''Doggystyle'' is the debut studio album by American rapper

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

(then known as Snoop Doggy Dogg). It was released on November 23, 1993, by

Death Row Records Death Row Records is an American record label that was founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. The label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum hip-hop albums by West Coast-based artists such as Dr. Dre ...

and

Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner ...

. The album was recorded and produced following Snoop's appearances on

Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and w ...

's debut solo album ''

The Chronic ''The Chronic'' is the debut studio album by the American hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre. It was released on December 15, 1992, by his record label Death Row Records and distributed by Interscope Records. Recording sessions took place in ...

'' (1992), to which Snoop contributed significantly. The West Coast style in hip-hop that he developed from Dre's first album continued on ''Doggystyle''. Critics have praised Snoop Dogg for the lyrical "realism" that he delivers on the album and for his distinctive vocal flow. Despite some mixed criticism of the album initially upon its release, ''Doggystyle'' earned recognition from many music critics as one of the most significant albums of the 1990s, as well as one of the most important hip-hop albums ever released. Much like ''The Chronic'', the distinctive sounds of ''Doggystyle'' helped introduce the hip-hop subgenre of

G-funk G-funk, short for gangsta funk, is a sub-genre of gangsta rap that emerged from the West Coast scene in the late 1980s. The genre is heavily influenced by 1970s psychedelic funk (P-funk) sound of artists such as Parliament-Funkadelic. Charac ...

to a mainstream audience, bringing forward

West Coast hip hop West Coast hip hop is a regional genre of hip hop music that encompasses any artists or music that originated in the West Coast region of the United States. West Coast hip hop began to dominate from a radio play and sales standpoint during the e ...

as a dominant force in the early-mid 1990s. ''Doggystyle'' debuted at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 806,858 copies in its first week alone in the United States, which was the record for a debuting artist and the fastest-selling hip-hop album ever at the time. ''Doggystyle'' was included on ''The Source'' magazine's list of the 100 Best Rap Albums, as well as ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' magazine's list of Essential Recordings of the '90s.

About.com Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, ...

placed the album in No. 17 of the greatest hip hop/rap albums of all time. The album was certified 4× Platinum by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...

(RIAA). By November 2015, the album had sold 7 million copies in the United States, and over 11 million copies worldwide.

Conception

Background

In 1992, Snoop Dogg came to attention of the music industry through his vocal contributions on Dr. 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 "

" sound.Steve Huey. The Chronic > Overview Allmusic. Accessed May 17, 2008. ''The Chronic'' expanded

gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a controversial hip-hop subgenre whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American street gangs and street hustlers. Many gangsta rappe ...

with profanity, anti-authoritarian lyrics and multi-layered samples taken from 1970's

P-Funk Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive f ...

records. Snoop Doggy Dogg contributed vocals to Dre's solo single, "

Deep Cover ''Deep Cover'' is a 1992 American action thriller film starring Laurence Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum and Charles Martin Smith, and directed by veteran actor Bill Duke in his third directorial outing. The screenplay was written by Henry Bean and Ac ...

", which led to a high degree of anticipation among hip hop for the release of his own solo album. ''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 Tha Dogg Pound is an American Hip hop music, hip hop duo made up of rappers Kurupt and Daz Dillinger. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. Kurupt and Daz went on to release solo albu ...

RBX Eric Dwayne Collins (born October 8, 1969) better known by his stage name RBX (standing for "Reality Born Unknown"), is an American rapper and songwriter from Long Beach, California. Early life and education Contrary to popular belief, Collins i ...

The Lady of Rage Robin Yvette Allen (born February 6,1966), known professionally as the Lady of Rage, is an American rapper, singer and actress best known for her collaborations with several other Death Row Records artists, including Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg on th ...

, while both contain a high density of misogyny and profanity in their lyrics. In addition, the two albums are each viewed by critics as early "G-funk classics", and have been described as "joined at the hip". 'Doggystyle' also marked the debut of Death Row vocalist, Nanci Fletcher - the daughter of jazz legend Sam Fletcher.

Gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a controversial hip-hop subgenre whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American street gangs and street hustlers. Many gangsta rappe ...

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 Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, situated south of downtown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and, on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city in Los Angeles County to incorporat ...

, and

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...

.Reference to Alex Henderson's Allmusic review on Dave's music database
Straight Outta Compton Reviews
/ref> Describing ''Doggystyle'' in 1993, Snoop Doggy 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." Explaining his intentions, Snoop Doggy 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." 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".Touré (November 21, 1993)

''The New York Times''. Retrieved April 21, 2008.

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". Snoop Doggy Dogg collaborated with two music groups,

213 Year 213 ( CCXIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aurelius and Calvinus (or, less frequently, year 966 ''Ab urbe cond ...

and

. Daz Dillinger, of the latter group, accused Dr. Dre of taking sole recognition for producing the album and alleged that

Warren G Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper and producer known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. Along with Snoop Dogg and ...

and himself contributed substantially to the production of the project.Tha Dogg Pound. (2005). '' DPG Eulogy'' VD Innovative Distribution Network. Retrieved April 27, 2008. Death Row Records co-founder

Marion "Suge" Knight Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. (; born April 19, 1965) is a American former music executive, convicted felon, and the co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Knight is considered a central figure in gangsta rap's commercial success in ...

stated in 2013 that, "Daz pretty much did the whole album", and that credit was signed over to Dr. Dre for a fee. Snoop Doggy 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 "Aint No Fun", mentioning that Daz and Warren G brought Dr. Dre the beat but "Dre took that muthafucka to the next level!"Snoop Dogg Interview Part 4 (July 2006)
DubCNN. Retrieved April 27, 2008. Bruce Williams, closely affiliated with Dr. Dre, discussed the recording process during Dre's time at Death Row Records, stating: 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.Andreas Hale (May 21, 2008)
Bruce Williams: The REAL Doctor's Advocate Pt 1
. HipHopDX. Accessed May 26, 2008. ''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".Jonathan Gold (September 30, 1993)
Day of the Dre
''Rolling Stone''. Accessed May 27, 2008. Gold also described how the track progressed with other musicians adding to the song, stating "A bass player wanders in, unpacks his instrument and pops a funky two-note bass line over the beat, then leaves to watch CNN, though his two notes keep looping into infinity. A smiling guy in a striped jersey plays a nasty one-fingered melody on an old

Minimoog The Minimoog is an analog synthesizer first manufactured by Moog Music between 1970 and 1981. Designed as a more affordable, portable version of the modular Moog synthesizer, it was the first synthesizer sold in retail stores. It was first pop ...

synthesizer that's been obsolete since 1982, and Dre scratches in a sort of surfadelic munching noise, and then from his well-stocked

Akai MPC60 The Akai MPC (originally MIDI Production Center, now Music Production Center) is a series of music workstations produced by Akai from 1988 onwards. MPCs combine sampling and sequencing functions, allowing users to record portions of sound, mod ...

samples comes a shriek, a spare piano chord, an ejaculation from the first Beastie's record—'

Let me clear my throat "Let Me Clear My Throat" is a song by American hip-hop artist DJ Kool. It was released in April 1996 as the third and final single from his album of the same name. It was recorded live at the Bahama Bay club in Philadelphia. 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 shot Woldermarian as Snoop Dogg drove the vehicle; the rapper claimed it was self-defense, alleging the victim was stalking him. 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 working on his second album, ''

Tha Doggfather ''Tha Doggfather'' is the second studio album by American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg, released on November 12, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records. After the success of his debut album ''Doggystyle'' (1993), Snoop was arrested and charged with ...

''.Stephen Thomas Erlewine. Snoop Dogg > Biography Allmusic. Retrieved April 21, 2008.

