Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told

Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told
Studio album by Snoop Dogg
Released August 4, 1998
Recorded 1998
Genre Diry South, West Coast hip hop, gangsta rap, g-funk
Length 76:03
Label No Limit/Priority
Producer Master P (exec.)
Beats By the Pound, DJ Pooh, DJ Darryl, Meech Wells, Soopafly
Snoop Dogg chronology
Tha Doggfather
(1996)		 Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told
(1998)		 No Limit Top Dogg
(1999)

Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told is the third studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg; released by No Limit Records on August 4, 1998. It is his first album following his departure from Death Row Records. It was also his first album to be released under a slight name change to Snoop Dogg.

Contents

Release and Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
E! Online (B+) [2]
FFWD [3]
Iowa State Daily [4]
Robert Christgau (C+) [5]
Rolling Stone [6]
The Source [7]
Spin (5/10) [8]
Q [9]
Los Angeles Times [10]

The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Album charts selling over 520,000 copies in its first week,[11] and remained on top for the second week also by selling additional 246,000 units according to Soundscan. It remained in the top ten for five weeks; thus it was quickly certified double platinum later that year.[12] The album featured mostly No Limit artists and was a departure from Snoop Dogg's first two albums which were strictly West Coast. It is generally considered by critics and fans as one of his worst albums.

Unlike his two previous two studio albums, Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told received generally negative to moderate reviews. Q gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, saying "Dogg's vocals can actually verge on the sublime....in glorious slow motion, and the undercurrent vibe is distinctly soulful."[9]

The Source gave it 3.5 Mics out of 5, saying "[f]ew MCs from the West have ever gotten as much acceptance and acclaim from outside regions… No Limit's latest soldier isn't trying to rock the boat with his third album… the vibrant vocalist is very happy to be with rap's top squad."[7]

Anthony DeCurtis of Rolling Stone gave the album 2 out of 5 stars, saying that Snoop's work lacked the confidence and originality displayed on his earlier albums.[6]

Track listing

# Title Producer(s) Feature guest(s) Composer(s) Notes Length
1 "Snoop World" KLC Master P Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Percy Robert Miller Sr., Craig S. Lawson - 5:20
2 "I Can't Take the Heat"1 O'Dell Mia X, O'Dell, Anita Thomas Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Mia Young, O'Dell Vickers, Anita Thomas, J. Eugene, C. McIntosh, S. Nichol Contains interpolation of "Slow Down" by Loose Ends. 4:10
3 "Woof!" Craig B & Master P Fiend, Mystikal Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Richard Anthony Jones Jr., Michael Tyler, Craig Bazile, Percy Robert Miller Sr., George Clinton Jr. Contains interpolation of "Atomic Dog" by G. Clinton[13] 4:22
4 "Gin & Juice II" Carlos Stephens Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Carlos Stephens Tends to be a sequel to Gin and Juice 3:36
5 "Show Me Love" DJ Pooh Charlie Wilson Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Charles Kent Wilson, Mark Jordan 3:53
6 "Hustle & Ball" O'Dell Cordazar Calvin Broadus, O'Dell Vickers 3:26
7 "Don't Let Go" DJ Darryl Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Darryl Anderson 3:47
8 "Tru Tank Doggs" KLC Mystikal Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Michael Tyler, Craig S. Lawson 3:55
9 "Whatcha Gon Do?" Master P Master P Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Percy Robert Miller Sr. 2:37
10 "Still a G Thang" Meech Wells Cordazar Calvin broadus, Meech Wells Sequel to Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang by Dr. Dre 4:20
11 "20 Dollars to My Name" Master P Fiend, Master P Silkk the Shocker, and Soulja Slim Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Richard Anthony Jones, Percy Robert Miller Sr., Vyshonn King Miller, James A'Darryl Tapp 4:09
12 "D.O.G.'s Get Lonely 2" Meech Wells & Snoop Dogg Jon B Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Jonathan David Buck, Meech Wells Samples Jon B.'s "They Don't Know" and "Gigolos Get Lonely Too" by The Time 3:15
13 "Ain't Nut'in Personal" Craig B C-Murder, Silkk The Shocker, Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Corey Miller, Alfonso Sausa, Vyshonn King Miller, Craig Bazile 3:37
14 "Dogg Pound Gangsta" Craig B C-Murder, Eddie Griffin Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Corey Miller, Eddie Griffin, Craig Bazile, Steven Ralph Arrington, Leroy Bonner, Charles C. Carter, Buddy Hank, O'Shea B. Jackson, Ralph Middlebrooks, Walter Morrison, Bruce Napier, Andrew Noland, Roger Parker, Lorenzo Jerald Patterson, Mervin Pierce, Greg Webster, Eric Lynn Wright, Andre Romell Young Reworks N.W.A.'s "Gangsta, Gangsta". Also appears on NWA's 10th anniversary edition as "Gangsta, Gangsta". 4:53
15 "Game Of Life" Carlos Stephens Steady Mobb'n Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Alfonso Sausa, Carlos Stephens Contains sample of Whodini's "Five Minutes Of Funk"
also title track for the movie Game of Life.		 3:52
16 "See Ya When I Get There" Meech Wells C-Murder & Mystikal Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Corey Miller, Michael Tyler, Meech Wells 3:20
17 "Pay for Pussy" Snoop Dogg Big Pimpin' Delemond Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Dwight Delemond Williams 1:43
18 "Picture This" Craig B Mia X Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Mia Young, Craig Bazile 2:31
19 "Doggz Gonna Get Ya" KLC Mac Cordazar Calvin Broadus, McKinley Phipps, Craig S. Lawson, A. Colandreo, Lawrence Krisna Parker Interpolates KRS-One's "Love's Gonna Get Ya" 4:59
20 "Hoes, Money & Clout" Soopafly Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Priest Brooks Scratches by Daz Dillinger. Unofficial video is compiled in the Game of Life movie directed by Michael Martin. 3:21
21 "Get Bout It & Rowdy" KLC Master P Cordazar Calvin Broadus, Percy Robert Miller Sr., Craig S. Lawson 4:22

