Snoop Dogg advocates for reality competition to find next rap star; can he succeed?

If Snoop Dogg had his way, the talent-based reality brand would get a little more ... 'hood.

With “American Idol” a few weeks from crowning its winner, “The Voice” heating up in ratings, the American version of “The X Factor” finally naming its judges and Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony hoping to break ground with their recently announced multilingual Latin music show, “Q’Viva! The Chosen," the rapper is hoping to he can throw his hat into the already oversaturated ring.

Snoop has announced he wants to produce an “American Idol”-esque competition to find the next hip-hop star, according to British newspaper the Guardian. The rapper said the competition would be “straight directed to the 'hood … at people with no money, just talent. I'm looking for a deal from a network to find the nation's hottest 'hood artists.”

Album review: Snoop Dogg's 'Tha Doggumentary'

Twenty years into his career, the sinewy, menacing Snoop Doggy Dogg of the LBC exists only in a distant haze of hydraulics and weed. His name’s been truncated and his brand is bedrock. He’s a pitchman for fruit-flavored malt liquor and Orbit gum. America’s most wanted has become its beloved eccentric uncle.

Accordingly, the cliché, “you can’t be everything to everyone” has little meaning for the former host of “Doggy Fizzle Televizzle.” No other rapper could convincingly pull off the genre-flouting run at the end of “Tha Doggumentary,” where consecutive tracks feature Too Short and Daz, the Gorillaz, Willie Nelson, and Kanye West and John Legend. After all, no one goes from pimp to pop faster.

To its credit and detriment, Snoop’s 11th studio album takes this big-tent approach. In addition to cameos from R Kelly, Young Jeezy and E-40, Wiz Khalifa, and Devin the Dude, there’s even a T-Pain-aided synth-rap that samples “The Situation” by Yazoo. Yet the most prominent collaborator is Parliament/Funkadelic legend Bootsy Collins, who appears on two tracks and in the process provides an artistic compass.

Snoop rode in on the funk, but his career path diverged to include detours in dirty South gangsta rap and whatever pop trend ruled the day. But on “Doggumentary” he seems unusually nostalgic, invoking long-ago rap parties at World on Wheels and reminiscing on the lessons his grandmother used to teach.
When he’s not trying to satisfy different demographic demands, Snoop returns to his roots to create a laissez-faire funk full of laid-back raps and Jheri Curl groove. It’s a document equally indebted to the gangsta era as its immediate predecessor: roller-rink parties soundtracked by Rick James, Rose Royce and Funkadelic. 

Snoop Dogg
“Tha Doggumentary”
Priority/Capitol/EMI Records
Three stars (Out of four)

—Jeff Weiss

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Snoop Dogg, Dogg Pound, Warren G, Dam-Funk and Mayer Hawthorne pay tribute to Nate Dogg, reconfigure modern funk

Snoop Dogg performs with Dam-Funk, drops Puff Puff Pass mixtape

SXSW 2011: Snoop Dogg, Dogg Pound, Warren G, Dam-Funk and Mayer Hawthorne pay tribute to Nate Dogg, reconfigure modern funk

Though the officially advertised Nate Dogg tribute may have occurred later on Saturday night, it was clear from Snoop Dogg's Funk n' Soul Extravaganza at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, that the Death Row diaspora will spend the rest of its days paying homage to its prematurely deceased friend.

Backed by longtime crew Tha Dogg Pound and Warren G, along with recent collaborators modern funk messiah Dam-Funk and slick soulman Mayer Hawthorne, Snoop and company largely wore matching RIP Nate Dogg shirts. But a visual reminder was unnecessary. Nate Dogg's (a.k.a. Nathanial Hale) Swisher Sweet voice was omnipresent on nearly every hit the crew performed, including "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)," "Regulate" and "The Next Episode."

The effect of Hale was simply galvanic. He had the rare ability to take a hook and make it an instant hit, with a sort of just-add-water instancy that hasn't been seen since. His gift was to blend his gospel roots with his street sensibilities, an alien gift for melody and hilariously profane ideas about gender relations. Needless to say, when you can get an entire crowd of men and women  to shout out Long Beach's "Eastside Motel," you've got something special.

