3 out of 5 stars
In his 42nd project, Snoop Dogg collaborates with Dr. Dre on “Missionary,” an album with unsurprising raps and an authentic Los Angeles sound. Dr. Dre’s tracks feature swaying beats and notes of true 90s West Coast hip hop, while Snoop Dogg’s raps have a less exciting familiarity.
“Missionary” dropped Dec. 13 under Death Row, Aftermath and Interscope Records. The 16-song album notably features Sting, Tom Petty, Jhené Aiko and BJ The Chicago Kid.
As a casual Snoop Dogg listener and lover of West Coast hip hop, I can say Dr. Dre carried this album. There is not a single unenjoyable beat. Every song felt crafted with purpose by Dr. Dre’s.
Dr. Dre is an O.G. West Coast producer with limitless talent, and “Missionary” shows it. Without feeling caught in the past, his beats are as recognizable and entertaining as they were in his N.W.A. group days.
Conversely, Snoop Dogg’s sound is uninteresting, with his work on “Missionary” not standing out from other projects. While some tracks have unexpected features that are worth a second listen, almost every song on “Missionary” sounds like a Snoop Dogg song I’ve heard before.
As prolific as he is, I expect an avid listener could pick out some repetitive motifs in his music. However, I don’t regularly listen to Snoop Dogg, and I find several of the track’s lyrics redundant, missing the nostalgic element that Dr. Dre’s production offers.
For example, on “Now or Never” he raps, “Cooking up Martha Stewart, know you n—– smell the scent.” Snoop Dogg has been branding himself alongside Stewart for years. It was funny for a while, but the bit is overused now.
One of the highlights of “Missionary” is “Outta Da Blue.” The song features a rare Dr. Dre verse and tactful articulation from Snoop Dogg. “Outta Da Blue” is danceable, and Alus’s chorus pays homage to M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes.”
I never expected Aiko to collaborate with Snoop Dogg, since they have significantly different sounds, but “Gorgeous” may be the best song on the album. Aiko’s elegant vocals break up Snoop Dogg’s rhythmic verses.
“Another Part Of Me” with Sting shocked me. The song felt like snagging front-row seats to a rock concert. The collaboration features Sting’s incredible guitar skills, a more virtuosic verse from Snoop Dogg and a Dr. Dre beat that includes audience chatter and applause.
“Sticcy Situation” featuring K.A.A.N and Cocoa Sarai is a song you can drive around to with friends in the summer. Sarai delivers the chorus in the cadence of “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega, and Dr. Dre’s track has a distinctly swaying LA sound.
In “Fire,” Jamaican American singer Sarai has a more reggae vibe, with Dr. Dre adding steel drums to the polyrhythmic beat. But the track doesn’t fit the energy of the rest of the album, and Snoop Dogg’s delivery doesn’t match the soulful accent Sarai brings to the song.
“Last Dance With Mary Jane” was a disappointing, unsophisticated collaboration. Tom Petty and Jelly Roll are supposed to provide a country flair to the album, but the narrative is underdeveloped. The song sounded like it wasn’t supposed to be country and would have been more impressive if Snoop Dogg had more creatively developed his story solo.
Dr. Dre reminded us of his closeness with Eminem on “Gunz N Smoke.” The track features 50 Cent and Eminem on a quick and percussive beat. 50 Cent shines, but the beat seems too quick for Snoop Dogg and too lowkey for Eminem’s aggressive delivery.
The album should have ended with “Now Or Never” featuring Dr. Dre and BJ The Chicago Kid. BJ The Chicago Kid has lightweight vocals on the chorus that complement the weighty and forceful delivery Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre bring with their verses.
The last two songs, “Gangsta Pose” and “The Negotiator,” water down the album. Again, Dr. Dre’s production is outstanding, but Snoop Dogg’s lyrics and delivery put Dr. Dre’s talents to shame. Snoop Dogg tries to close the album with self-pride in “The Negotiator,” but the song is an unconvincing reflection of where he stands in his career and music in general.
He raps, “Call this my victory lap, and this might be my last dance,” possibly referencing Nipsey Hussle’s last album before he was murdered, titled “Victory Lap,” and Michael Jordan’s documentary series “The Last Dance.” If this is Snoop Dogg’s way of saying he’s bowing out of music, comparing himself to Hussle and Jordan was not the way to do it.
Don’t expect much novel or outstanding content when you listen to “Missionary.” This version of Snoop Dogg belongs on a just-for-fun, casual listening playlist. Listen to “Missionary” for Dr. Dre and the few stand-out collaborations.
“Missionary.” Photo courtesy of Snoop Dogg’s official store.