Snoop Dogg isn't merely back on
Death Row (or
BODR), having acquired the rights to the trademark of the label on which he established his career. That
BODR also happens to be his 20th album gives him all the more reason to reflect on the past, celebrate the milestones, and look to the future. The LP certainly sounds momentous. Naturally, there's a surplus of funk, which is at its most relaxed on "Outside the Box," featuring a posthumous appearance from
Nate Dogg, and on the
Whispers-referencing early-'80s throwback "Coming Back," produced by
Battlecat. Other highlights include the
Nas collaboration "Conflicted," a tense track filled with street wisdom, and "Crip Ya Enthusiasm," a chop of the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme with carefree
Snoop committing nary a faux pas. ~ Andy Kellman