Coolaid
Snoop Dogg
(Doggystyle/eOne)
Four stars
As entertainingly diverting as his psychedelic, funk and reggae exploits have proved during the past few years, it’s a relief that Snoop Dogg has finally fully returned to hip-hop on this, his 14th studio album.
Consequently, Coolaid is chock-full of his so-laid-back-he's-almost-horizontal flows and patented g-funk template. He's quick to bring in West Coast rap veterans, most notably Too $hort (Don't Stop) and E-40 (Double Tap). He doesn't neglect the contemporary, however, with two smart cameos from Wiz Khalifa, and the unexpectedly memorable, Future-esque opener Legend.
Super Crip turns out to be the album's gloriously unrepentant zenith, despite ostensibly revolving around a 44-year-old man trumpeting his gang affiliations. Conversely, the J Dilla production My Carz – one of the most interesting tracks, on paper – riffs off a lazy sample of Gary Numan's Cars and leaves little lasting impression.
That is a rare low, however, in what is arguably Snoop Dogg’s strongest set in a decade.
aworkman@thenational.ae