The other crew members performed hits of their own, including a particularly ferocious version of Kurupt's "We Can Freak It," but Nate's voice shone most within Snoop's red-eyed but deceptively clear vision. His absence was conspicuously felt on some of Snoop's later hits. Akon's "I Just Wanna Love You" and Pharrell's "Beautiful" worked fine, but it was impossible not to wonder how much better they would have been with Nate on the hook.

Yet Snoop performed with a focus that suggested the performance was more than just an attempt to honor Nate's legacy. Indeed, he offered up a singular vision for the future and a sign of just how much worlds have suddenly converged. A decade ago, when Snoop and Nate were selling multimillions singing about "The Next Episode," it was inconceivable that said episode would include the then-nascent underground rap powerhouse Stones Throw records.

But as times have changed, and arbitrary walls have eroded, the Doggfather has returned to his underground roots. After all, both Snoop and Kurupt were staples at the Good Life, the same spot that spawned Freestyle Fellowship and Jurassic 5. And of course, an appreciation for George Clinton and P-Funk is the bedrock for the entirety of the G-Funk sound. So, watching Stones Throw artists  Hawthorne nail his talcum-smooth remix of "Gangsta Luv" and Dam-Funk wailing with hallucinatory funk on the keytar, one gathered the sense that they were watching the closest thing that this generation has to a "Computer Games"-era Parliament-Funkadelic, with Dam as Bootsy Collins and Snoop as the wild-haired head of the mothership.

With his onetime partners in the 213 area code dedicated to keeping his flame burning (after all, this is the man who told everyone to "Smoke weed every day"), Nate Dogg will never be forgotten. His legacy is indelible as rap's greatest hookman. The only question at this point is whether to consider him the greatest R&B singer of the '90s (I vote yes). As for Snoop, who turns 40 in October, he's proving to have a more wide-ranging vision and knack for evolution than anyone could have ever forseen on "Nuthin but a G' Thing." Twenty years into his career, the Dogg remains atomic.

-- Jeff Weiss, reporting from the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas

Photo: Snoop Dogg at the Pepsi Max Funk n' Soul Extravaganza in Austin, Texas. Credit: Joey Maloney. See more 2011 SXSW photos.

The Game and Snoop Dogg release the video for 'Purp & Yellow' remix

Basketball and rap music have been intertwined since the days of Kurtis Blow. As the shibboleth goes: Rappers want to be ballers, ballers want to be rappers, and occasionally, Shaquille O' Neal accomplishes both. Then again, it helps when you can get the Notorious B.I.G. on a track (or a vintage Jay-Z verse or beats and rhymes courtesy of Mobb Deep).

It's probably for the best that Matt Barnes, Shannon Brown and Ron Artest steer clear of the mike in the video for "Purp & Yellow," Game and Snoop Dogg's interpretation of Wiz Khalifa's ode to the colors of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins and Pirates. With the second half of the season starting Tuesday, the erratic Lakers need all the encouragement they can get, considering the Eastern Conference is the deepest it's been since O' Neal was in Orlando.

Beyond an infectious Stargate beat, the genius of Khalifa's song is that it's essentially open-source, paving the way for remixes by rapper fans of the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and the Northwestern Wildcats (courtesy of the great Chet Haze). Khalifa and Snoop have been collaborating of late, so the remix has a natural feel to it (also, because Wiz is inevitably massively influenced by Snoop). But Jayceon Taylor drops a scene-stealing verse, rapping in tricky double-time signatures and continuing a recent hot streak. 

Snoop Dogg performs with Dam-Funk, drops Puff Puff Pass mixtape

The gods must be funky. How else to explain the serendipitous circumstance of kindred spirits, Snoop Dogg and Dam-Funk, linking up for an impromptu performance on Wednesday night at the HVW8 Art Gallery.

