Doggystyle

Doggystyle is the 1993 debut album by American West Coast hip hop artist Snoop Doggy Dogg, released by Death Row Records. It was recorded soon after the release of Dr. Dre's debut solo album, The Chronic. Snoop Dogg featured prominently on Dr. Dre's album, and some of its musical stylizations were repeated on Doggystyle.^[1] While recording the album, Snoop Dogg was arrested in connection with Phillip Woldermarian's death; he was tried and acquitted in 1996.

The record is regarded by many critics as one of the most significant albums of the 1990s, and one of the most important hip hop albums released to date.^[2] Both Doggystyle and The Chronics distinctive sounds helped introduce G-funk to a mainstream audience, bringing forward West Coast hip hop as a dominant force in early 1990s hip hop.^[1]^[3] As of 2008, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has certified Doggystyle four times platinum, which makes it Snoop Dogg's highest-selling album. The record debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and sold 802,858 copies in its first week; by 2003 it had sold seven million.^[4] Critics have praised Snoop Dogg for the lyrical "realism" he delivers on the album and for his distinctive vocal flow.^[1]^[5] Doggystyle is viewed by many critics and fans as a "hip hop classic" and is included in The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums, as well as Rolling Stone magazine's list of Essential Recordings of the 90s.^[2]

Background

History and concept

Snoop Dogg came to attention of the music industry in 1992, through his vocal contributions on Dre's The Chronic. That album is considered to have "transformed the entire sound of West Coast rap" by its development of what later became known as the "G-funk" sound.^[3] The Chronic expanded gangsta rap with profanity, violent lyrics, basic beats, anti-authoritarian lyrics and multi-layered samples taken from 1970's P-Funk records.^[3] Snoop Dogg contributed vocals to Dre's solo single, "Deep Cover", which lead to a high degree of anticipation amongst hip hop for the release of his own solo album.^[5]

Doggystyle and The Chronic are associated with each other mainly because each prominently featured Snoop Dogg and because both contain G-funk style production from Dr. Dre. The two releases are linked by the high number of vocal contributions from Death Row Records artists, including Tha Dogg Pound, RBX, The Lady of Rage,^[6] while both contain a high density misogynistic lyrics and profanity in their lyrics.^[7] In addition, the two albums are each viewed by critics as early "G-funk classics", and have been described as "joined at the hip".^[1]^[7]

Gangsta rap has been criticized for its extreme lyrics, which are often accused of glamorizing gang violence and black-on-black crime. The Gangsta rappers responded that they were simply describing the realities of life in places such as Compton, California, and Long Beach, California.^[8] Describing Doggystyle in 1993, Snoop Dogg likewise points to the album's realism, and the extent to which it is based on his personal experience. He said, "I can't rap about something I don't know. You'll never hear me rapping about no bachelor's degree. It's only what I know and that's that street life. It's all everyday life, reality."^[9]

Explaining his intentions, Snoop Dogg claims he feels he is a role model to many young black men, and that his songs are designed to relate to their concerns. "For little kids growing up in the ghettos," he said, "it's easy to get into the wrong types of things, especially gangbanging and selling drugs. I've seen what that was like, and I don't glorify it, but I don't preach. I bring it to them rather than have them go find out about it for themselves."^[9] He further explained the "dream" that he would pursue after making the album: "I'm going to try to eliminate the gang violence. I'll be on a mission for peace. I know I have a lot of power. I know if I say, 'Don't kill,' niggas won't kill".^[9]

Recording

Doggystyle was recorded in early 1993 at Death Row Studios. It was produced in a style similar to The Chronic; some critics called it a "carbon copy".^[5] Snoop Dogg collaborated with two music groups, 213 and Tha Dogg Pound. Daz Dillinger, of the latter group, accused Dr. Dre of taking sole recognition for the songs and alleged he and Warren G were uncredited on many tracks.^[10] Snoop Dogg said Dr. Dre was capable of making beats without the help of collaborators and addressed the issues with Warren G and Daz, stating "They made beats, Dre produced that record". He discussed the track "Ain't No Fun", mentioning that Daz and Warren G brought Dr. Dre the beat but "Dre took that muthafucka to the next level!"^[11]

