No Limit Top Dogg | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 11, 1999 | |||
Recorded | 1998–99 [1] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 77:41 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Snoop Dogg chronology | ||||
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Singles from No Limit Top Dogg | ||||
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No Limit Top Dogg is the fourth studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released May 11, 1999, by No Limit and Priority Records. Following the mixed reception of his previous album, Snoop began to work again with Dr. Dre and returned to the west coast sound of his earlier career while on Death Row Records. The album was generally met with positive reception with many critics citing it as a return to form and his best album since Doggystyle (1993). Many praised the production work for the album with the tracks made by Dr. Dre being highlighted as well as Snoop's delivery while criticism was mainly aimed at the length of the album, the No Limit features, and the lack of new lyrical content. [2] The Source placed the album on their list of the "Top 10 Best Albums of the Year" for 1999. [3]
No Limit Top Dogg debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200, selling 187,000 copies in its first week in the United States, only being second to Ricky Martin's self-titled album. This would be Snoop Dogg's first album to not debut at number-one and would ultimately become his lowest selling album of the 1990s. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As of March 2008, the album has sold 1,518,000 copies in the United States [4] and 2 million worldwide as of 2016. [5]
Following the release of his previous album on No Limit, Snoop was granted more creative freedom by Master P which resulted in an album that returned to the sound of his early days on Death Row. Snoop Dogg explained "Master P signed me, so he had the right to dictate and direct me on the first album, because he was bringing me out as a No Limit soldier. To let me have creative control from the beginning wouldn't have been the smartest thing to do." [6]
With this newfound freedom, Snoop sought out the help of former mentor and producer Dr. Dre. The album marks the first time they work together on record since Dre left Death Row. Regarding their relationship over the years, Snoop said "Behind the scenes, we've been basically helping each other out and critiquing each other's projects," He then added "We just went back to working with each other publicly ... the public wanted it, and we wanted it, and we're pushing for it and we're doing it." [7] Attempts at reuniting date back to early 1998 when both collaborated on the song Zoom. However, contract problems emerged that prevented the release of said version (Snoop's verses were eventually replaced by east coast rapper LL Cool J and included in the soundtrack to the film Bulworth). [8] Along with a slew of other former label mates and collaborators like Warren G, Nate Dogg, Jewell, DJ Quik, and Raphael Saadiq, Snoop himself viewed the album to be a companion piece to his debut album Doggystyle. [9]
The album cover also marks a significant departure from the usual design style of all No Limit releases. In regards to this decision, Master P stated "When you look at that Snoop record, you know, you let Snoop be himself." He further stated "You look at his cover and it's got none of the bling and stuff that we always had, it's more about the dogs and what his image is about." [10]
In comparison to his previous release Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told which according to Snoop only took three weeks to make, [11] work on this album spanned over many months beginning in 1998. [12] The album also marks a departure from the southern sound of previous No Limit releases with only a few tracks featuring production and vocals from other No Limit artists and producers. Instead opting to work with more fellow west coast artists and producers in a "conscious effort" to return his brand of music that was present earlier in his career. Of the 19 songs on the album, three were produced by Dr. Dre. "It was matter of getting some shit from Dre that I didn't have, that would best represent him and would best represent me over his music," Snoop Dogg said. "He [directed] me on what to say and how to say it. I just chose the type of beats I wanted and the type of topics I wanted to rap about." [6] In response to working again with Snoop and how times have changed since last working together, Dre stated the following:
I think Snoop is a lot more humble. As a matter of fact, I know he's a lot more humble. Like I said, he's a lot more focused. He shows up on time, and he comes in ready to do his thing, and he gets in there and performs and, you know, that's all you have to do: Handle your business. [7]
Snoop also continues a previous tradition on his albums to include a cover of an older Hip-Hop song with the song "Snoopafella" (a remake of the song "Cinderfella Dana Dane" by New York rapper Dana Dane). Despite limited involvement on a musical level from No Limit, Snoop has stated that Master P has influenced the album in other ways with the track "I Love My Momma". Snoop mentions "If I wouldn't be on No Limit, I wouldn't even did a song like that, but since Master P, every album he do, he got a song about his momma. He got a song about his dead brother." [6] Snoop also took influence again in his vocal performance from Dr. Dre himself during the process of making and recording songs. He further commented on the chemistry they both still had despite being separate for a while as well as how Dre once again took on a mentor role with him. [13] [14]
