mixtape maestro (2.0)

Snoop and Cudi go a bit “green” on this Diplo-produced collaboration for the former’s deluxe edition re-release of his Malice N Wonderland album (entitled More Malice, of course).

Beyond a slightly engaging, descending bubble-pop beat supporting the verses and one semi-humorous line from the Doggfather (“Groupies on my head like a kufi”), though, the track never quite lands as the essential release it should be, especially considering the star power it boasts. Shall we say its lacking a certain…ahem, spark? Or maybe we’re just a little too distracted by the creepy, mutated hand Snoop’s sporting in the pic seen left to even give the song a good listen. (Look at it though, aren’t his fingers weird-looking?)

More Malice, which includes five new cuts, a couple remixes and a mini-movie (!!!), drops March 23rd.

DL: “That Tree” (alt)

Speaking of Cudi, as a bonus, peep an Iron & Wine-sampling, electro-folk (?) cover of the rapper’s woozy single “Pursuit of Happiness” by L.A. newcomers Barbara that works far better than it really should.

Bonus DL: Barbara “Pursuit of Happiness (Kid Cudi Cover)” (alt)

Uncategorized barbara, cover song, diplo, electro-folk, kid cudi, malice n wonderland, snoop dogg, west coast rap

While nothing could match the heights that Snoop Dogg scaled when his lackadaisical delivery was paired with Dr. Dre’s G-funk beat terrains, in his late-career excursions, it’s been The Neptunes who have consistently provided the Doggfather with the material needed to remain just as commercially relevant as he nears closer and closer to age 40 and his twentieth year in the game, whether it’s through digitized updatings of the rapper’s old hood-boy bop (“From The Chuuuch To Da Palace”, “Drop It Like It’s Hot”) or radio-friendly ditties that paid tribute to his undying adoration for summertime soul (“Beautiful”) and sleek, ’80’s-era disco-funk (“Let’s Get Blown”, “Signs”).

For “Special”, the Neptunes’ lone offering to Snoop’s tenth album Malice N Wonderland, that hit-making chemistry is kept afire with the Virginian production duo lacing Snoop’s eased flow and Valentine’s Day promises with another one of their purrty, keyboard-dominant arrangements while Pharrell and (a suddenly everywhere) Brandy blissfully croon sweet nothings back and forth on the hook.

It’s a blatant “Beautiful” re-write and far away from the aggressive, undercover cop-spooking lyricism that Snoop became a household figure with so long ago, but of all the various ‘90 hip hop sub-genre detours Snoop (sometimes awkwardly) skips through throughout Malice, “Special” is the one where he fits in the most comfortably, not only because you could totally envision Snoop giddily vibing with the instrumental on loop as he rides through the streets of Cali, but the “grown man” way he praises Wifey (“I’m puttin out the blunt cause I see/ That I need you more in my life than I need a bag of weed”) carries this endearing grasp of authenticity and intimacy, sounding like something that could have actually been in his vows during his 1997 wedding (or 2008 vow renewal) to high school sweetheart Shante.

“Special”:

BONUS DL: Snoop Dogg featuring Justin Timberlake & Charlie Wilson “Signs (Siik Remix)” (alt)

Uncategorized brandy, charlie wilson, justin timberlake, malice n wonderland, neptunes, pharrell, siik, snoop dogg, west coast rap

If any other rapper touched the mic with some nonsense like “I beat it up like Harpo”, it would likely register as an instant FAIL. Have those same six words delivered via the slippery flow of Snoop though, and the cornball line magically ranks as yet another one of Mr. Dogg’s genius, casually tossed-off poetics.

Beyond that lyrical niblet and a brief shout-out to True Blood (making the HBO vamp soap that much cooler), not much else in Snoop’s verbal contribution to “Gangsta Luv” (the first single off his December-due tenth LP, Malice N Wonderland) really merits a double take, but don’t let that dissuade you: just hearing the man’s familiar drawl supported here by the summer-toned breeziness of Tricky Stewart’s synth-stabbed and bongo-accented production and a decent, if a bit paint-by-numbers, hook from The-Dream is all that’s needed to make this sorta-“Beautiful”-rewrite a welcome addition to the MP3 player library and easy fall-season radio success.

Uncategorized snoop dogg, the-dream, tricky stewart, west coast rap

First presented as a chugging, acoustic rock ballad on the original Swedish edition of Robyn’s critically-slobbered over self-titled triumph before being updated into a sharper, Euro-dance pop confection for the album’s international drop, “Bum Like You”, Robyn’s canny “I’m in love with a scrub” ditty, has now been re-worked yet again for inclusion on, wait for it…ONE MORE RE-RELEASE of the three-year old project (Talk about stretching out a good thing).

This time around, Robyn isn’t found alone in her questionable (yet so relatable) infatuation with average-looking deadbeats; featured guest Snoop Dogg pays her back for her work on the Fyre Department remix of “Sensual Seduction” from earlier this year, instilling himself within “Bum”’s clubby fizz for a little hook harmonizing before relating his own inability to eject a certain mooch-ess out of his heart: “You got no job/ No life/ It’s so wrong/ But it’s so right…”.

It’s an okay additional thirty seconds of new material that Robyn fanatics will surely eat up, but all these revisions don’t hide the fact that as much as she’s universally adored, the singer really needs to finally put Robyn to bed and start working on the next full-length project.

DL: “Bum Like You (Remix)” (alt)

Uncategorized dance pop, remix, robyn, snoop dogg, sweden

Capping off at a disappointing #44 on the R&B singles chart (and failing to even land on the pop listings), Solange’s “I Decided”, a 2008 highlight that provided the young singer’s best chance of finally moving out from up under her big sis’ ever-looming shadow, deserved much better. Thankfully, she hasn’t completely given up on making sure it reaches as many audiences as possible.

Following the still-solid original form and it’s sequel, a bombastic Freemasons-handled revision aimed for the UK/ club scene, a third re-working sees “I Decided” attached to a slight hip hop-like feel. But don’t fret, Solange hasn’t needlessly ventured down a “crunk & b” route. No, the track’s effervescent, Supremes-meets-Vandellas classic girl group twinkle remains; it’s just now filtered through a jazzy, horn-accented stomp you could imagine those Outkast boys (or, at least Andre 3000) freaking to and featuring a satisfyingly mindless cameo from Snoop (one of the few, if only emcees, who could rhyme “Pick your ‘fro” with “Do-si-do” and make it sound so effortlessly cool).

DL: “I Decided (G-Mix)” (alt)

Uncategorized remix, snoop dogg, solange