Title significance

The album's title alludes to the doggy style

sex position A sex position is a position of the body that people use for sexual intercourse or other sexual activities. Sexual acts are generally described by the positions the participants adopt in order to perform those acts. Though sexual intercourse ge ...

and is a reference to the musician's name. The artwork, which was done by artist Joe Cool, represents the themes covered in the album and the style of implementation of those ideas. Some critics believe the artwork portrays a woman merely as a hole to be filled by the man, which they believe adheres to the

narcissistic Narcissism is a self-centered personality style characterized as having an excessive interest in one's physical appearance or image and an excessive preoccupation with one's own needs, often at the expense of others. Narcissism exists on a co ...

and

sexist Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls.There is a clear and broad consensus among academic scholars in multiple fields that sexism refers primaril ...

lyrical themes Snoop Dogg covers.Steven Best & Douglas Kellner
Rap, Black Rage, and Racial Difference
. ''Enculturation'', Vol. 2, No. 2, Spring 1999. Accessed May 27, 2008. In this interpretation, the cover art and lyrics convey what they refer to as the self-indulgent "gangsta" lifestyle,

drugs A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalati ...

cars A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, people in ...

, sex, and

money Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money ar ...

. The artwork uses several quotes from the 1982 George Clinton single "

Atomic Dog "Atomic Dog" is a song by George Clinton from his 1982 album ''Computer Games''. The track was released as a single in December 1982 and became the P-Funk collective's last to reach #1 on the U.S. R&B Chart. The single failed to chart on the ...

". The quotes come from the dogs at the top of the brick wall on the album cover, which say, "Why must I feel like dat?", "Why must I chase da cat?" and "Nuttin' but da dogg in me".George Clinton's Atomic Dog Lyrics

MTV Networks Paramount Media Networks (formerly known as Warner Cable Communications, Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, MTV Networks, Viacom Media Networks, and ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks) is an American mass media division of Paramount Global tha ...

. Retrieved June 4, 2008.

Music

Production

Dre's handling of the production was praised by critics.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

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". ''

'' writer Touré noted "''The Chronic''s 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 Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songw ...

and

Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, and one of the most influential musicians behind soul and politically conscious African-American music.

-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." ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...

'' 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". The Source magazine columinst wrote: "Dre's brand of G-funk may be common now, but it is still painstakingly well-produced".

Lyrics

Snoop Doggy 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. AllMusic's Stephen Erlewine commended Snoop Doggy 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". ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...

'' 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," said Farley on November 29, 1993. The ideas put forward through the lyrics include Snoop Doggy Dogg's adolescent urges, as he freely talks of casual sex, smoking

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various t ...

and gunning down rival gang members. ''

'' 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".Christopher John Farley (November 29, 1993)
Gangsta Rap, Doggystyle
''Time''. Retrieved April 19, 2008. The album also covered gun play, drug dealing and pimping. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' said that the lyrical concepts were delivered in "crudest, rudest terms".Jon Pareles (October 31, 1995)
Critic's Notebook; Rappers Making Notoriety Pay Off
''The New York Times''. Retrieved April 19, 2008. Some critics said Snoop Doggy 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. The lyrics involve many derogatory terms against women, with expressions such as "bitches" and "hoes" being used throughout, which illustrates the feeling of sexism and oppression within American society. In certain tracks Snoop Doggy Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound casually speak of group sex, illustrating the demeaning of women.Edward G. Armstrong
Gangsta Misogyny: A Content Analysis Of The Portrayals Of Violence Against Women In Rap Music
. ''Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture'', Vol. 8, Issue 2 (2001) pp. 96–126. Accessed May 27, 2008. Snoop Doggy 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. 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 ''Doggystyle''.

Content

Who Am I? (What's My Name?) "Who Am I? (What's My Name?)" (commonly titled "What's My Name?") is the debut single by American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg. It was released on November 11, 1993, as the first single from his debut album, ''Doggystyle'', with the record labels Dea ...

