When Clyde Stubblefield first recorded the two-and-a-half minute drum break on James Brown’s “Funky Drummer” in 1969, he couldn’t have had any idea that he’d just laid down a groove that would help shape an entire genre not even in existence yet. To this day, that infectious rhythm along with Brown’s iconic raspy chant, “Ain’t it funky!” awakens a sense of nostalgia (and likely, an unshakeable head nod or foot tap) in Rap producers, emcees, DJs, and b-boys alike. The ‘80s brought a new era of electronic-infused funk, with acts like Zapp & Roger, Slave, and The Gap Band providing the template for the synth-heavy sound of West Coast Rap in the ‘90s, spearheaded by Dr. Dre’s production on The Chronic and Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle. Though the genre may be on a bit of a hiatus in its traditional form, it’s an indisputable fact that Hip Hop owes its heartbeat to funk.
Twenty years, 11 albums, and two name changes since Doggystyle, Snoop Dogg (now known as Snoopzilla) is the first commercial rapper to release a modern funk album. Though he’s always had a deep love for the funk, many would argue that he hasn’t necessarily paid it the respect it deserves. His funkster pimp alter-ego in the late ‘90s and 2000s seemed like a caricature for the most part; the shiny suits, feathers, and fur he had such an affinity for would lead one to think that the genre didn’t exist outside of Blaxploitation films and Parliament shows. His 2007 Auto-tuned hit “Sexual Eruption”—complete with an ‘80s-style, VHS-quality music video reminiscent of Prince’s “When Doves Cry”—may have been incredibly catchy, but arguably set itself up to be received as satire. Up until 7 Days Of Funk, Snoop’s latest collaborative project between he and Stones Throw’s acclaimed modern funk master Dam Funk, he’s truthfully been most successful in his homage when he’s just being himself.
Dam is Funk without the frills, and he’s undoubtedly guiding Snoop on the path to enlightened funk. His fresh synths and keytar riffs provide the perfect backdrop for Snoop to exercise his right to groove. It’s a return to that groove so loved on Doggystyle, but he’s left the Dogg back in ‘93. Both singing and rapping, his verses are low-rider laid-back and positive without being preachy. His hood pass is obviously still intact (word to Dam), but he’s got no need to wear it on his sleeve. On the hard-hitting opener “Hit Da Pavement,” he light-heartedly asserts his stature while encouraging a hustler’s lifestyle: “I live with a maid / I won’t be happy ‘til my whole team paid / From my mama to my daddy, to my kids, to my wife / And all my kinfolks in the afterlife…” Appearing fresh off of “Higher,” his own full-length collaboration album with Dam, legendary Slave frontman Steve Arrington lends his unmistakable crooning to “1Question?,” and Snoop’s harmonizing results in a surprisingly smooth lovers’ lament.
In fact, 7 Days Of Funk is oddly romantic—much more so than one would expect from an ordinary Snoop project. But this isn’t an ordinary Snoop project, largely due to Dam’s stellar production and song arrangement. Their musical chemistry is exceptional, with their mutual love of “the funk” being the bond. “You may think I’ve had enough, but it’s a must I find my way back to the funk…” Snoop raps on “I’ll Be There 4U.” Appearances from Kurupt and Tha Dogg Pound add just the right amount of G to the funk and help to compensate for Snoop’s overall lack of rapping on the album.
Though some may be discouraged that his rapping isn’t the highlight here, this is a literal and figurative passion project for Snoopzilla, and everything about him on this album feels sincere. In addition to being Dam Funk’s best production work to date, 7 Days Of Funk is Snoop’s most enjoyable album in years. Only time will tell, but they’ve perhaps opened the floodgates to allow for a new era of funk to flow in.
sounds cool
did not expect this…will def check it out
Best thing snoop done in years
co-sign…..its got me poplocking round the crib like a boss for the last 2 weeks! preaccchhhhhh
Dam-Funk been dope, great album
til I saw the draft that said $4669, I did not believe that…my… brothers friend could trully bringing in money in their spare time from their computer.. there friend brother has done this for less than 7 months and just now paid the dept on their place and purchased themselves a Alfa Romeo. check this… http://www.Fb39.com
Why? Because he ain’t hip-hop. Niggas in the streets listen to real shit like Benzino, M.O.P., Kool G Rap etc. Street niggas are waiting on that new Benzino record, and don’t give a fuck about Eminem!
gangsta rapper
pop rapper
reggae artist (only promoting drugs ofc)
funk artist who tends to be a gangsta
who understands this shit?
this is re-enventing ya self
but it aint pretty haha
4.5??
ha ha ha aha aha ha ha ha!!!!
its pretty good. but not very hip hop sounding compared to a lot better albums that deserve a higher rating than this funk/rap album. and what the fukk is snoop saying anyways?? nothing. mind candy.
yeah and its only 9 short songs. and some of then are border line pop. 4.5?? DX screws it up again.
