“Is the juice worth the squeeze?”
Snoop Dogg is a legend. You may love that. You may hate it.
Still, no one can deny that the Doggfather has held it
down, remained relevant and has overcome many obstacles for his 15 years in the
industry. He’s made hits, flops and laughable moves, but he hasn’t stopped.
He’s remained on top – for the most part – from “Deep Cover” to “Vato.” He’s
also been a dedicated supporter of West Coast rap unity, and with this album,
he solidifies that.
Snoop Dogg Presents The Big Squeeze is a compilation comprised of
West Coast emcees from the past and present. This mixture of different eras is
nice to see, as it showcases a slew of artists to bring either nostalgia or
anticipation. Sure, some acts also do their part to bring the dreaded
disappointment. But, while some guests are less than stellar (Azure), others demonstrate a
well-developed chemistry with The D-O Double G. So, this isn’t
all bad.
It should also be noted that Snoop is not just rapping or
singing here. Manning the boards for the majority of the album, Snoop‘s taking
his beat-making seriously. Sure, some tracks do sound like knock offs. “Hat 2 Tha Bac”
may sound like a horribly misspelled song title, but it also sounds a lot like
a scrapped Dr. Dre beat. To make matters worse, the very next
track, “We Came
to Bang Out,” sounds like a watered down Neptunes’ beat.
But let’s not completely bash the production. This album is versatile
offering smooth, enjoyable, soulful tracks such as “Get Your Body Moving” and the
remarkable “Be
Thankful,” as well as street-influenced tracks such as “Pop, Pop, Bang”
and “Shackled Up.” The
combination of smooth and gangsta is what defined Snoop’s
style for years. It’s great to see that sailed its way into his production as
well.
All of this does not save the album, though. It’s still got throw-away cuts
such as “Get
Closer” and “Get It Started.” Furthermore, the rhymes on the album
aren’t extraordinary, and at times they teeter on mediocrity. For instance, in
the following lines, Snoop and co. show us just how much
importance is placed on songwriters these days.
“I used to play with my dick/Until I found a lil’ cute white bitchWho
liked to play with my dick.”–Snoop Dogg
“On the for real-a, my nigga/You don’t want none/Should have kept
your mouth closed and/You shouldn’t have respond.” –Daz
(He meant responded.)
“I ain’t no phony/I’m the one who put that lil’ white bitch on Kobe.” –Damani (Riiight!)
With such an outlandish comment, shouldn’t you make sure your rhymes are
real, at least?
Nevertheless, the album deserves a listen if you are (or have been) a Snoop
fan. If you are not a Snoop fan, the subject matter may be a
bit redundant as it is laced with more of the same. Also, the amount of guests
on this compilation is not incredibly compelling aside from the veterans who
drop by. While I admire Snoop for his time spent in the game,
it’d be difficult not to take points off for such weak rhymes or flawed
production work here.
The Big Squeeze was supposed to offer more good than bad. Instead,
it adds a layer of weakness to the equation. Those yearning for vintage Snoop,
may just have to wait until his next highly anticipated solo album gets
released, because this album is easily forgettable. Ultimately, in response to
the popular quote, the juice isn’t exactly worth the squeeze here.