Bruce Williams, closely affiliated with Dr. Dre, discussed the recording process during Dre's time at Death Row Records:

Williams said the album was never finished and because of the demand for the record, the distributors insisted the album be completed, otherwise they would cancel the album's orders. This resulted in Dr. Dre mixing the album and inserting the skits within 48 hours, which enabled the album to be released.^[12]

Rolling Stone writer Jonathan Gold described how Dr. Dre produced a beat from scratch to complete instrumental: "Dre may find something he likes from an old drum break, loop it and gradually replace each part with a better tom-tom sound, a kick-drum sound he adores, until the beat bears the same relationship to the original that the Incredible Hulk does to Bill Bixby".^[13] Gold also described how the track progressed with other musicians adding to the song:

While recording Doggystyle with Dr. Dre in August 1993, Snoop Dogg was arrested in connection with the death of Phillip Woldermarian, a member of a rival gang who was shot and killed in a gang fight. According to the charges, the rapper's bodyguard, McKinley Lee, shot Woldermarian as Snoop Dogg drove the vehicle; the rapper claimed it was self-defense, alleging the victim was stalking Snoop Dogg. He spent most of 1995 preparing the case which went to trial in late 1995. He was cleared of all charges in February 1996 when he began work on his second album, Tha Doggfather.^[5]

Cover art

The album's title alludes to the Doggy style sex position and is a reference to the musician's name. The artwork represents the themes covered in the album and the style of implementation of those ideas. The artwork portrays a woman merely as a hole to be filled by the man, which adheres to the narcissistic and sexist lyrical themes Snoop Dogg covers.^[14] The cover art and lyrics convey the self-indulgent "gangsta" lifestyle, drugs, cars, sex, and money.^[14] The artwork uses several quotes from the 1982 George Clinton single "Atomic Dog". The quotes come from the dogs at the top of the brick wall on the album cover, which say, "Why must I feel like that?", "Why must I chase the cat?" and "Nothin' but the dog in me".^[15]

Music

Production

Dre's handling of the production was praised by critics. Allmusic writer Stephen Erlewine stated: "Dre realized that it wasn't time to push the limits of G-funk, and instead decided to deepen it musically, creating easy-rolling productions that have more layers than they appear". He added that the beats were "laid-back funky, continuing to resonate after many listens".^[1] Rolling Stone writer Tour� noted "The Chronics slow, heavy beats were a sonic representation of angry depression as accurate as Cobain's feedback blasts; Doggystyle is leaner, with its high-tempo Isaac Hayes- and Curtis Mayfield-derived tracks". He went on to say that "Most of Dre's hooks and nearly all his beats refuse to linger, as if the songs themselves are nervous, fearful of exposure, restless to get offscreen."^[16] Entertainment Weekly magazine's David Browne mentioned that "The mix of samples and live music on Dre's latest, The Chronic, gave it texture and depth, and he continues his knob-turning growth on Doggystyle, fluidly weaving together a gaggle of background singers and rappers, quirky samples, his trademark horror-flick keyboard lines".^[17] The Source wrote: "Dre's brand of G-funk may be common now, but it is still painstakingly well-produced".^[6]

Lyrics

Snoop Dogg's lyrics were generally praised by critics, although they caused some controversy. He was acclaimed for the realism in his rhymes and his harmonious flow.^[1]^[5] Allmusic's Stephen Erlewine commended Snoop Dogg, saying: "he's one of hip-hop's greatest vocal stylists with this record" and he "takes his time, playing with the flow of his words, giving his rhymes a nearly melodic eloquence. Snoop is something special, with unpredictable turns of phrase, evocative imagery, and a distinctive, addictive flow".^[1] Time magazine's Christopher John Farley noted "Snoop's rapping isn't flashy, but it is catchy" and stated "His relaxed vocal style is a perfect match for Dre's bass-heavy producing. Snoop's voice is lithe enough to snake its way around the big beats".^[18]

The ideas put forward through the lyrics include Snoop Dogg's adolescent urges, as he freely talks of casual sex, smoking marijuana and gunning down rival gang members. Time magazine remarked that the notions "are often unnecessarily graphic; at some points they're downright obscene" and that "the album would have been stronger if such misgivings about the criminal life, as well as Snoop's touches of introspection, had been applied to some of the cruder songs".^[18] The album also covered gun play, drug dealing and pimping. The New York Times said that the lyrical concepts were delivered in "crudest, rudest terms".^[19]