Does music need to “Hip Hop” to sound good?
its a hip hop site. album is a 4 max. but not very hip hop.
@poppa large and ryder, lets get technical for a moment…what really is Hip-Hop? Ever heard the line “rap is something you do, hip-hop is something you live” before? Do you know who dropped that line?
So could you tell me, what are the elements of hip-hop music you think were not captured in the album for it not to deserve the high editor rating? Diversity is just a reality of life…I think sometimes we tend to diminish the stature of Hip-Hop by overlooking the concept of “Style” in Hip-Hop…at the end of the day, everything doesn’t have to sound exactly the same way, even if its all within the same genre.
The Real West Coast authentic sound that hip hop loves and was missing with an invasion of bullshit music from the South. 5 stars.
More like 3.5
Yeh baby its definitely funky and if its funky its got to be SnoopZILLA and Dam funk.
until I looked at the paycheck that said $5639, I did not believe that…my… mother in law woz realey erning money in there spare time from their computer.. there aunts neighbour has done this for only about 6 months and resently cleard the mortgage on there cottage and got a great Mercedes-Benz S-class. More Info… http://www.Fb39.com
hey said it sold 701k copies this week. Don’t be mad just because she’s more talented than you will ever be.
This shit is jamming you gotta be from that era to get this young ones ask ya moms and pops about slave zapp pfunk the time alexander oneil cherrelle tom browne to name a few im 35 and iv been hip hop head since 1983 so i totally get what dam funk and snoop are doing
I can see this take off into a movie. Dope-ness.
fresh
snoop and dam funk are a great combo, loved this album!
If your not from our state… Snoop actually drives around by himself in a low rider. If you drive around long enough you will seem him around most hoods in So Cal. I dont know of any other famous person who goes around with that much respect.
Don’t get Pimp slapped!!!
DX thinks this is as good as Yeezus
and no one with any tastes like any kanye music
**DX thinks Yeezus is as good as this
this shits on yeezus
dope, this is one of snoops top albums imo, did not expect this coming
finally snoop! always better over some funky shit!!! not sure why you tried to fix something that was no broken!!!
Good driving/chill out song until the snoops passenger throws up the devil horns at the end of the clip…ye real cool brother turned me off
I guessing that he is throwing up the P Funk hand sign. It is usually thrown with the palm out but I’ve seen it done the way Dam throws it before too.
DX dickriders. Snoop just copied his own style. This sounds if he recorded this shit 20 years ago. It aint 1993 anymore but 2013. Shit sound outdated as fuck
If you would have knew ANYTHING about this shit, Dam-Funk been doing this type of sound for 20 years straight now. It’s just Snoop rapping like he has always done, over some dope ass Dam-Funk productions …
Copied his own style? You sound like an idiot brah. But I’m glad HHDX worked up the nerve to give something other than a 3.5.
Anyone who’s mastered the art of being a true boss playa appreciates the Dam Dogg’s flavour. This goes in. Don’t piss me off! I’ve got my crocodile slippers and my perm on…
Seriously though, they are both brilliant on this (and always). Match made 11.
Blue Boss, Caramel Cream Dream
Dope af! SNoop still got it
Do My Thang >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
the production on here alone is 4.5 stars, then snoop proceeds to kill it. my only beef with it is that it’s 8 songs, but quality over quantity
snoop a loop!
Holy shit.
This is truly a great review…very objective assessment.
I’ve been playing this from the online streams and now about to cop me one for Xmas!
Thanks to Bigg Snoopzilla and Dam Funk!!
uptil I looked at the paycheck four $5811, I didnt believe that my sister actually erning money parttime on their computer.. there best friend had bean doing this 4 only 21 months and as of now paid for the dept on their villa and purchased a brand new Bugatti Veyron. view it now… http://www.Fb39.com
no ones even coming out in the 4th quarter, which is usually for the tax write offs anyway.. they said it had to do with sample clearance
Good 2 hear Snoop on that groove shit aka ‘THE FUNK!!”
