Dogg World" Released: June 1994

Doggystyle is the debut album from American hip hop musician Snoop Doggy Dogg, released November 23, 1993 on Death Row Records. The album was recorded soon following the release of Dr. Dre's landmark debut album The Chronic (1992), to which Snoop Dogg contributed significantly. His musical stylizations for the album share similarity to those featured on Doggystyle.^[1] Critics have praised Snoop Dogg for the lyrical "realism" he delivers on the album and for his distinctive vocal flow.^[1][2]

Despite some mixed criticism of the album initially upon its release, Doggystyle has earned recognition from many music critics as one of the most significant albums of the 1990s, as well as one of the most important hip hop albums ever released.^[3] Much like The Chronic, the distinctive sounds of Doggystyle helped introduce the hip hop style of G-funk to a mainstream audience, bringing forward West Coast hip hop as a dominant force in the early 1990s.^[1][4] As of 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has certified Doggystyle quadruple platinum in sales, as it serves as Snoop Dogg's highest-selling album.

Doggystyle debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200 chart, and sold 802,858 copies in its first week alone, which was the record for a debuting artist and the fastest-selling album ever until Eminem's Marshall Mathers LP in 2000. Doggystyle is viewed by many critics and fans as a "hip hop classic" and is included in The Source magazine's list of the 100 Best Rap Albums, as well as Rolling Stone magazine's list of Essential Recordings of the 90s.^[3] About.com placed the album in #19 of the greatest hip hop/rap albums of all time.^[5]

Conception

Background

Snoop Dogg came to attention of the music industry in 1992, through his vocal contributions on Dre's The Chronic. That album is considered to have "transformed the entire sound of West Coast rap" by its development of what later became known as the "G-funk" sound.^[4] The Chronic expanded gangsta rap with profanity, violent lyrics, basic beats, anti-authoritarian lyrics and multi-layered samples taken from 1970's P-Funk records.^[4] Snoop Dogg contributed vocals to Dre's solo single, "Deep Cover", which lead to a high degree of anticipation amongst hip hop for the release of his own solo album.^[2] Snoop was also featured on the single Nuthin' but a "G" Thang, which reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving him mainstream recognition.

Doggystyle and The Chronic are associated with each other mainly because each prominently featured Snoop Dogg and because both contain G-funk style production from Dr. Dre. The two releases are linked by the high number of vocal contributions from Death Row Records artists, including Tha Dogg Pound, RBX, The Lady of Rage,^[6] while both contain a high density misogynistic lyrics and profanity in their lyrics.^[7] In addition, the two albums are each viewed by critics as early "G-funk classics", and have been described as "joined at the hip".^[1][7]

Gangsta rap has been criticized for its extreme lyrics, which are often accused of glamorizing gang violence and black-on-black crime. The Gangsta rappers responded that they were simply describing the realities of life in places such as Compton, California, and Long Beach, California.^[8] Describing Doggystyle in 1993, Snoop Dogg likewise points to the album's realism, and the extent to which it is based on his personal experience. He said, "I can't rap about something I don't know. You'll never hear me rapping about no bachelor's degree. It's only what I know and that's that street life. It's all everyday life, reality."^[9] Explaining his intentions, Snoop Dogg claims he feels he is a role model to many young black men, and that his songs are designed to relate to their concerns. "For little kids growing up in the ghettos," he said, "it's easy to get into the wrong types of things, especially gangbanging and selling drugs. I've seen what that was like, and I don't glorify it, but I don't preach. I bring it to them rather than have them go find out about it for themselves."^[9] He further explained the "dream" that he would pursue after making the album: "I'm going to try to eliminate the gang violence. I'll be on a mission for peace. I know I have a lot of power. I know if I say, 'Don't kill,' niggas won't kill".^[9]

Recording

Doggystyle was recorded in early 1993 at Death Row Studios. It was produced in a style similar to The Chronic; some critics called it a "carbon copy".^[2] Snoop Dogg collaborated with two music groups, 213 and Tha Dogg Pound. Daz Dillinger, of the latter group, accused Dr. Dre of taking sole recognition for the songs and alleged he and Warren G were uncredited on many tracks.^[10] Snoop Dogg said Dr. Dre was capable of making beats without the help of collaborators and addressed the issues with Warren G and Daz, stating "They made beats, Dre produced that record". He discussed the track "Ain't No Fun", mentioning that Daz and Warren G brought Dr. Dre the beat but "Dre took that muthafucka to the next level!"^[11] Bruce Williams, closely affiliated with Dr. Dre, discussed the recording process during Dre's time at Death Row Records, stating:

Dre’s going to be the first one in the studio and the last one to leave. He’ll start messing with a beat. As the beat starts pumping, the guys start filtering in. Everybody will get their little drink and smoke in. Soon enough the beat starts to make a presence. You’ll look around the room and every cat that was a rapper – from Kurupt to Daz to Snoop – will grab a pen. They would start writing while Dre is making a beat so by the time he’s finished with the beat, they are ready to hit the booth and start spittin'. To see those young cats – they were all hungry and wanted to make something dope. The atmosphere that was there, you couldn’t be wack.^[12]

Williams said the album was never finished and because of the demand for the record, the distributors insisted the album be completed, otherwise they would cancel the album's orders. This resulted in Dr. Dre mixing the album and inserting the skits within 48 hours, which enabled the album to be released.^[12] Rolling Stone writer Jonathan Gold described how Dr. Dre produced a beat from scratch to complete instrumental: "Dre may find something he likes from an old drum break, loop it and gradually replace each part with a better tom-tom sound, a kick-drum sound he adores, until the beat bears the same relationship to the original that the Incredible Hulk does to Bill Bixby".^[13] Gold also described how the track progressed with other musicians adding to the song, stating "A bass player wanders in, unpacks his instrument and pops a funky two-note bass line over the beat, then leaves to watch CNN, though his two notes keep looping into infinity. A smiling guy in a striped jersey plays a nasty one-fingered melody on an old Mini-Moog synthesizer that's been obsolete since 1982, and Dre scratches in a sort of surfadelic munching noise, and then from his well-stocked Akai MPC60 sample comes a shriek, a spare piano chord, an ejaculation from the first Beastie's record -- "Let me clear my throat" -- and the many-layered groove is happening, bumping, breathing, almost loud enough to see."^[13]

While recording Doggystyle with Dr. Dre in August 1993, Snoop Dogg was arrested in connection with the death of Phillip Woldermarian, a member of a rival gang who was shot and killed in a gang fight. According to the charges, the rapper's bodyguard, McKinley Lee, shot Woldermarian as Snoop Dogg drove the vehicle; the rapper claimed it was self-defense, alleging the victim was stalking Snoop Dogg. He spent most of 1995 preparing the case which went to trial in late 1995. He was cleared of all charges in February 1996 when he began work on his second album, Tha Doggfather.^[2]

Title significance

The album's title alludes to the Doggy style sex position and is a reference to the musician's name. The artwork represents the themes covered in the album and the style of implementation of those ideas. Some critics believe the artwork portrays a woman merely as a hole to be filled by the man, which they believe adheres to the narcissistic and sexist lyrical themes Snoop Dogg covers.^[14] In this interpretation, the cover art and lyrics convey what they refer to as the self-indulgent "gangsta" lifestyle, drugs, cars, sex, and money.^[14] The artwork uses several quotes from the 1982 George Clinton single "Atomic Dog". The quotes come from the dogs at the top of the brick wall on the album cover, which say, "Why must I feel like dat?", "Why must I chase da cat?" and "Nuttin' but da dogg in me".^[15]

Music

Production

Dre's handling of the production was praised by critics. Allmusic writer Stephen Erlewine stated: "Dre realized that it wasn't time to push the limits of G-funk, and instead decided to deepen it musically, creating easy-rolling productions that have more layers than they appear". He added that the beats were "laid-back funky, continuing to resonate after many listens".^[1] Rolling Stone writer Touré noted "The Chronic's slow, heavy beats were a sonic representation of angry depression as accurate as Cobain's feedback blasts; Doggystyle is leaner, with its high-tempo Isaac Hayes- and Curtis Mayfield-derived tracks". He went on to say that "Most of Dre's hooks and nearly all his beats refuse to linger, as if the songs themselves are nervous, fearful of exposure, restless to get offscreen."^[16] Entertainment Weekly magazine's David Browne mentioned that "The mix of samples and live music on Dre's latest, The Chronic, gave it texture and depth, and he continues his knob-turning growth on Doggystyle, fluidly weaving together a gaggle of background singers and rappers, quirky samples, his trademark horror-flick keyboard lines".^[17] The Source magazine columinst wrote: "Dre's brand of G-funk may be common now, but it is still painstakingly well-produced".^[6]