Some critics said Snoop Dogg was "obsessed with being a 'G', a gangster, a lawbreaker who smokes dope and kills with impunity" and that his lyrics depict the black-on-black crime in the inner-cities.^[14] The lyrics involve many derogatory terms against woman, with expressions such as "bitches" and "ho's" being used throughout, which illustrates the feeling of sexism and oppression within the African-American community.^[14] In certain tracks Snoop Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound casually speak of gang rape, illustrating the demeaning of women.^[20] Snoop Dogg's lyrics depict drugs, alcohol, sex, and money as methods of escape from oppression, but they also show an underside of the "gangsta" lifestyle and the results of following this lifestyle.^[14] The lyrics' violent representations, including murder and aggressive behaviour, have also generated controversy. C. DeLores Tucker of the National Political Congress of Black Women named gangsta rap "a profane and obscene glorification of murder and rape", which can be attributed to Doggstyle.^[20]

Songs

Singles

"Who Am I (What's My Name)?" was the first single released from the album on November 30, 1993. It peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and reached number one on the Hot Rap Singles. The RIAA certified it Gold on February 8, 1994.^[23] It reached number 20 on the UK Singles Chart in 1994 and re-entered the chart in 2004, reaching number 100.^[24]^[25]

"Doggy Dogg World" was released as an Europe-only single during June 1994. Even though the single was not officially released in the U.S., it received some radio airplay which resulted in position 19 on the Rhythmic Top 40 chart.^[21] A music video was produced for the single, which gained American video TV-play and won the 1994 MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video. It reached number 32 on the UK Singles Chart.^[24]

Other tracks

A bonus track, "Gz Up, Hoes Down", was included in the album's first pressing, but not in later versions because of sample clearance issues. Snoop Dogg could not gain the rights to use the beats because the record company was not willing to pay license fees for using the samples.^[26] "Gz Up, Hoes Down" was later released on the Death Row compilation "15 Years on Death Row". "Tha Next Episode" was listed on the cover, but not included in any pressing. It is considered the original material used for the 2000 Dr. Dre single "The Next Episode" but bears no resemblance to the later song. It was 4 minutes and 36 seconds (4:36) long.^[27] "Tha Next Episode" was later released on the Dr. Dre mixtape Pretox under the name "Chronic Unreleased Studio Session", but only 1:10 long. "Doggystyle" featuring George Clinton was a 5:26 long outtake from the album sessions. It is a singing melody with vocals dominating the song and it extensively samples "Oh I" by Funkadelic from their album "Electric Spanking of War Babies". The Brides of Funkenstein are featured on the chorus.^[27]

Reception

Critical

Doggystyle was generally praised by critics. Rolling Stone writer Tour� mentioned "Doggystyle is filled with verbal and vocal feats that meet its high expectations. It speeds through 55 minutes of constant talk as if on a suicide hot line".^[16] David Browne of Entertainment Weekly noted "It is the most limber, low-rider gangsta album to date" and went on to say "Doggystyle is a grim, bleak-faced record. It's set in a dead-end, no-tomorrow world of cheap thrills".^[17] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic stated "Doggystyle and The Chronic stand proudly together as the twin pinnacles of West Coast G-funk hip-hop of the early '90s"^[1] Stylus magazine presented "The Chronic vs. Doggystyle" article, and stated a strong point of Doggystyle compared to Dre's album was its follow-up singles and that "some of the album tracks are more famous than the singles".^[7] Vibe magazine expressed that "Snoop is no ordinary gangsta; that's impossible for an artist this playful. On his debut, with Dre riding shotgun anthems abound as often as gin-soaked debauchery".^[28] The Source said Snoop Dogg emerged as a rapper who lived up to all the advance hype which came from his work on The Chronic, and discussed songs on the record, stating "If 'Murder Was The Case' is a stroke of near genius, then 'Lodi Dodi' is an example of total genius."^[6] NME magazine called the lead single "a pinnacle he conquered effortlessly" and went on to name the record a "benchmark album".^[29]