The Adidas-sponsored celebration centered on an exhibition for Joe Cool, the artist for many of Snoop Dogg's album covers. And when you combine the triumvirate of Funk, Dogg, and a man named Cool, it was inevitable that the powers of George Clinton would be summoned (presumably, at this point Snoop has been bestowed with a magical ring or amulet that does such a thing). Videos of the event are available here and here (NSFW because of four-letter words).

As you might imagine the sound quality is muddy, but they hint of the potential of a full-length collaboration between the "G" and P-Funk steeped artists (do it). The performance completed a full circle of sorts for the Stones Throw-signed Damon Riddick, who cut his teeth playing keyboards in mid-90s sessions for gangsta rap icons Westside Connection and MC Eiht.

As anyone who heard 2009's "Toeachizown" can testify, Dam-Funk's Randy's Donuts-fat basslines and big sky grooves are ideal for the right rapper. And despite the excellent "Hood Pass Intact Remix" with Eiht, and an invite from Dr. Dre to jam in a studio session (reluctantly declined because of schedule conflict), Funk has largely collaborated with singers (Nite Jewel, Steve Arrington of Slave).

As for Snoop, he's staying busy promoting next month's forthcoming, "Doggumentary," dropping the "Puff Puff Pass" Mixtape this week. Filled with collaborations with The Game, Wiz Khalifa, R Kelly and Too Short, the new tape is largely comprised of material from his weekly free giveaway series and other odds and sodds. As with most Dogg-related projects (circa 2011), the quality ranges, but it's invariably an enjoyable listen, ideal for cruises from Crenshaw to Chatsworth.

-- Jeff Weiss

Download:
ZIP: Snoop Dogg-"PuffPuffPassTuesdays"

Photo: Snoop and Dam-Funk. Courtesy of HVW8 

Herbie Hancock + a Beatle? = Grammy time

 
A night of full of upsets and other surprises started early with Grammy voters’ verdict in the pop collaboration with vocals category. In a field featuring tracks that teamed superstar combinations of Eminem, B.o.B. and Hayley Williams; Elton John and Leon Russell; Lady Gaga and Beyoncé; and Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg, the Grammy went to … Herbie Hancock.

Now, we know how much the Grammys love Herbie, most illustriously when he took the 2008 album of the year award for "River: The Joni Mitchell Letters” album of the celebrated singer-songwriter's music. This time, he trumped the pop, rock, rap and R&B heavy hitters with his version of John Lennon's "Imagine,” from his "The Imagine Project" collection, for which he was joined on the Grammy-winning track by Pink, India.Arie and a group of international friends.

The award also delivered yet another example of the Grammy night adage: Never underestimate the power of a Beatle.

The music industry's love affair with the Beatles surfaced two other times Sunday, with awards to Paul McCartney for solo rock vocal for his rendition of the Beatles' "Helter Skelter" from his “Good Evening New York City” live album, and the award for historical album for "The Beatles in Stereo," the 16-disc box set that packaged stereo versions of all the Fab Four's original studio albums.

-- Randy Lewis

Photo of Herbie Hancock at the Grammy Awards on Sunday. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times.

 

Late pass: Week 2 of Snoop Dogg's #PuffPuffPassTuesdays arrived Wednesday

There is time as scientists undertand it, a 24-hour cycle ruled by planetary orbits, the sun and moon, and the occasional smoke break. And then there is time for Snoop Dogg, a man who inhabits a galaxy in which the Gregorian calendar has no role, and whose Rolex wristwatch is permanently glued to 4:20.

Indeed, there was something inherently logical about the second installment of Calvin Broadus' #PuffPuffPassTuesdays dropping late Wednesday. Whereas Week 1  premiered "El Lay," another Snoop hometown ode, Week 2 tackles his "political" side.

As he claims on the intro to "Gangbang Rookie," "I ain't a member of the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. I represent the Gangster Party." This may explain why Bill O' Reilly has never come around on him.

