"No Limit Top Dogg" is the fourth album by the West Coast rapper, Snoop Dogg. This one is his second to be released whilst signed to Master P's record label, No Limit. This is where the idea for the album's title comes from as he heads this group, which also had Mystikal, C-Murder and Sillk the Shocker signed up too. These all make appearances through this release at some point, just as on "Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told".
1. "Dolomite" (Intro)
2. "Buck 'Em" (feat. Sticky Fingaz)
On this one, Tha Top Dogg collaborates with Onyx's Sticky Fingaz, they perform on a bassy, laid-back tune which gets you swaying, and once the lyrics come into effect, this just continues the the way the music has influence on how you are forced to physically react. It is a strong way to get things started on this, his fourth solo album.
**Four Stars**
3. "Trust Me" (feat. Suga Free and Sylk-E. Fyne)
Here is a smooth trakc by Snoop as he gets two West Coasts names, one, Sylk E. Fyne (who is a femle rapper from Los Angeles), and then Suga Free flows to this gentle beat, which continues the gentle atmosphere of the start of this record.
To show that Snoop is still down for the good old gangsta activities, here he raps about his journeys with his burner, which must accompany on every trip (just in case). The funky beats by Master P detract attention from the fact that the lyrics are so explicit.
**Three Stars**
5. "Dolomite" (Lude)
6. "Snoopafella"
Once again, Snoop shows how he has taken heavy
influence from the way that Slick Rick did his storytelling rhymes. Here Snoop retells the classic Cinderella, but with a G twist as he tells it as himself in the leading role, which has him lose one of his precious Chucks (instead of a glass slipper). The funky beat is what initially drew me in, and the way he is able to re-tell the story in raps was amazing.
**Five Stars**
7. "In Love With A Thug"
I wasn't really into this one as it was a pretty average filler for me, and there was litle in it to show any originality from the artist, where he usually shines. So I have to say that I wasn't impressed by the simplicity of this one as he talks as a girl who has to tell her parents that she's "In Love With A Thug".
**Two Stars**
8. "G Bedtime Stories"
This one is another chance for Snoop to show how his lyrical skills have developed, but I must say that it is far less effective than it was in "Snoopafella" as it was too sooon after hearing the wel-constructde tune, and having it positioned so close allows you to see how weak it is in comparison.
**Three Stars**
9. "Down For My N****z" (feat. Magic and C-Murder)
This is a prime example of where Snoop gets heavily involved within the Dirty South game as Magic and C-Murder dominate the verses, giving Snoop Dogg only the final one to show how he is able to deal with this alternative production. It is a strong tune, but would have been better if Snoop had a larger role within it.
**Four Stars**
10. "Betta Days"
For me, this one stood out as one of the biggest tracks on the album, and it really made a big impression on me as Snoop raps about how it is the fianl year of the millenium, and how he is gogin to celebrate this occassion. Te beats are funky, and seem to match what sas oging on in Hip hop and R&B production of the late nineties.
**Five Stars**
11. "Somethin' 'Bout Yo Bidness" (feat. Raphael Saadiq)
Ex-Tony! Toni! Toné! member Raphael Saadiq comes to bring some smooth, soulful R&B vocals to this track, and it really made a big, but welcomed change in the pace of the release as he comes out with a nice rap directed towards a particular girl, who he he is intersted in knowing even more closely.
**Three Stars**
12. "B***h Please"
This one reunites Dr. Dre and Snoop once again as they show that Snoop hasn't forgotten where he comes from by rapping with the West Coast's Xzibit and using some heavy Dre beats. I wouldn't say that this is anywhere near as strong as what they have done on other occasions, but it was nice to hear that he's still involved in the West Coast game.
**Three Stars**
13. "Doin' Too Much"
The West is in effect on this one as DJ Quik comes with some heavy synth, which aids in presenting an even more exciting form of the production game out on the West Coast of the US.With this, Snoop seemed well-equipped to come out with simple raps to suit this feel of the tune.
**Four Stars**
14. "Gangsta Ride" (feat. Sillk Da Shocker)
On this one you have some of the best , whirling G-Funk production to settle Snoop into his rhymes. On it, Sillk Da Shocker also gets a chance to have a go at the different type of beat, and he does well in adapting to this more laid-back apporach to Gangsta Rap.
**Four Stars**
15. "Ghetto Symphony" (feat. C-Murder, Mystikal, Sillk Da Shocker, Mia X, Fiend and Goldie Loc)
On this one you have pretty minimalistic production as it is all lead by a simple piano melody, however despite the lack of complexity here, it is all made up by the numerous guest appearances as six others get a chance to do a few bars before snoop passes the mic(rophone) around to the next person.
**Five Stars**
16. "Party Wit' A D.P.G."
Here is a high-energy one from Tha Boss Dogg as he is unable to keep the funk under control. You can't dislike this one as he is just having fun with what he does and comes out with some feel-good rap.
**Four Stars**
17. "Buss'n Rocks"
I was really into the production here as you have some typical West Coast beats contrasting from an Old School cut whcih had been used on several occassions for the break in ealry eighties Hip Hop. This as the foundation gave Snoop a chance to come out with a track which didn't have any real reation to the beats, but stil amde a great effect towards the listeners.
**Four Stars**
18. "Just Dippin'" (feat. Dr. Dre and Jewell)
Dr. Dre comes with some incredible beats for this one, as ever, and for me it woudn't matter if this one was only an instrumental as the prodcution absolutely kills it as he manages to come up with even more original things for this album, which was done at the same time as he was recording his second album, "2001".
**Five Stars**
19. "Don't Tell" (feat. Warren G, Mausberg and Nate Dogg)
This takes you back as it is done on the 808s and this gives t an authentic late eighties/early nineties R&B feel as Snoop goes for a rap which uses this type of backing to allow his to go inot more emtiove stuff when adressign the females.
**Four Stars**
20. "20 Minutes" (feat. Goldie Loc)
I liked how Snoop alternted his style once again during this one. Here he gets into some Gangsta Rap, however unlike on most occassions, here he gets hardcore with his approach and comes with a ruthless flow of tough lyrics, unlike his usual laid-back ways.
**Five Stars**
21. "I Love My Momma"
To end things off, Snoop does a a very personal one to round things off as he does one all about the love for the one who has been there for him throughout his life. I never enjoy ones like this, but its better than most I've heard
**Three Stars**
This No Limit era of Snoop's career is known to be his weakest period, and this is less to do with the music, and more to do with the fact that the company were unable to promote this ig ime rapper appropriately, as a result, this along with others had singles which I can't even remember hearing at the time, so it won't have seen the attention which it deserves.
I preferred this over "the first of the No Limit releases from Snoop as this one seemed more like a West Coast release, unlike how Master P did most of the production in "Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told" and made it into a typical Dirty South track of the tme, but as it was still in the early years for this sub-genre, it was far from the quality we currently see from New Orleans, Atlanta, and Miami rap acts.
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Snoop's second album for the No Limit label finds him in fine form--maybe the finest ... more
sinceDoggystyle. OnTop Dogg, Snoop has taken control of his own album; in working with a number of producers (Dr. Dre, Ant Banks, Raphael Saadiq, DJ Quick, and the Bea...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Snoop's second album for the No Limit label finds him in fine form--maybe the finest since ... more
Doggystyle. On Top Dogg, Snoop has taken control of his own album; in working with a number of producers (Dr. Dre, Ant Banks, Raphael Saadiq, DJ Quick, and the B...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Nov 11th, 2008
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