Lyrics

Snoop Dogg's lyrics were generally praised by critics, although they caused some controversy. He was acclaimed for the realism in his rhymes and his harmonious flow.^[1][2] Allmusic's Stephen Erlewine commended Snoop Dogg, saying: "he's one of hip-hop's greatest vocal stylists with this record" and he "takes his time, playing with the flow of his words, giving his rhymes a nearly melodic eloquence. Snoop is something special, with unpredictable turns of phrase, evocative imagery, and a distinctive, addictive flow".^[1] Time magazine's Christopher John Farley noted "Snoop's rapping isn't flashy, but it is catchy" and stated "His relaxed vocal style is a perfect match for Dre's bass-heavy producing. Snoop's voice is lithe enough to snake its way around the big beats".^[18] The ideas put forward through the lyrics include Snoop Dogg's adolescent urges, as he freely talks of casual sex, smoking marijuana and gunning down rival gang members. Time magazine remarked that the notions "are often unnecessarily graphic; at some points they're downright obscene" and that "the album would have been stronger if such misgivings about the criminal life, as well as Snoop's touches of introspection, had been applied to some of the cruder songs".^[18] The album also covered gun play, drug dealing and pimping. The New York Times said that the lyrical concepts were delivered in "crudest, rudest terms".^[19]

Some critics said Snoop Dogg was "obsessed with being a 'G', a gangster, a lawbreaker who smokes dope and kills with impunity" and that his lyrics depict the black-on-black crime in the inner-cities.^[14] The lyrics involve many derogatory terms against woman, with expressions such as "bitches" and "ho's" being used throughout, which illustrates the feeling of sexism and oppression within the African-American community.^[14] In certain tracks Snoop Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound casually speak of group sex, illustrating the demeaning of women.^[20] Snoop Dogg's lyrics depict drugs, alcohol, sex, and money as methods of escape from oppression, but they also show an underside of the "gangsta" lifestyle and the results of following this lifestyle.^[14] The lyrics' violent representations, including murder and aggressive behaviour, have also generated controversy. C. DeLores Tucker of the National Political Congress of Black Women named gangsta rap "a profane and obscene glorification of murder and rape", which can be attributed to Doggystyle.^[20]

Content

"Who Am I (What's My Name)?" was the first single released from the album on November 30, 1993. It peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks charts, and reached number one on the Hot Rap Singles. The RIAA certified it Gold on February 8, 1994.^[21] It reached number 20 on the UK Singles Chart in 1994 and re-entered the chart in 2004, reaching number 100.^[22][23] "Gin and Juice" was the second single released on January 15, 1994. Like the previous single, it was a hit on multiple charts. It reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, number 13 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, number one on Hot Rap Singles, and number 39 on the UK Singles Chart.^[24][22] The RIAA certified it Platinum on April 6, 1994.^[21] The song was nominated at the 1995 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Solo Performance, but lost to Queen Latifah's "U.N.I.T.Y.". "Doggy Dogg World" was released as a Europe-only single during June 1994. Even though the single was not officially released in the U.S., it received some radio airplay which resulted in position 19 on the Rhythmic Top 40 chart.^[24] A music video was produced for the single, which gained American video TV-play and won the 1994 MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video. It reached number 32 on the UK Singles Chart.^[22]

"Lodi Dodi" and "Murder Was the Case" were not official singles, but they received radio airplay and charted in Rhythmic Top 40.^[24] An 18 minute music video was shot for the two songs, with an accompanying Murder Was the Case soundtrack.^[25] The video won the 1995 Video of the Year award at The Source Hip-Hop Music Awards. "Gin and Juice" was nominated at the 1995 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Solo Performance. A bonus track, "Gz Up, Hoes Down", was included in the album's first pressing, but not in later versions because of sample clearance issues. Snoop Dogg could not gain the rights to use the beats because the record company was not willing to pay license fees for using the samples.^[26] "Gz Up, Hoes Down" was later released on the Death Row compilation "15 Years on Death Row". "Tha Next Episode" was listed on the cover, but not included in any pressing. It is considered the original material used for the 2000 Dr. Dre single "The Next Episode" but bears no resemblance to the later song. It was 4 minutes and 36 seconds (4:36) long.^[27] "Tha Next Episode" was later released on the Dr. Dre mixtape Pretox under the name "Chronic Unreleased Studio Session", but only 1:10 long. "Doggystyle" featuring George Clinton was a 5:26 long outtake from the album sessions. It is a singing melody with vocals dominating the song and it extensively samples "Oh I" by Funkadelic from their album "Electric Spanking of War Babies". Jewell & The Brides of Funkenstein are featured on the chorus.^[27] The song was released on "Death Row: The Lost Sessions Vol. 1" amongst other songs recorded by Snoop Doggy Dogg during his tenure at Death Row.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
RapReviews	(9.5/10) [28]
Melody Maker	(favorable) [29]
Allmusic	[30]
The Source	[31]
The Source	[32]
Entertainment Weekly	(B-) [33]
Rolling Stone	[34]
Yahoo! Music	(favorable) [35]
Robert Christgau	[36]
Rolling Stone	[37]

