"Snoop's Upside Ya Head" is a song by American rapper

Snoop Doggy Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...

, released as the first single from his second album, ''

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

'' (1996). The song heavily samples " I Don't Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops)" by the Gap Band and features new vocals from Gap Band's lead singer Charlie Wilson. It was released as a single by

Death Row Death row, also known as condemned row, is a place in a prison that houses inmates awaiting execution after being convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting executio ...

Interscope Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, 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 ...

and MCA in the UK on September 14, 1996 and was Snoop's second European hit. The single was released one day after Death Row labelmate

Tupac Shakur Tupac Amaru Shakur (; born Lesane Parish Crooks; June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor, regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all tim ...

died from injuries sustained in a drive by shooting the week prior.

Critical reception

Everett True from ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. In January 2001, it was merged into "long-standing rival" (and IPC Media sister publicatio ...

'' wrote in his review of the single, "Slick, smooth and sinuous cover of

The Gap Band The Gap Band was an American Contemporary R&B, R&B and funk band that rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band consisted of three brothers: Charlie Wilson (musician), Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson, along with other members; it wa ...

. Lacks bite."

Music video

In the accompanying music video for "Snoop's Upside Ya Head", an imaginary execution takes place where Snoop Doggy Dogg manages to escape from the

electric chair The electric chair is a specialized device used for capital punishment through electrocution. The condemned is strapped to a custom wooden chair and electrocuted via electrodes attached to the head and leg. Alfred P. Southwick, a Buffalo, New Yo ...

(It refers to the end of Snoop's real life murder trial by verdict of not guilty). After that protesters are outside some with signs stating "we love you Snoop" and others stating "fry 'em". Later Snoop saves a news reporter and drives away in his car and manages to escape the cops briefly. Apparently the news reporter helped Snoop escape as shown briefly in the music video. Later he performs in an outdoor concert for his awaiting fans and in the progress gets arrested by the cops and is put back in jail. While in jail he performs again for the

inmates A prisoner, also known as an inmate or detainee, is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement or captivity in a prison or physical restraint. The term usually applies to one serving a Sentence (law), se ...

later showing Snoop in 2021; still an inmate rocking the jail. It stars Vincent Schiavelli as the prison governor, Wilson as the prison guard, and Uncle Junebug as the old Snoop in prison. DJ Pooh makes a cameo appearance as a DJ in the prison. The music video was released in November 1996.

Track listing

* UK 12" single :A1. "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" (Album Version) (featuring Charlie Wilson) — 4:29 :B1. "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" (Radio Edit) (featuring Charlie Wilson) — 4:29 :B2. "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" (Instrumental) — 4:29

Charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1996 songs 1996 singles Snoop Dogg songs Charlie Wilson (singer) songs Songs written by Snoop Dogg Songs written by Lonnie Simmons Songs written by Charlie Wilson (singer) Songs written by Rudy Taylor