SNOOP, you retarded muthafucka, you JUST damn near changed your name to Snoop Lion and I would refuse to even call you that. NOW, you change it again? And to SnoopZILLA?? That is the wackest shit I ever heard, dog. Cut out this whole Rasta act you clown ass nigga! Get the corn rows back and make another album with DRE fuck all this other bullshit!
the zilla comes from bootsy collins – who played for james brown and parliament (that’s if you knew anything about the era that inspired g funk and hip hop in general you dumb cunt). seeing how his music’s mostly based on the funk sound, it only makes sense that he uses part of someone’s moniker that influenced him.
you call someone a ‘clown ass nigga’, yet tell him what kind of music he should be making? take out whoever’s ‘bizzalls’ you have in your mouth – oxygen is essential in maintaining brain function.
^^ “..that shit that burns slow..”
Plus it’s a moniker he specifically took on for this one project with Dam-Funk. Will he use it again in future projects with Dam? Who knows. He’s definitely not the first dude to take on alternate monikers for various projects, though.
Also, “make another album with DRE” essentially equates to “don’t put anything out for a long-ass fuckin’ time” lately, so that’s not a viable option in the least. Are you from 10 years ago? You must be from 10 years ago, otherwise you would’ve checked yourself before you hit ENTER on that ignit-ass comment.
Then only clown ass nigga here is “Bizzalls”.
Dope album
This is the kind of music should make
Some straight cuts on here.. overall pretty laid back, but Hit Da Pavement and Do My Thing go as hard as anything he’s done in days
Original Snoop! Best shit since Dooggystyle
Without a doubt this is a instant classic!
I wish it has more tracks, nuff said.
THIS IS JUST A BULLSHIT ALBUM ,EVERY TUNE IS CRAP 2*AT BEST
Alright, bud. Go back to listenin’ to Soulja Boy and shut the fuck up.
Snoop sounds so much better on these kinds of beats. Only complaint is wish it was longer and wish he rapped more on it and sang less. Closest thing to doggystyle he’s put out.
He still has a classic full length cd in him if production is handled by Dame Funk, Dr. Dre and Daz (maybe 1-2 Pharell produced imitation Dre beats too). No trap shit/ nobody’s trying to hear that from Snoop or his other attempts to “stay relevant”. Make Doggystyle 2, maybe a joint album with Game, help Dre with Detox (ha ha-) and hang it up or just do features after that.
better then his Jamaican album lol
My comment was valid. Didn’t say make an album with Dre (that is not going to happen). I said get a few tracks with him along with Dame Funk and Daz….mayble call it Doggystyle 2.
Snoop and Game album could happen. Detox probably not, but we could only wish.
snoop dogg releases too many albums hell nah!!! he sucks ass! used to be good, all his album sales= mmlp and sslp
Look how little fans he has only 30 people voted, HAHAHAHAHA sorry ass artist
still better than lil wayne and Drake so what he aint pop no more he still have more street cred than both those fags put together by the way f u to nigga west side for life bith
dope
Best Snoop album in years.
Snoop Dogg resurection
booooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing
Pleasantly surprised!!! Dam Funk definitely ain’t no Dre, Daz, or Soopafly, but he’s pretty “Dam”
best he put out in who knows how long in years
He needed to do this years ago!!!
Not my style…miss the days of his previous hardcoreness.
As soon as I heard the first track. I knew this was going to be great. I miss Snoop on Dre’s funky ass production. Doggystyle is his only album I can listen to front to back and it never gets old. It’s timeless. Snoops pimp ass flow went so well with that funk inspired sound. This album takes the funk sound to another level. Snoop still has his smooth flow. It may not be as tightened as it once was in the early 90’s. But the production on here is perfect for what Snoop Dogg should continue do on his way out of the game.
7 DAYS OF FUNK = A NEW CLASSIC . FADING AWAY IS A DOPE SONG AND DAM FUNK BRING THE TRUE FUNK THAT IS GOOD TO THE EARS AND MAKES YOU WANNA HAVE FUN AND BOOGIE AND SMILE . GOOD PROJECT BY SNOOP AND DAM FUNK , I’M FEELING THIS FUNK
This album is a classic and Im still listening to it in 2016. When I first got this album I blew a half p of Blue Dream on this. We definitely need a sequel to 7 Days of Funk. Snoop make it happen!!
This is a classic