The overall production of the album has been noted to be heavily rooted in early '80s funk with a mixture of both West Coast and southern influences coming from his label at No Limit and his associates from his tenure at Death Row. [2] [15] In comparison to Da Game, only two tracks on the whole album are produced by No Limit's in-house production team Beats by the Pound. Dr. Dre's involvement was a major point of interest of the album for both fans and critics at the time of release with his influence being prevalent throughout. Despite his involvement, the album also branches out to newer styles of music that differs from ones found on The Chronic and Doggystyle. On tracks like "Buck 'Em", guitar elements were used that became present on other Dre productions of the time (like Eminem's "Role Model" from The Slim Shady LP) which hinted at what was to be featured on Dre's own 2001 album later that year. [13] Other producers also make new contributions like the use of violins on the song "Trust Me", a rap ballad commenting about relationships. [14] The album also ventures further into soul than previous releases with tracks like "Somethin' Bout Yo Bidness" and "I Love My Momma". [16] Less apparent in the album's production is also the chiming keyboard loops found in Dre's earlier work that was highly popular at the time. The album is also a precursor to the West Coast Hip-Hop resurgence in popularity during that year. [13]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [17] |
Entertainment Weekly | B [18] |
Los Angeles Times | [19] |
NME | 8/10 [20] |
RapReviews | 8.5/10 [21] |
Rolling Stone | [22] |
The Source | [11] |
USA Today | [23] |
Top Dogg generally gained positive reviews with many critics citing it as a return to form after the mixed reception and different direction of the previous two albums released. Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club noted "... Dogg sounds happier, looser, and more confident on Top Dogg than he has on any album since his Chronic/Doggystyle glory days." Later in the review he called it "... a vital album, and easily Snoop Dogg's best album since Doggystyle." [24] The Washington Post highlighted the Dre-produced tracks "Just Dippin'" and "Buck 'Em" as one of the best Snoop-Dre collaborations. [25] Source writer Frank Williams called it nearly flawless and said "By returning to his original 1993 flyness, Snoop meshes all his influences to create an album that will ride for a long time." The magazine later included the album on its "Top 10 Albums of the Year [1999]" list. [11] [3] Kevin Powell of Rolling Stone called the album "Snoop's finest work since his debut album...full of seductive party jams that will keep heads bobbing through the summer. Snoop has returned to West Coast G-funk with the help of some old friends...like Dr. Dre and DJ Quik." [22] Neil Strauss of The New York Times positively compared the album to Snoop Dogg's previous release calling it a major musical improvement. [26] NME mentioned "...the silken, sumptuous flow of yore is back, threading deluxe soul and full-bodied grooves....the cool drawl of Snoop...captivates, unveiling tales of love, thuggery, surviving and succeeding in the wild west....a certifiable return to form." [27] [20]
Despite the overall positive reception to the album it did receive some criticism from critics. The majority of it being aimed at the length of the whole project as well as the obligatory No Limit tracks. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic said "...it runs way too long and is filled with superfluous, even irritating cameos, and also that Snoop is content to haul out low-rent gangsta clichés." He further comments on the lack of interesting and clever lyrics in comparison to his older material years ago. [2] The A.V. Club also addresses the length being a problem with it being a few tracks too long. Criticism is also drawn to the tracks with features from other No Limit artists which writer Nathan Rabin considers to be the lowest points of the whole album. [24] The Source's only criticism of the album is also aimed at the two No Limit tracks "Down 4 My Niggaz" and "Ghetto Symphony" calling them "overly-simplistic". [11] Rolling Stone in particular criticized Snoop's lack of growth as a lyricist while declaring the whole album as not worthy of being compared to his debut. [22]
In a retrospective list by Complex , the magazine placed No Limit Top Dogg at Number 17 on their list of "The Top 25 Best No Limit Albums" on April 5, 2013. This is the only album by Snoop Dogg on the label to be included on the list. [28] Entertainment Weekly in 2015 ranked the album third overall as Snoop Dogg's best album only behind 2002's Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Bo$$ and 1993's Doggystyle respectively. [29]
No Limit Top Dogg debuted at number-two and one on the US Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums respectively, selling 187,400 copies in its first week. [30] which was second only to Ricky Martin's 1999 self-titled album with huge first week sales of 661,000 copies. The following week the album sold an additional 108,000 copies dropping to number-seven until eventually bowing out of the top ten the following week. [31] [32] Although the release of the single 'Bitch Please' which gained popularity on both the radio and television helped album sales with a 16% rise on the Billboard 200 after months of declining on the charts. [33] Despite not being as commercially successful as Still a G Thang from his previous album as it failed to chart within the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 (peaking at 77), it still managed to peak at number-eight on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles on August 28 making it one of his highest ranking songs on that chart at the time. [34] The music video also peaked at number-three on BET and charted within the top 20 most played videos on MTV. [35] [36] The video was directed by Dr. Dre. [7]