Then again, it's been nearly 20 years since the pipe-cleaner-built and braided Broadus first repped the Long Beach Crips. And even though the decades have brought the family-friendly Uncle Snoop guise, gangsta rap will forever remain a safe pose for Snoop. So it goes when you are responsible for a million teenagers learning what the acronym "LBC" stands for. 

Right now, Snoop's the quintessential wily veteran. His lyrical content has been largely static for nearly a decade and a half, but he's got silver screen charisma, and when you have such a great ear for beats, you can always paper over your shortcomings. On "Gangbang Rookie," Snoop enlists the chameleonic gifts of Seattle producer Jake One, who has effortlessly straddled the mainstream and hip-hop worlds like few of his peers.

Last year's Rhymesayers-released "The Stimulus Package" (done in collaboration with Freeway) proved Jake One's ability to craft a coherent album-length statement, while his recent productions for T.I. and the Ghostface Killah have stood out as high points on their respective efforts. Through an innate musicality and gift for precise arrangements, Jake One wrings new life out of ostensibly played-out soul-based hip-hop. Thankfully, he understands that the slick piano rolls and elegiac brass riffs will never go out of style if done correctly.

Snoop keeps it on cruise-control, aware that all he needs to do is float atmospherically. No one will ever mistake this for his "Doggystyle" vintage, but he's been on a hot streak of late. See also "That Good," his collaboration with Wiz Khalifa that's racked up roughly 150,000 YouTube views in just three days. Both artists understand an essential truth about humanity, one that will afford them a commercial longevity that their more gifted peers will never see. After all, there will always be an unlimited supply of stoned college kids.

-- Jeff Weiss

Download: (via Nah Right)
MP3: Snoop Dogg ft. Pilot --"Gangbang Rookie"

Snoop Dogg starts weekly giveaway, #PuffPuffPassTuesdays, with ode to 'El Lay'

Snoop Dogg has always been more early adopter than inventor. The lanky Long Beach veteran certainly didn't invent gangsta rap, but he helped to perfect it, bringing a balance to the often overheated genre with his cool, crisp drawl and melodic flow.

When he noticed the balance of power shifting to the South, he became a No Limit soldier and collaborated with Master P, Mystikal and Silkk the Shocker. He joined the first batch of rappers using Auto-Tune, but used it for his own sleazy means to croon silk-robed come-ons about sexual eruptions. It's the same smooth calculation he still uses to stay relevant today, working with Wiz Khalifa, the prince of the next generation of stoner rappers, at a time when most of his peers are forced into early retirement.

Beyond an innate charisma that Obama might envy, Calvin Broadus' genius has always been to be a half-step ahead of the trends. He's capable of catching fads at the apex of their popularity, before they become played out.

Accordingly, after Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Fridays were the talk of every music blog all fall, the ever-savvy Snoop is launching his #PuffPuffPassTuesdays with the Scoop Deville-produced "El Lay." A significant portion of his marketing acumen comes from being able to write songs with broad appeal. Hence, a recent single, "New Year's Eve," which was released just in time for radio DJs looking for holiday material.

Unsurprisingly, Snoop's PR team notes that "El Lay" is released to coordinate with next month's NBA All-Star game, hosted in the city of Angels -- not to mention his 11th studio album, "Doggumentary Music," slated for a March release on Capitol. The latest cut is much very much aligned with Snoop's traditional aesthetic-- a permanently laid glide groove tailor-made for smooth drives in fast cars. Hook man Marty James croons about "rolling down the 405," while Snoop describes a typical day "rolling down Fairfax ... bust a left turn on Pico ... gotta see the Bishop, he got me some gator shoes/Gotta roll to Hollywood/I'm at the House of Blues." Rest assured, Snoop isn't slipping -- he makes a later stop at his dispensary to buy some kush.

There are some artists you want to challenge conventions and traditions, experiment and expand art forms. Snoop isn't one of them -- at least he's not right now. In 2011, "El Lay" is exactly what we should expect from the city's honorable stoned uncle: funk-riddled ride music that's impossible to deny within the 213, 818, 323 and 310 area codes.