" was the first single released from the album, on November 11, 1993. It peaked at No. 8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...

chart and reached No. 1 on the

Hot Rap Singles Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by ''Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stati ...

, receiving a

Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...

certification from the RIAA on February 8, 1994. It reached No. 20 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

in 1994 and re-entered the chart in 2004, reaching No. 100.UK Top 40 Hit Database
everyHit.com. Accessed April 20, 2008. Note: User must define search parameters, i.e. "Snoop Dogg".UK Single Charts
. ChartsPlus. Retrieved April 19, 2008. " Gin and Juice" was the second single released on January 18, 1994. Like the previous single, it was a hit on multiple charts. It reached No. 8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, No. 13 on the

, No. 1 on

, and No. 39 on the UK Singles Chart. The RIAA certified it Gold on April 6, 1994. The song was nominated at the

1995 Grammy Awards The 37th Annual Grammy Awards were presented on March 1, 1995, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Bruce Springsteen was the night's biggest winner with 4 awards, including Song ...

for Best Rap Solo Performance, but lost to

Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...

's " U.N.I.T.Y.". " Doggy Dogg World" was released as a 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. 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 The MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video was first given out in 1989, and it was one of the four original genre categories added at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. This award was last given out in 2006, as MTV did not bring it back in 2008 like ...

. It reached No. 32 on the UK Singles Chart. "Lodi Dodi" and "Murder Was the Case" were not official singles, but they received radio airplay and charted in

Rhythmic Top 40 The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and previously named Rhythmic Songs, Rhythmic Top 40 and CHR/Rhythmic) is an airplay chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The chart tracks and measures the airplay of songs played on ...

. Doggystyle - Billboard Singles Allmusic. Retrieved April 19, 2008. An 18-minute music video was shot for the two songs, with an accompanying ''

Murder Was the Case ''Murder Was the Case'' is a 1994 short film and soundtrack album starring and performed by Snoop Doggy Dogg. The 18 minute film was directed by Dr. Dre and Fab Five Freddy and chronicles the fictional death of Snoop Dogg and his resurrection afte ...

'' soundtrack.David Browne (February 3, 1995)
Murder Was the Case: The Movie
. ''Entertainment Weekly''. Retrieved June 4, 2008. The video won the 1995 Video of the Year award at

The Source ''The Source'' is an American hip hop and entertainment website, and a magazine that publishes annually or . It is the world's longest-running rap periodical, being founded as a newsletter in 1988 by Jonathan Shecter. David Mays was the ma ...

Hip-Hop Music Awards. "Gin and Juice" was nominated at the

37th Annual Grammy Awards The 37th Annual Grammy Awards were presented on March 1, 1995, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Bruce Springsteen was the night's biggest winner with 4 awards, including Song ...

for Best Rap Solo Performance. 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 Doggy 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.Snoop Dogg Lyrics, Pictures, Albums and more
Snoop-Dogg.com. Retrieved April 20, 2008. "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 "The Next Episode" is a single by American rapper-producer Dr. Dre, released on June 26, 2000 as the third single from his second studio album, ''2001'' (1999). The track features Snoop Dogg, Kurupt and Nate Dogg, but only Snoop Dogg is credi ...

" but bears no resemblance to the later song. It was 4 minutes and 36 seconds (4:36) long.Album Analysis
DubCNN.com. Retrieved April 20, 2008. "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 '' The Electric Spanking of War Babies''. Jewell & The Brides of Funkenstein are featured on the chorus. The song was released on '' Death Row: The Lost Sessions Vol. 1'' amongst other songs recorded by Snoop Doggy Dogg during his tenure at Death Row.