Top Dogg eventually spent 40 weeks on the Billboard 200 which is second only to Doggystyle on weeks spent on the charts for a Snoop Dogg album. [4] Despite being Snoop Dogg's first album to not debut at number-one and have strong first-week album sales, it was certified platinum on October 13, 1999 [37] and sold 1,100,000 copies by the end of 1999 making it the 73rd best selling album of the year. [38] Some speculated the reason for the relatively low turn out for the first week sales of the album is a result of the anticipation for Ricky Martin's album released the same week. [39] The low awareness for the album was also thought to be due to a lack of a video or hit single prior to the release. [40] As of March 2008, the album has sold 1,518,000 copies in the United States [4] and 2 million worldwide as of 2016. [5]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Dolomite Intro" | 0:27 | ||
2. | "Buck 'Em" (featuring Sticky Fingaz) | Dr. Dre | 2:44 | |
3. | "Trust Me" (featuring Suga Free and Sylk-E. Fyne) |
| Bud'da | 4:09 |
4. | "My Heat Goes Boom" |
| Meech Wells | 3:40 |
5. | "Dolomite" | 0:52 | ||
6. | "Snoopafella" |
| Ant Banks | 5:22 |
7. | "In Love with a Thug" |
| Meech Wells | 3:44 |
8. | "G Bedtime Stories" |
| Meech Wells | 2:14 |
9. | "Down 4 My N's" (featuring C-Murder and Magic) |
| KLC | 3:46 |
10. | "Betta Days" |
|
| 3:55 |
11. | "Somethin Bout Yo Bidness" (featuring Raphael Saadiq) |
|
| 4:10 |
12. | "Bitch Please" (featuring Xzibit and Nate Dogg) |
| Dr. Dre | 3:54 |
13. | "Doin' Too Much" |
| DJ Quik | 4:07 |
14. | "Gangsta Ride" (featuring Silkk the Shocker) |
| Meech Wells | 3:44 |
15. | "Ghetto Symphony" (featuring Mia X, Fiend, C-Murder, Silkk the Shocker, Mystikal, and Goldie Loc) |
| KLC | 5:40 |
16. | "Party with a D.P.G." |
| Jelly Roll | 4:55 |
17. | "Buss'n Rocks" |
| DJ Quik | 4:23 |
18. | "Just Dippin'" (featuring Dr. Dre and Jewell) |
| Dr. Dre | 4:03 |
19. | "Don't Tell" (featuring Warren G, Mausberg, and Nate Dogg) |
| DJ Quik | 4:47 |
20. | "20 Minutes" (featuring Goldie Loc) |
| Goldie Loc | 3:59 |
21. | "I Love My Momma" |
| Meech Wells | 3:06 |
Total length: | 77:41 |
Sample credits
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [53] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [54] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [55] | Platinum | 1,518,000 [56] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Warren Griffin III is an American rapper, DJ, and producer known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent. A pioneer of G-funk, he attained mainstream success with the 1994 single "Regulate", a duet with Nate Dogg. He significantly helped Snoop Dogg's career during the latter's beginnings, also introducing him to Dr. Dre, who later signed Snoop Dogg.
G-funk, short for gangsta funk, is a sub-genre of gangsta rap that emerged from the West Coast scene in the early 1990s. The genre was heavily influenced by the synthesizer-heavy 1970s funk sound of Parliament-Funkadelic, often using samples or recreating the original tracks. It was represented by commercially successful albums such as Dr. Dre's The Chronic (1992) and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle (1993).
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 own record label Death Row Records and distributed by Interscope Records. Recording sessions took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood.
Doggystyle is the debut studio album by American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg. It was released on November 23, 1993, by Death Row Records and Interscope Records. The album was recorded and produced following Snoop's appearances on Dr. Dre's debut solo album The Chronic (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.
Robin Yvette Allen, 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 the seminal albums, The Chronic and Doggystyle. The Lady of Rage has been described as "one of the most skillful female MCs" with a "mastery of flow" and "hard-core lyrics".
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 after making a deal with the Devil. The film's title comes from Snoop's song of the same name from his debut album, Doggystyle, which had been released a year earlier.
Tha Last Meal is the fifth studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on December 19, 2000. It was his third and final studio album released on No Limit, his first album on his newly founded label Doggy Style in the United States, and as referenced in the album title, his last record partially owned by his former label Death Row Records. The album was produced by Dr. Dre, Timbaland and Soopafly, among others. The album included the singles "Snoop Dogg ", "Lay Low", "Loosen' Control" and "Wrong Idea". The album was generally met with positive reception with many critics citing it as one of his best albums.
"Gin and Juice" is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on January 18, 1994, as the second single from his debut album, Doggystyle (1993). The song was produced by Dr. Dre and contains an interpolation from Slave's "Watching You" in its chorus and a sample from George McCrae. Tony Green created its bassline; additional vocalists on the song include Dat Nigga Daz, Jewell, Heney Loc, and Sean "Barney" Thomas. "Gin and Juice" peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. It earned a gold certification from the RIAA and sold 700,000 copies.