The album also received criticism. Erlewine mentioned the album did not "surprise or offer anything that wasn't already on The Chronic".^[1] Christopher John Farley noted Snoop Dogg had little examination over his emotions and feelings.^[18] David Browne spoke of "Ain't No Fun", stating it was an example of how "musically artful, yet lyrically repellent, this album can be" and went on to say "It's easy to be impressed one moment and appalled the next".^[17]

Commercial

The album has sold over five million copies in the United States and over seven million worldwide.^[30] It was certified four times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on May 31, 1994.^[31] It is Snoop Dogg's most successful album; his following albums were certified single- or double-platinum.^[32] Doggystyle first appeared on music charts in 1993, peaking on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at number one.^[33] It re-peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 in January 1994, when it was already certified three times platinum by the RIAA.^[34] The record was mildly successful in Europe, reaching number 18 in Sweden, number 24 in the Czech Republic and number 35 in Austria. It also peaked at number 25 on the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand album chart.^[35] At the end of 1994, the album was number three on the Billboard Year-End Top Albums Chart and number one on the Billboard Year-End Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart.^[36]^[37] It re-entered the charts in 2003, peaking on the Ireland Albums Top 75 at number 70.^[38]

Impact

Hip hop

Doggystyle is seen by many hip hop pundits as a "classic" and an "essential" album.^[39] It is credited with defining West Coast hip hop; shifting the emphasis to more melodious, synth-driven, and funk-induced beats. About.com stated during the period the album was released, "Gangsta rap never sounded so sweet", and attributed the album with inspiring several West Coast emcees to gain more recognition within the media and hip hop community.^[39] Artists such as Warren G, Tha Dogg Pound and DJ Quik have employed the styles and techniques used on the album. The Wu-Tang Clan, Nas and Mobb Deep are recognized for their contributions to the East Coast hip hop renaissance after the dominance of California gangsta rap, and were noted for focusing on drugs and violence, issues originally developed in music by Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.^[40] Snoop Dogg has been noted for introducing a slurred "lazy drawl" that sacrificed lyrical complexity for clarity and rhythmic cadence on Doggystyle and The Chronic.^[1]^[5] The album is considered as one of the first G-funk albums which many rappers duplicated in later years.^[1]

Black culture

It has been suggested by some publications that Doggystyle has considerably affected African American culture. Some publications have held the rap genre responsible for problems such as sexual violence and sexism, which has been blamed on Snoop Dogg and other rappers calling their controversial lyrics "keeping it real".^[41] The problems of sexual violence and sexism are attributed to lyrics degrading women such as "bitches" and "ho's", which some believe has influenced black males.^[14]^[42] Snoop Dogg and other hip hop artists, including N.W.A, The Wu-Tang Clan and Tupac Shakur, have been held accountable for developing gangsta rap; a genre which articulated the rage of the urban underclass and its sense of intense oppression and defiant rebellion,^[14] which has been attained through the ability to communicate free of censorship, which has allowed hip hop culture to become a dominant style and ethos throughout the world.^[14] The writers of Enculturation, Steven Best and Douglas Kellner, have noted that Snoop Dogg and other rappers only condemn violence when it is directed against them, otherwise "they celebrate it, internalize it, and embrace it as an ethos and means of self expression", which some believe has an effect on the black-on-black crime.^[14] The release of music videos from Doggystyle and The Chronic has enabled the artists to add visual illustrations to their lyrics, which generally involve Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg driving around South Central, Los Angeles in a lowrider (a vehicle with lowered suspension). This imagery of the "gangsta lifestyle" is thought to have influenced young black males into trying to live the same lifestyle and it is also noted by T. Denean, writer of Pimps Up, Ho's Down: Hip Hop's Hold on Young Black Women, that the videos highlight the representation of class, race and Black masculinity within contemporary urban America.^[43] It has also been declared by Todd Boyd, writer of Am I Black Enough for You?: Popular Culture from the 'hood and Beyond, that "this gangsta ethos functions as 'the lived experience of coping with a life of horrifying meaninglessness, hopelessness, and lovelessness'. The frightening result is a numbing detachment from others and a self-destructive disposition toward the world".^[44]