Legacy and influence

Hip-hop music

''Doggystyle'' is seen by many hip hop pundits as a "classic".10 Essential Hip-Hop Albums
About. Retrieved April 16, 2008. It is credited with defining

; 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." The album is credited for further establishment of the slurred "lazy drawl" that sacrificed lyrical complexity for clarity and

rhythm Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular re ...

cadence In Western musical theory, a cadence (Latin ''cadentia'', "a falling") is the end of a phrase in which the melody or harmony creates a sense of full or partial resolution, especially in music of the 16th century onwards.Don Michael Randel (199 ...

on ''Doggystyle'' and ''The Chronic''. The album is considered one of the first G-funk albums, the style of which many rappers duplicated in later years.

Hip-hop culture

It has been suggested by some writers and publications that ''Doggystyle'' has considerably affected African-American culture. Some publications have held the rap genre responsible for social problems such as sexual violence and sexism, which has been blamed on Snoop Doggy Dogg and other rappers for calling their controversial lyrics "keeping it real."T. Denean. (2007). ''Pimps Up, Ho's Down: Hip Hop's Hold on Young Black Women''. pp. 12–15. New York: NYU Press. . The problems of sexual violence and sexism are attributed to lyrics degrading women such as "bitches" and "ho's," which some believe have influenced black males.Kevern Verney. (2003). ''African Americans and US Popular Culture ''. pp. 96–97. Routledge. Snoop Doggy Dogg and other hip hop artists, including

N.W.A N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip hop group whose members were among the earliest and most significant popularizers and controversial figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, and the group is widely considered ...

, especially

Eazy-E Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), known professionally as Eazy-E, was an American rapper who propelled West Coast rap and gangsta rap by leading the group N.W.A and its label, Ruthless Records. He is often referred ...

and

Ice Cube An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be p ...

(due to their success) and

2Pac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

, have been held accountable for developing the gangsta rap form; a genre which articulated the rage of the urban underclass and its sense of intense oppression and defiant rebellion, which has been attained through the ability to communicate free of censorship, and has allowed hip hop culture to become a dominant style and ethos throughout the world.

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the w ...

sampled the song "Aint No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)" in her 1999 album ''

Rainbow A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows c ...

'' for the remix of

Heartbreaker Heartbreaker(s) or The Heart Breaker(s) may refer to: Film and television *''The Heart Breakers'', a 1916 film starring Andrew Arbuckle *'' The Heart Breaker'', a 1925 film directed by Benjamin Stoloff * ''Heartbreaker'' (1983 film), an American ...

which featured

Missy Elliott Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...

and

Da Brat Shawntae Harris-Dupart (born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she began her career in 1992, the year she signed with So So Def Records. Her debut album '' Fun ...

. The writers of ''Enculturation'', Steven Best and Douglas Kellner, have noted that Snoop Doggy 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. 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 Doggy Dogg driving around

South Central, Los Angeles South Los Angeles, also known as South Central Los Angeles or simply South Central, is a region in southwestern Los Angeles County, lying mostly within the city limits of Los Angeles, south of downtown. It is "defined on Los Angeles city maps as a ...

in a

lowrider A lowrider or low rider is a customized car with a lowered body. These customized vehicles are generally individually painted with intricate, colorful designs, rolling on wire-spoke wheels with whitewall tires. Lowrider rims are generally smalle ...

(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.Todd Boyd. (1997). ''Am I Black Enough for You?: Popular Culture from the 'hood and Beyond''. pp. 80–81. Indiana University Press. .

Subsequent work

''Doggystyle'' is generally considered Snoop Dogg's best album, in addition to being his highest charting and best-selling album as his later albums were certified double Platinum, Platinum or Gold although

Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told ''Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told'' is the third studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on August 4, 1998, by No Limit Records in the United States. It is his first album following his departure from Death Row Records in ...

was certified double Platinum making it his second best selling album and also his only other one to be certified multi Platinum.Jon Pareles (November 26, 1996)
Machismo In Rap Atop The Charts
''The New York Times''. Retrieved April 16, 2008. It differs from following albums as his later work featured production from multiple individuals, such as

The Neptunes The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music video ...

Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...

and

Daz Dillinger Delmar Drew Arnaud (born May 25, 1973), known professionally as Daz Dillinger (formerly Dat Nigga Daz and commonly Daz), is an American rapper and record producer. In the 1990s at Death Row Records, aided the catapult of West Coast rap and gang ...

, with reduced input from Dr. Dre, which shows a shift from G-funk production. Snoop Doggy Dogg's follow-up album, ''Tha Doggfather'' (1996), did not involve Dr. Dre, as he left Death Row Records. As a result,

DJ Pooh A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile ...

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 major hit single. In 1998, Snoop Dogg left Death Row and joined

No Limit Records No Limit Records is an American record company founded by Master P. The label's albums were distributed by Priority Records, Universal and Koch Records. The label included artists such as Snoop Dogg, Mercedes, Silkk the Shocker, Mystikal, M ...

, changing his stage name from Snoop Doggy Dogg to Snoop Dogg. During his tenure at the label, he continued several of the themes from ''Doggystyle'' with follow-ups to earlier songs, such as "Gin & Juice II" (1998) and "

Snoop Dogg (What's My Name II) "Snoop Dogg (What's My Name II)" is the follow-up for one of the first singles released by rapper Snoop Dogg, "Who Am I? (What's My Name?)." It was also the only CD single released from his fifth album, ''Tha Last Meal''. The music video is direct ...

" (2000). Subsequent studio albums such as ''

Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss ''Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss'' (stylized as ''Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$'') is the sixth studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on November 26, 2002, by his Doggystyle label, alongside Priority and Capitol Records. Follow ...

'' (2002) and '' R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece'' (2004) exhibited a more mainstream, pop-oriented theme with new sounds, but remained "hardcore throughout" and featured "plenty of street and commercial appeal".David Jeffries. R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece > Overview Allmusic. Accessed May 11, 2008. These releases included three hit singles, "

Beautiful Beautiful, an adjective used to describe things as possessing beauty, may refer to: Film and theater * ''Beautiful'' (2000 film), an American film directed by Sally Field * ''Beautiful'' (2008 film), a South Korean film directed by Juhn Jai-h ...

", "

Drop It Like It's Hot "Drop It Like It's Hot" is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg featuring fellow American musician Pharrell Williams. It was released on September 27, 2004, as the lead single from Snoop Dogg's seventh studio album, '' R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): T ...

" 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 ''Tha Blue Carpet Treatment'' is the eighth studio album by West Coast hip hop recording artist Snoop Dogg. It was released on November 21, 2006, by Doggystyle Records and Geffen Records. It is also the final album to have Nate Dogg featured on i ...

'' (2006). The album was noted for being a "hard and very G-Funk record". In March 2022, ''Doggystyle'' and other Death Row albums were removed from all streaming platforms. In October 2022, Snoop announced a spiritual sequel of the album, Missionary, also produced by Dr. Dre. The album is going be released by Death Row Records and Dr. Dre’s label, Aftermath.

Critical reception

''Doggystyle'' was released to widespread critical acclaim. ''

'' writer Touré 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". David Browne of ''

'' 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".

Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, oc ...

stated "''Doggystyle'' and ''

'' stand proudly together as the twin pinnacles of West Coast G-funk hip-hop of the early '90s" ''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". ''

Vibe ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down producti ...

'' 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".Vibe 150: West Coast
. ''Vibe''. Accessed May 20, 2008. ''

'' magazine gave the album a 4/5 mic rating. It said Snoop Doggy 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." ''NME'' magazine called the lead single "a pinnacle he conquered effortlessly" and went on to name the record a "benchmark album". The album also received some negative criticism. Erlewine of AllMusic mentioned the album did not "surprise or offer anything that wasn't already on ''The Chronic''". Christopher John Farley noted Snoop Doggy Dogg had little examination over his emotions and feelings. David Browne spoke of "Aint 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". Renowned rock critic

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

gave the album a "dud" rating, which signifies "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought. At the upper level it may merely be overrated, disappointing, or dull. Down below it may be contemptible." '' Q'' Danny Kelly observed: "Snoop Doggy Dogg's record is more or less a 19-track homage to/gleeful rip off of George Clinton's '

' ... It's inclined to become a touch unimaginative; a tad, let's be honest, dull ... And the sleeve competes with

The Waterboys The Waterboys are a folk rock band formed in Edinburgh in 1983 by Scottish musician Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. Mike Scott has remained ...