-- Jeff Weiss

Download: (via 2 Dope Boyz)

MP3: Snoop Dogg ft. Marty James-"El Lay"

Terrace Martin tears it up on 'Melrose' and elsewhere

Last year, few producers could match the prolificacy of Terrace Martin. He released a collaborative EP with Frank Nitt, a full-length with Kurupt, and a Marvin Gaye-inspired record called, "Here, My Dear." And that was in addition to the dozens of beats he farmed out to other rappers.

But less than a week into 2011, the Locke High School graduate has also staked the new year as his own. His first salvo was "Melrose," a collaboration with venerable underground hero Murs that found the pair "taking a ride down Melrose Blvd," eating at food trucks, flirting with beautiful women, and hanging out with Barney, the Purple Dinosaur. Just a breezy afternoon with 6-foot-tall prehistoric beasts, shutterbug tourists and Lala's Chicken -- one that racked them up 13,000-plus YouTube views in less than 48 hours. 

Able to shift effortlessly between the former Fat Beats set and the MTV crowd, Martin has collaborated with Snoop Dogg since at least 2006's "The Blue Carpet Treatment." So it was only natural he enlisted the Long Beach legend for "Exersize," a track on next month's "Sex EP." The pair's natural chemistry reveals itself immediately, as Martin offers Snoop keyboards brighter than the Staples Center, plus auroral flute trills. The beat rolls like a Sunday afternoon Crenshaw Boulevard blunt cruise, and no one handles that terrain quite like Snoop, who kicks his effortless flow, complete with Morris Day and the Time and Rock the Vote references. To its credit, it would've worked in 1991, 2001, or right now.

Snoop Dogg, Mike Epps team up for 'Imagine That!' show Wednesday at Gibson Amphitheatre

Rapper Snoop Dogg and comedian-actor-rapper Mike Epps don’t want to give away a lot about what audiences will encounter in “Imagine That!,” the collaborative live show they’re bringing to the Gibson Amphitheater on Wednesday.

But it’s safe to say there’s one thing people shouldn’t expect from these two: understatement.

“I felt like with my comedy and my music, and him being so funny, that we could come together and do something like nobody never did,”  Epps, 39, said in a recent interview with Snoop Dogg, a.k.a. Calvin Broadus. “It will have a lot of different facets: film, comedy, live performances. We have dancing girls, we have a band, sets, glitter -- everything like a musical and standup comedy all in one, just like back in the '30s, like at the Cotton Club.”

The loose concept on which they based “Imagine That!” is that of two characters, closely resembling Snoop Dogg and Epps, who are thrown in jail together on marijuana possession charges and brainstorm ideas for a club they plan to open once they are released. Epps will be the emcee, Snoop Dogg the main talent.

“Dogg is singing and everything,” said Epps, who hosted this year’s BET Hip-Hop Awards. “It’s going to shock you when you see him in a different element.”

A promotional video for “Imagine That!” shows the rapper, also 39, in musical segments playing a Rick James-like rock-R&B star, and another in which he’s a romantic soul crooner, roles that Snoop relishes.

“I don’t think of myself as a hip-hop artist,” Snoop said. “I think of myself as a rock star.”

The rapper says “Imagine That!” will be a mix of scripted and improvised material. The message?  “The only message is to have fun,” Snoop said.

Added Epps:  “We’re just entertaining people, so we’re going to keep it as entertainment. If somebody comes and gets a good message out of it, congratulations to them on that.”

Beyond impending live performances, the two men envision a broader reach for their show. But not Broadway.

“I don’t know if Broadway can handle this,” Snoop said. “My goal is to get it into more theaters, on TV and get a real situation going; we want to become a real corporation and get into the funny business around the world, have a show in Vegas and have people flying in from all over the world, like they did for Frank [Sinatra] and Dean [Martin].”

Said Epps: “This thing has got so many wheels to it. There’s a real sincerity to it, but it’s got the entertainment too.”

-- Randy Lewis

Photo of Snoop Dogg, left. Credit: Bryan Bedder / Getty Images

Photo of Mike Epps. Credit: Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images