Subsequent Snoop Dogg albums

Doggystyle is generally considered Snoop Dogg's best record, in addition to being his highest charting and best selling album.^[33]^[30]^[5] It differs from following albums as his recent records were produced by multiple individuals such as The Neptunes, Timbaland and Daz Dillinger, with reduced input from Dr. Dre, which shows a shift from the G-funk production.^[5] Snoop Dogg's follow-up album, Tha Doggfather, did not involve Dr. Dre since he left Death Row Records; as a result, Dillinger was the main beat-maker for the album. Tha Doggfather followed the methods of a G-funk record and initially sold well, but received mixed reviews and failed to produce a hit single.^[5] In 1998, Snoop Dogg left Death Row Records and joined No Limit Records, changing his stage name from Snoop Doggy Dogg to Snoop Dogg. During his time at No Limit, he continued many themes from Doggystyle with follow-ups to earlier songs, such as "Gin & Juice II" and "Snoop Dogg (What's My Name II)". Albums such as Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss (2002) and R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece (2004) featured a more pop-oriented theme with new sounds but remained "hardcore throughout" and featured "plenty of street and commercial appeal".^[45] They included two hit singles, "Beautiful", "Drop It Like It's Hot" and "Signs". Snoop Dogg was credited for returning to his G-funk roots in 2006, which was established with his eighth studio album, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (2006), noted for being a "hard and very G-Funk record".^[5]

Accolades

The information regarding accolades attributed to Doggystyle is adapted from AcclaimedMusic.net.^[2]

Publication	Country	Accolade	Year	Rank
About.com	United States	10 Essential Hip-Hop Albums^[39]	2006	10
Blender	U.S.	500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die^[2]	2003	*
Ego Trip	U.S.	Hip Hop's 25 Greatest Albums by Year 1980-98^[2]	1999	3
Pause & Play	U.S.	Albums Inducted into a Time Capsule, One Album per Week^[2]		*
Pause & Play	U.S.	The 90s Top 100 Essential Albums^[2]	1999	11
Rolling Stone	U.S.	The Essential Recordings of the 90s^[2]	1999	*
Rolling Stone (Chris Rock)	U.S.	Top 25 Hip Hop Albums Ever^[2]	2005	2
Stylus	U.S.	Top 200 Albums of All time^[2]	2004	115
The Source	U.S.	The 100 Best Rap Albums^[2]	1998	*
The New Nation	United Kingdom	Top 100 Albums by Black Artists^[2]		30
Robert Dimery		1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die^[2]	2005	*

Track listing

#	Title	Producer(s)	Featured guest(s)
1	"Bathtub"	Dr. Dre	Warren G
2	"G Funk Intro"	Dr. Dre	The Lady of Rage, Dr. Dre, George Clinton
3	"Gin and Juice"	Dr. Dre	Daz Dillinger
4	Interlude 1	Dr. Dre	Queen of Funk, Ricky Harris
5	"Tha Shiznit"	Dr. Dre
6	Interlude 2	Dr. Dre	Daz Dillinger, Dr. Dre
7	"Lodi Dodi"	Dr. Dre	Nancy Fletcher
8	"Murder Was the Case (DeathAfterVisualizingEternity)"	Dr. Dre	Daz Dillinger
9	"Serial Killa"	Dr. Dre, Daz Dillinger	Kurupt, RBX, The D.O.C., Daz Dillinger
10	"Who Am I (What's My Name)?"	Dr. Dre	Dr. Dre, Jewell
11	"For All My Niggaz and Bitches"	Dr. Dre, Daz Dillinger	Kurupt, The Lady of Rage, Daz Dillinger, Jamal Wright
12	"Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)"	Dr. Dre	Nate Dogg, Kurupt, Warren G
13	Interlude 3	Dr. Dre
14	"Doggy Dogg World"	Dr. Dre	Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, The Dramatics
15	Interlude 4	Dr. Dre
16	"Gz and Hustlas"	Dr. Dre
17	Interlude	Dr. Dre	Sam Sneed
18	"Pump Pump"	Dr. Dre	Mr. Malik, Jamal Wright
19	Gz Up, Hoes Down	Dr. Dre	Hug