' '' Dream Harder'' and

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, pianist and songwriter. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man" after his album and signature song of the same name, he has led a commercially successful career as a solo artist since th ...

's ''

River of Dreams ''River of Dreams'' is the twelfth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel, released on August 10, 1993. ''River of Dreams'' presented a more serious tone than found in Joel's previous albums, dealing with issues such as trust and ...

'' as the worst attached to a recent release." Despite the initial mixed criticism, critical perception of the album later improved, as ''Doggystyle'' has earned several accolades and rankings on critics' "best album" lists. A review of the album's reissue upped ''Q'' rating from three to four stars out of five. "A modern classic," observed reviewer Tom Doyle. ''The Source'' magazine later gave the album a classic five-mic rating. In 2020, "Doggystyle" placed 340 in Rolling Stone's Top 500 Albums of All Time.

Accolades

The information regarding accolades attributed to ''Doggystyle'' is adapted from AcclaimedMusic.net.Snoop Doggy Dogg - ''Doggystyle''
. AcclaimedMusic.net. Accessed May 20, 2008.

Commercial performance

''Doggystyle'' debuted at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200, powered by spectacular first week sales of 806,000 copies. As of November 2015, the album had sold seven million copies in the United States, and over eleven million copies worldwide. It was certified four times

platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Pla ...

by the

on May 31, 1994. It is Snoop Doggy Dogg's most successful album; his following albums were certified single or double platinum.RIAA Searchable database - Snoop Dogg
. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 16, 2008. ''Doggystyle'' first appeared on music charts in 1993, peaking on the ''Billboard'' 200 and

Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated ...

at No. 1. It re-peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 in January 1994, when it was already certified three times platinum by the RIAA.Bruce Haring (February 2, 1994)
Albums chart course to blockbuster sales
Variety. Retrieved June 5, 2008. The record was mildly successful in Europe, reaching No. 18 in Sweden, No. 21 in Germany and No. 35 in Austria. It also peaked at No. 25 on the

Recording Industry Association of New Zealand Recorded Music NZ (formerly the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ)) is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell recorded music in New Zealand. Membership of Recorded ...

album chart. At the end of 1994, the album was No. 3 on the ''Billboard'' Year-End Top Albums Chart and No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Year-End Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. It re-entered the charts in 2003, peaking on the Ireland Albums Top 75 at No. 70. , it had spent a total of 74 nonconsecutive weeks on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart.

Track listing

* All songs produced by

Notes

* "Gz Up, Hoes Down" is only included on the very first pressings of the album. It was later omitted due to sample clearance issues. It was later re-released on the 2006 Death Row Records compilation, '' 15 Years on Death Row''. * On the U.S. original release's back cover "Gz Up, Hoes Down" is erroneously listed after "Pump Pump" instead of immediately before. * Original pressings in Europe features track names for all interludes - the interlude track names listed above are taken from the said European release. "W Balls" was the only interlude listed on the original American release. All interludes, including "W Balls" were later omitted from all track listings. * The original pressings of the album, which contains "Gz Up, Hoes Down", list an outro track titled, "Tha Next Episode", but does not feature on any pressings of the album. A low-quality recording of the song later leaked online sometime in the late 2000s.

Cut tracks

* "Gz Up, Hoes Down", only included on original pressings of the album. Omitted due to sample clearance issues. * "Tha Next Episode", produced by and featuring

, was listed on the track listing provided to retailers before the album's release, but does not feature on any pressings of the album. A similar instrumental (i.e., it used the same sample as its main melody) was later used for

's track "Runnin' Wit No Breaks" from his 1994 debut album, '' Regulate...G Funk Era'' Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre later recorded a track titled "

" for Dre's second studio album, ''

2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...

