ARTIST: Snoop Dogg 
TITLE: Doggystyle
YEAR RELEASED: 1993
CHART ACTION: #1 US, #1 US R&B, #38 UK
SINGLES: What’s My Name (#8 US, #8 US R&B, #20 UK), Gin and Juice (#8 US, #13 R&B, #39 UK), Doggy Dogg World (#25 US R&B, #42 UK)
OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: The Shiznit, Murder Was the Case
LINEUP: Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, The Dogg Pound, Sam Sneed, The DOC, The Lady of Rage, RBX, Nate Dogg, Warren G, The Dramatics
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: Dr. Dre’s protégé, Snoop Dogg, conquers the world with his first solo recording, combining funk and soul samples and beats with gangsta rap. It was the shiznit!
SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: Coming on the heels of The Chronic, where Snoop had a star turn on Dr. Dre’s album, this record solidifies the move toward funk and soul in West Coast gangsta rap, and places the focal point of that movement directly on Snoop Dogg.
The beats and production were a logical evolution from The Chronic, and Snoop’s rhymes establish him as the laureate of gangsta. His laid back and melodic rap was innovative as well. Sure, gangsta has a problem with violence and sexism but many listeners gloss over it because the music is so enticing. The sampling of a lot of old funk records, especially Parliament / Funkadelic, also make the lyrics go down smoothly.
Those not into the hip-hop culture can still appreciate the production and beats. It’s very much a touchstone record for 90’s West Coast rap.
NOTES & MINUTIAE: There was controversy (there always seems to be) on who actually ‘produced’ the album. While Warren G and Daz Dillinger claimed they did ‘the whole thing’, most everyone says that Dr. Dre put it together and Warren and Daz helped greatly with the beats.
IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: Originally, there was a cut called “Gz Up, Hoez Down” but that had to be yanked due to clearance issues.
GRADE: A-: It’s got a great flow and great beats. The lyrics will give some pause, even today.
But Is It Any Good? 