Commercial performance

The album has sold over five million copies in the United States and over seven million worldwide.^[38] It was certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on May 31, 1994.^[39] It is Snoop Dogg's most successful album; his following albums were certified single- or double-platinum.^[40] Doggystyle first appeared on music charts in 1993, peaking on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at number one.^[41] It re-peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 in January 1994, when it was already certified three times platinum by the RIAA.^[42] The record was mildly successful in Europe, reaching number 18 in Sweden, number 24 in the Czech Republic and number 35 in Austria. It also peaked at number 25 on the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand album chart.^[43] At the end of 1994, the album was number three on the Billboard Year-End Top Albums Chart and number one on the Billboard Year-End Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart.^[44][45] It re-entered the charts in 2003, peaking on the Ireland Albums Top 75 at number 70.^[46]

Critical response

Doggystyle was generally praised by critics. Rolling Stone writer Touré mentioned "Doggystyle is filled with verbal and vocal feats that meet its high expectations. It speeds through 55 minutes of constant talk as if on a suicide hot line".^[16] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly noted "It is the most limber, low-rider gangsta album to date" and went on to say "Doggystyle is a grim, bleak-faced record. It's set in a dead-end, no-tomorrow world of cheap thrills".^[17] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic stated "Doggystyle and The Chronic stand proudly together as the twin pinnacles of West Coast G-funk hip-hop of the early '90s"^[1] Stylus magazine presented "The Chronic vs. Doggystyle" article, and stated a strong point of Doggystyle compared to Dre's album was its follow-up singles and that "some of the album tracks are more famous than the singles".^[7] Vibe magazine expressed that "Snoop is no ordinary gangsta; that's impossible for an artist this playful. On his debut, with Dre riding shotgun anthems abound as often as gin-soaked debauchery".^[47] The Source magazine gave the album a 4/5 mic rating. It said Snoop Dogg emerged as a rapper who lived up to all the advance hype which came from his work on The Chronic, and discussed songs on the record, stating "If 'Murder Was The Case' is a stroke of near genius, then 'Lodi Dodi' is an example of total genius."^[6] NME magazine called the lead single "a pinnacle he conquered effortlessly" and went on to name the record a "benchmark album".^[48]

The album also received some negative criticism. Erlewine of Allmusic mentioned the album did not "surprise or offer anything that wasn't already on The Chronic".^[1] Christopher John Farley noted Snoop Dogg had little examination over his emotions and feelings.^[18] David Browne spoke of "Ain't No Fun", stating it was an example of how "musically artful, yet lyrically repellent, this album can be" and went on to say "It's easy to be impressed one moment and appalled the next".^[17] Renown rock critic Robert Christgau gave the album a dud rating,^[49] which signifies "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought. At the upper level it may merely be overrated, disappointing, or dull. Down below it may be contemptible."^[50] Despite the initial mixed criticism, critical perception of the album later improved, as Doggystyle has earned several accolades and rankings on critics' "best album" lists.^[3] The Source magazine later gave the album a classic five-mic rating.^[51]

Influence

Hip-hop music

Doggystyle is seen by many hip hop pundits as a "classic" and an "essential" album.^[52] It is credited with defining West Coast hip hop; shifting the emphasis to more melodious, synth-driven, and funk-induced beats. About.com stated during the period the album was released, "Gangsta rap never sounded so sweet." The album is credited for further establishment of the slurred "lazy drawl" that sacrificed lyrical complexity for clarity and rhythmic cadence on Doggystyle and The Chronic.^[1][2] The album is considered as one of the first G-funk albums which many rappers duplicated in later years.^[1]

Hip-hop culture

It has been suggested by some writers and publications that Doggystyle has considerably affected African-American culture. Some publications have held the rap genre responsible for social problems such as sexual violence and sexism, which has been blamed on Snoop Dogg and other rappers for calling their controversial lyrics "keeping it real".^[53] The problems of sexual violence and sexism are attributed to lyrics degrading women such as "bitches" and "ho's", which some believe have influenced black males.^[14][54] Snoop Dogg and other hip hop artists, including N.W.A, especially Eazy E, Dr. Dre and Ice Cube (due to their success) and Tupac Shakur, have been held accountable for developing the gangsta rap form; a genre which articulated the rage of the urban underclass and its sense of intense oppression and defiant rebellion,^[14] which has been attained through the ability to communicate free of censorship, and has allowed hip hop culture to become a dominant style and ethos throughout the world.^[14] Mariah Carey sampled the song "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)" in her 1999 album Rainbow for the remix of Heartbreaker where it featured Missy Elliott and Da Brat.