'', which is completely different from the original. * "Doggystyle", featuring Jewell and George Clinton, was recorded during the album sessions but remained unreleased until its inclusion on the compilation album '' Death Row: The Lost Sessions Vol. 1'' * "The Root of All Evil (Outro)", featuring

Teena Marie Mary Christine Brockert (March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010), known professionally as Teena Marie, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, arranger, and producer. She was known by her childhood nickname Tina before taking the sta ...

, was recorded during the album sessions but remained unreleased until its inclusion on the compilation album ''Death Row: The Lost Sessions Vol. 1''. The instrumental was later significantly reworked and used for the remix of "

California Love "California Love" is a song by American rapper 2Pac featuring fellow American rapper-producer Dr. Dre and American singer Roger Troutman. The song was released as 2Pac's comeback single after his release from prison in 1995 and was his first sing ...

", by

featuring

. * "Every Single Day", featuring

Kurupt Ricardo Emmanuel Brown (born November 23, 1972), better known by his stage name Kurupt, is an American rapper and record producer who aided gangsta rap's rise via 1990s verses helping set lasting trends. He is one half of the rap duo Tha Dogg Po ...

, Jewell and

Nate Dogg Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011), known professionally as Nate Dogg, was an American singer and rapper. He gained recognition for providing guest vocals for a multitude of hit rap songs between 1992 and 2007, earning the ...

, was recorded during the album sessions, remaining unreleased until an alternate version was released on ''

'' compilation album ''

2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...

''.

Personnel

Snoop Doggy Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...

–

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...

– producer, vocals *

– vocals, performer *

Sam Sneed Sam Sneed (born Sam Anderson; February 29, 1968) is an American producer and rapper. He originally got his start working as a producer for K-Solo and the Hit Squad. Biography Early years In 1993 he was signed to Death Row Records, releasing o ...

- performer, inspiration *

Ulrich Wild Ulrich Wild is an American record producer, engineer and mixer specializing in the rock and metal genres. Born and raised in Switzerland, Ulrich is now a naturalized citizen in the United States, living in Los Angeles, California. In a career t ...

– engineer *

– performer *

– performer * The D.O.C. – performer *

– performer *

The Dramatics The Dramatics are an American soul music vocal group, formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1964. They are best known for their 1970s hit songs " In the Rain" and " Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get", both of which were Top 10 Pop hits, as well as their lat ...

– performer * Emanuel Dean – producer *

Chris "The Glove" Taylor Chris Taylor (born May 22, 1962), also known by his monikers The Glove and ChrisGlove, is best known as a DJ and producer on the West Coast hip hop scene in the 1980s and 1990s. Taylor is known for his appearance in the film ''Breakin alongs ...

– songwriter, mixing * Suge Knight – executive producer *

Bernie Grundman Bernie Grundman is an American audio engineer. He is most known for his mastering work and his studio, Bernie Grundman Mastering, which he opened in 1984 in Hollywood. The studio, which includes engineers Chris Bellman, Patricia Sullivan, and Mi ...

– mastering * Chi Modu – photography * Nanci Fletcher – performer, vocals (featured and background) *

Dan Winters Dan Winters (born October 21, 1962) is an American portrait photographer, illustrator, filmmaker and writer. Early life He was born in Ventura County, California on October 21, 1962. He first studied photography and the darkroom process starting ...

– photography * Kimberly Holt – artwork * Kimberly Brown – project coordinator * Joe Cool – cover artwork *Lasheena Denty - performer, vocals (featured)

Charts

Weekly charts

Catalog charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{Authority control 1993 debut albums Death Row Records albums Albums produced by Dr. Dre Interscope Records albums Snoop Dogg albums Gangsta rap albums by American artists G-funk albums