Snoop Dogg's Ego Trippin is the Evolution of a Gangsta

Snoop Dogg's Ego Trippin is one of the best albums I've purchased in the last two years. I've been a Snoop Dogg fan since he hit the scene with Dre on Deep Cover in the early 90's. I've bought every album he's made and now I'm 35 and recognize the parallels of where Snoop is in his life as a father, husband and a creative entity.

His latest entry Ego Trippin is signature Snoop and a classic album. As the self proclaimed "Boss", Snoop recognizes his past and revels in his achievement taking an album to create with wreckless abandon. See you can ego trip when you are on top of your game and expect a degree of leniency because after all it's just an ego trip.

Track No. 5 "Never Have 2 Worry" walks through his entire career in 4:18 seconds with the cool narrative and velvet flow that makes it Snoop. Track No. 6 "Sexual Eruption" or "Sensual Seduction - Radio Edit" is a great retro funk appeal that reminds us that T-Pain ain't the originator of the synthesized voice (RIP Roger Troutman) and holds no monopoly on the style. More over it's a true player's anthem for the ages.

Snoop has a long tradition of reserving one track on his album to remake a historic hip-hop or R&B song (Biz Markie's Vapors-Tha Doggfather). On Ego Trippin his choice of remakes is perfect with his new twist on Morris Day & The Time's Cool on Track No. 9. Only Snoop's swagger and old soul could do a great song like this any justice and overall it just works.

Keeping it true Snoop has some killer gangsta cuts that are a quick reminder of his legacy and true O.G. status. "Sets Up" (Track No. 10) is a tribute to Snoop's Crip origin callin' all to throw ya sets up and claim your hood. So Trill. My favorite track on the album is "Staxx In My Jeans" (Track No. 13), with the catchy screwed, chopped and looped "My pockets look like Re-Run your pockets look like Rog" that is just a classic hood banger.

Snoop also gets his Grown Man on as well with the album and puts that pimp type touch on the feel. With production from Teddy Riley and mixed by production prodigy Quik (formerly DJ Quik) the album has a rich and polished sound that has a sonic fullness that is lacking on recent hip-hop projects. "Been Around the World" (Track 14) and "Can't Say Goodbye" (Track 21) show the mature reflections of a father and husband that is anchored in is love for the hood but a focus on family first.

Much like Snoop I came from a tough neighborhood (although in Kansas City, Kansas) that shaped my life in ways that I would have never imagined. To this day there is an electricity that I feel when I get back to the hood that is filled with nostalgia and memories of my journey this far. At the same time, I respect the blessings of my growth that have led to having a wonderful wife, three beautiful sons and a growing entrepreneurial business. Snoop's album dialogues his journey and projects a true peace for where he is in his career. Growing but still able to do what he wants with an entire album, ego trippin' but delivering a quality project with street appeal and a highly marketable project.

I'm not a fan of daytime television and was pleased to see Snoop last week on ABC's The View with Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg and The View panelists. He thrilled the audience of mainly middle aged white moms with a performance of "Sensual Seduction". Best of all he had Tha Dogg Pound members Kurupt and Daz, producer Soopa Fly and DJ Battlecat suited and booted in ties and all clean as can be. At the end I saw members of the audience mouthing "I love you Snoop". Now that was big. But also what happens when you have consistently delivered quality work like Snoop.




As it gets warm again and the smell of Barbecue is in the air and I make it to the Car Wash a bit more we have another Summer Classic on our hands with Ego Trippin'. Thank you Uncle Snoop.

For more information visit Snoop's official site at http://www.snoopdogg.com/.

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VH1 Hip Hop Honors: KRS ONE's Philosophy?

The VH1's Hip Hop Honors Award Show seems to get better each year (Click Here to view VH1 Hip Hop Honors Site). As a 35 year old hip hop head it was real with a list of all star performers.

There were so many notable moments during the show's broadcast that it has all blended into a memory of a great show. The production, music, art and dialogue have branded the show with authenticity and a historian's reverence to the great culture of hip hop.

Your boy Phife Dog from A Tribe Called Quest can still rip the stage. Winning the day to day of Diabetes, his fragile frame houses a precise and seasoned classic MCs swagger. The background segment on the group featured a quote from Q-Tip sourcing the Low End Theory as a source of inspiration for Dr. Dre's seminal classic The Chronic.


Most interesting in VH1's Hip Hop Awards discussions has been KRS ONE's vehement support of 50 Cent's Curtis production and slanted comments against, Kanye West's The Graduate. Who'd a thunk it? BlastMaster KRS ONE is such an endearing 50 fan. At the same time, the mass of KRS ONE's work has always been intimately connected with the foundations and pillars of hip hop culture, not a real surprise.

I agreed with some of his comments but overall, was disappointed with "The Teacha". He was too hard on Kanye unnecessarily. KRS is a talented communicator and made his point early and unfortunately again, and again. KRS ONE published an article (click here to view)on http://www.allhiphop.com/ that explained his perspective in an academic manner. Cognizant of his interview he offers a diligent balance to the media hype.

KRS offered a jewel of wisdom in the interview when he identifies the problem with the measure of artistic talent being reduced to simply record sales. Let's put this in a global perspective; has there been a barrage of blogs over Steve Jobs domination in the sale MP3 players with the Apple iPod vs. Bill Gates' Microsoft Zune? Is Michael Dell on the sideline rhetorting, the Zune ain't a MP3 player with all it's "lights" and "action"? No, clearly not.

Kanye, 50, Common, Talib, T.I., Ludacris, OutKast and many others are all hip hop. There has been growth and evolution. Technology, digital or not is enhancing the quality of production that is the natural development of a dynamic medium. Premier, Marley Marl, Grand Wizard Theodore, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Mantronix these were all innovators that made historic sounds during times when there was nothing available. Respect and big ups for that. But you can't be mad at the likes of J. Dilla, Dre, Will.i.am, Timbaland, Scott Storch, Just Blaze, Pharrell that are creating straight fire digitally.

Now that we have improved access and technology aren't we obligated to take it to the next level. Are we to assume that because a portion of the dialogue has strayed from gun play now it ain't real?

Big props to AllHipHop.com for gettin' it in with the KRS ONE interview. I'm just hoping KRS ain't open off that Vitamin Water.

Grown Folks Music

This fall looks to be shaping up well with a burst of new mature sounds. I recently picked up Ledisi and Jill Scott giving me a neo soul feast of sounds.

Jill Scott's album is solid and has an edgier sound than ever before. Jill seems to talk about food less which is helpful. Previously, between the scrambled eggs, potato salad and whatever else, I found myself a bit obsessed with her obsession with food. A slimmer Jill Scott adorns the cover and she looks ready for the world in a new way. If you are a Jill Scott fan, get it. You'll enjoy it.

Maybe I've been sleepin' lately on the Neo-Soul scene, but who the heck is this Ledisi lady? I picked up her new album Lost & Found and it's one of the best I've purchased since Musiq Soulchild's release this summer.

Having been born and bred hip hop, Neo-Soul is a new discovery for me that is helping me feel more at home. Suddenly I became lost in the A bay-bay, wipe me down and I'm too old to Crank dat Soulja Boy.

Fall 2007 is yielding some good sounds. Enjoy.