Chart performance

Singles

Title Chart positions Video Director
US Hot 100 USA Singles Top 40 US R&B/Hip-Hop US Rap Radio & Records Airplay - Urban Radio & Records Airplay - Rhythmic
"Slow Down" (I Can't Take The Heat)[1] 41 - 32 4 - - Gerald K. Barclay
"Still a G Thang" 19 35 16 3 15 29 Michael Martin
"Woof!"[2] 62 36 31 3 - - No Limit Films
(Master P?)

Album

Album Charts
Billboard 200 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Billboard Year-end
album chart 1998		 UK Top 75 Album Australia Top 100 Canada Top 100 RIAA Certification
Position 1 1 42 28 14 4 2X Platinum
Date 22.08.1998 1998 1998 15.08.1998 22.08.1998 15.08.1998 22.10.1998

See also

References

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Snoop Dogg: The Game Is to Be Sold Not to Be Told > Review" at Allmusic. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
  2. ^ E! Online review
  3. ^ Litorco, Frank (July 30, 1998). "Snoop Dogg: The Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told". Fast Forward Weekly (Calgary: Great West Newspapers) (Vol. 3 #31). ISSN 1914-3125. http://ffwdweekly.com/Issues/1998/0730/cd1.html. Retrieved October 2, 2011. 
  4. ^ "Solo-Zombie Screams from the Bowels of Hell". Iowa State Daily (Ames: Iowa State University). September 9, 1998. OCLC 232117907. http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/1998/09/09/316774/Solo-Zombie.Screams.From.The.Bowels.Of.hell-1075017.shtml. 
  5. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Snoop Dogg". RobertChristgau.com. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=3759. Retrieved October 2, 2011. 
  6. ^ a b DeCurtis, Anthony (October 14, 1998). "Snoop Dogg: Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told". Rolling Stone (Straight Arrow) (RS 795). ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on February 25, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070225023217/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/masterp/albums/album/224374/review/6212119. 
  7. ^ a b "Review of Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told, by Snoop Dogg". The Source (New York): 239. September 1998. ISSN 1063-2085. http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1127169&style=music&cart=358537095&BAB=M. Retrieved October 2, 2011. 
  8. ^ Christgau, Robert (November 1998). "Snoop Dogg: Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told". Spin. ISSN 0886-3032. http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cdrev/snoop-spi.php. Retrieved October 2, 2011. 
  9. ^ a b "Review of Da Game is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told, by Snoop Dogg". Q (Bauer Media Group): 130. December 1999. ISSN 0955-4955. http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1127169&style=music&cart=358537095&BAB=M. Retrieved October 2, 2011. 
  10. ^ Weingarten, Marc (August 1, 1998). "Snoop Dogg Retains His Bite". Los Angeles Times (Tribune Company). ISSN 0458-3035. OCLC 3638237. http://articles.latimes.com/1998/aug/01/entertainment/ca-9019. Retrieved October 2, 2011. 
  11. ^ Boehlert, Eric (August 12, 1998). "Da Chart Game Is Won". Rolling Stone (Straight Arrow). ISSN 0035-791X. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/da-chart-game-is-won-19980812. Retrieved October 2, 2011. 
  12. ^ Boehlert, Eric (August 20, 1998). "Snoop, Armageddon Dominate Again". Rolling Stone (Straight Arrow). ISSN 0035-791X. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/snoop-armageddon-dominate-again-19980820. Retrieved April 24, 2008. 
  13. ^ United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee]
Preceded by
Hello Nasty by Beastie Boys		 Billboard 200 number-one album
August 22 - September 4, 1998		 Succeeded by
Follow the Leader by KoЯn
Snoop Dogg
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