The writers of Enculturation, Steven Best and Douglas Kellner, have noted that Snoop Dogg and other rappers only condemn violence when it is directed against them, otherwise "they celebrate it, internalize it, and embrace it as an ethos and means of self expression", which some believe has an effect on the black-on-black crime.^[14] The release of music videos from Doggystyle and The Chronic has enabled the artists to add visual illustrations to their lyrics, which generally involve Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg driving around South Central, Los Angeles in a lowrider (a vehicle with lowered suspension). This imagery of the "gangsta lifestyle" is thought to have influenced young black males into trying to live the same lifestyle and it is also noted by T. Denean, writer of Pimps Up, Ho's Down: Hip Hop's Hold on Young Black Women, that the videos highlight the representation of class, race and Black masculinity within contemporary urban America.^[55]

Subsequent work

Doggystyle is generally considered Snoop Dogg's best record, in addition to being his highest charting and best-selling album.^[41][38][2] It differs from following albums as his later work featured production from multiple individuals, such as The Neptunes, Timbaland and Daz Dillinger, with reduced input from Dr. Dre, which shows a shift from G-funk production.^[2] Snoop Dogg's follow-up album, Tha Doggfather (1996), did not involve Dr. Dre, as he left Death Row Records. As a result, Dillinger was the main beat-maker for the album.^[2] Tha Doggfather followed the methods of a G-funk record and initially sold well, but received mixed reviews and failed to produce a major hit single.^[2] In 1998, Snoop Dogg left Death Row and joined No Limit Records, changing his stage name from Snoop Doggy Dogg to Snoop Dogg. During his tenure at the label, he continued several of the themes from Doggystyle with follow-ups to earlier songs, such as "Gin & Juice II" (1998) and "Snoop Dogg (What's My Name II)" (2000).^[56]

Subsequent studio albums such as Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss (2002) and R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece (2004) exhibited a more mainstream, pop-oriented theme with new sounds, but remained "hardcore throughout" and featured "plenty of street and commercial appeal".^[56] These releases included three hit singles, "Beautiful", "Drop It Like It's Hot" and "Signs". Snoop Dogg was credited for returning to his G-funk roots in 2006, which was established with his eighth studio album, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (2006).^[2] The album was noted for being a "hard and very G-Funk record".^[2]

Track listing

• "Gz Up, Hoes Down" was omitted after initial pressings because of sample-clearance issues.
• The CD/vinyl track listing does not list any of the album's interludes. The cassette tape did however list the interlude titles, which are contradictory to those listed below, i.e. 'U Better Ask Somebody' was actually titled 'Classroom'.

Samples used

• "Bathtub"
  • Curtis Mayfield - "Give Me Your Love (Love Song)"
• "G Funk Intro"
  • Funkadelic - "(Not Just) Knee Deep"
  • George Clinton - "Atomic Dog"
  • The Brothers Johnson - "Strawberry Letter # 23"
• "Gin And Juice"
  • George McCrae - "I Get Lifted"
  • Slave - "Watchin' You" (interpolation)
• "Tha Shiznit"
  • Parliament - "Flashlight" (interpolation)
  • Billy Joel-"The Stranger"
• "Lodi Dodi"
  • "La Di Da Di"by Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh (interpolation)
  • Kyu Sakamoto - "Sukiyaki"
  • Rose Royce - "Ooh Boy"
• "Murder Was The Case (DeathAfterVisualizingEternity)"
  • "Indo Smoke" (Intro) by Mista Grimm
  • "Funky President" by James Brown
  • "Fried Neckbones" by Santana
• "Serial Killa"
  • Ohio Players - "Funky Worm"
• "Who Am I? (What's My Name?)"
  • Parliament - "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)", "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)"
  • Funkadelic - "(Not Just) Knee Deep"
  • George Clinton - "Atomic Dog" (interpolation)
  • Tom Browne - "Funkin' 4 Jamaica"
  • The Counts - "Pack of Lies"
• "For All My Niggas & Bitches"
  • Funk Inc. - "Kool Is Back"
• "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)"
  • Lyn Collins - "Think (About It)"
  • Isaac Hayes - "A Few More Kisses To Go"
• "Doggy Dogg World"
  • Richard Field - "If it Ain't One Thing, It's Another" (interpolation)
• "Gz and Hustlas"
  • Bernard Wright - "Haboglabotribin"
• "Gz Up, Hoes Down"
  • Isaac Hayes - "The Look of Love"

Chart history

Accolades

The information regarding accolades attributed to Doggystyle is adapted from AcclaimedMusic.net.^[3]

(*) designates lists that are unordered.

Personnel

References