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 charged with murder and in 1995, spent time preparing for the case that went to trial. On February 20, 1996, he was cleared of all charges and began working on his second album without Dr. Dre providing work as a record producer. This was Snoop's final album on Death Row until 2022, when he acquired the rights to the Death Row trademarks from MNRK Music Group, releasing BODR the same year. This would also be his last album under the moniker Snoop Doggy Dogg. Recording sessions took place from February 1996 to October 1996, with Suge Knight as the executive producer on the album, alongside the additional production from several record producers such as DJ Pooh, Daz Dillinger, Soopafly and L.T. Hutton; as well as guest appearances from Charlie Wilson, Kurupt, Tray Dee and Warren G, among others.
2001 is the second studio album by American rapper and hip hop producer Dr. Dre. It was released on November 16, 1999, by Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records as the follow-up to his 1992 debut album, The Chronic. The album was produced mainly by Dr. Dre and Mel-Man, as well as Lord Finesse, and features several guest contributions from Hittman, Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Xzibit, Eminem, and Nate Dogg.
"Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" is a song by American rapper Dr. Dre, featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg, on Dre's debut solo album, The Chronic (1992). As the album's first single it reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 20, 1993, behind "Informer" by Snow, outperformed The Chronic's other singles, "Fuck wit Dre Day ", which peaked at number 8, and "Let Me Ride", which peaked at number 34. The single also reached number 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and was a number 31 hit in the UK. It's music video was directed by Dr. Dre himself.
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. Recording sessions took place from November 2005 to September 2006 in several recording studios and artists such as Dr. Dre, The Neptunes, DJ Battlecat, DJ Pooh, Timbaland, Danja, Mark Batson, Terrace Martin, and Mr. Porter appear on the album, among others.
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 and Priority Records. It is his first album following his departure from Death Row Records in January 1998. It is the first Snoop Dogg album to have notable affiliates such as Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg, Warren G and others absent. It was also his first album to be released under a slight change to his stage name "Snoop Dogg" for contractual reasons.
"Fuck wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')", or as a single titled "Dre Day", is a song by American rapper and record producer Dr. Dre featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg, released in May 1993 as the second single from Dre's debut solo album, The Chronic. "Dre Day" was a diss track targeting mainly Dre's former groupmate Eazy-E, who led their onetime rap group N.W.A and who, along with N.W.A's manager Jerry Heller, owned N.W.A's record label, Ruthless Records. In "Dre Day" and in its music video, which accuse Eazy of cheating N.W.A's artists, Dre and Snoop degrade and menace him. Also included are disses retorting earlier disses on songs by Miami rapper Luke Campbell, by New York rapper Tim Dog, and by onetime N.W.A. member Ice Cube, although Dre, while still an N.W.A member, had helped diss Cube first. After "Dre Day," a number of further diss records were exchanged.
Real Brothas is the debut studio album by American rappers B.G. Knocc Out and Dresta. It was released on August 15, 1995 through Outburst Records. Recording sessions took place at Kitchen Sync Studio and Skip Saylor Recording in Hollywood, and at Solid Studios in Studio City, California. Production was handled by Rhythm D, Doctor Jam, Madness 4 Real, Charlie B and Vic C, with Anthony "Anti" Lewis and Greedy Greg serving as executive producers. The album debuted at number 128 on the Billboard 200, number 15 on the Top R&B Albums and number five on the Heatseekers Albums in the United States.
"Doggy Dogg World" is the third and final single from American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg's debut album, Doggystyle (1993). It is the first European-only release with an American video TV-play. It features 1970s-era classic R&B and soul group the Dramatics, with guest rap verses from Kurupt and Daz Dillinger. It samples Richard "Dimples" Fields' "If It Ain't One Thing, It's Another" from his 1982 album Mr. Look So Good. The song's title is a reference to a common eggcorn of the phrase "Dog-Eat-Dog World."
"Still D.R.E." is a song by American rapper-producer Dr. Dre, featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on November 2, 1999, as the lead single from Dre's multi-platinum second studio album, 2001 (1999).
"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 credited. It is a sequel to Dre and Snoop's famous single "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" from the former's debut album, The Chronic.
"Bitch Please", also known as "Trick Please" for the amended radio version, or "B**** Please" and "B Please" for clean versions, is a song by Snoop Dogg featuring Nate Dogg and Xzibit from his fourth album, No Limit Top Dogg. Its music video was directed by Dr. Dre and Phillip Atwell. A sequel song, "Bitch Please II", was for Eminem's third studio album, The Marshall Mathers LP and featured all previous artists in addition to Dr. Dre and Eminem.
Ego Trippin' is the ninth studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on March 11, 2008 by Doggystyle Records and Geffen Records. The album debuted at number 3 on the US Billboard 200, selling 137,000 copies in its first week. Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from music critics.
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