Other gangsta rappers were all about aggression and anger - even Dre, as a rapper, is as blunt as a thug - but Snoop takes his time, playing with the flow of his words, giving his rhymes a nearly melodic eloquence. They're laid-back funky, continuing to resonate after many listens, but their greatest strength is that they never overshadow the laconic drawl of Snoop, who confirms that he's one of hip-hop's greatest vocal stylists with this record. Dre realized that it wasn't time to push the limits of G-funk, and instead decided to deepen it musically, creating easy-rolling productions that have more layers than they appear. There are two keys to its success, one belonging to Dre, the other to Snoop. The miracle is, it's as good as that record. Which is exactly what Doggystyle is - a continuation of The Chronic, with the same production, same aesthetic and themes, and same reliance on guest rappers. They knew that the album would essentially be the de facto sequel to The Chronic, providing another round of P-Funk-inspired grooves and languid gangsta and ganja tales, just like Dre's album. It wasn't like they were buying an unknown quantity. If anything, he was the biggest star in hip-hop, with legions of fans anxiously awaiting new material, and they were the ones who snapped up the album, making it the first debut album to enter the Billboard charts at number one. Dre's 1992 album, The Chronic, rapping on half of the 16 tracks, including all the hit singles, so it wasn't like he was an unknown force when Doggystyle was released in late 1993. Snoop had already debuted as a featured rapper on Dr. Blige.īlackstone did not disclose the terms of the transaction.If Snoop Dogg's debut, Doggystyle, doesn't seem like a debut, it's because in many ways it's not. Snoop Dogg is also set to perform in his first Super Bowl halftime show this Sunday, along with Dr. The deal comes on the heels of Snoop Dogg’s latest album, Bacc On Death Row, which is being released soon. The Death Row brand acquisition is the first part of a transaction that is expected to see Snoop Dogg also acquire some of the label’s music rights – his own and other unspecified artists – Variety reported, citing a source. Tupac Shakur and MC Hammer were among the artists whose music was released through the Los Angeles-based record company. “It feels good to have ownership of the label I was part of at the beginning of my career and as one of the founding members,” the rapper said in a statement. Dre and music executive Marion “Suge” Knight, recorded and released two of Snoop Dogg’s albums before his exit in 1998. The 30-year-old label, owned and operated by rapper Dr. (Reuters) – Private equity firm Blackstone, which controls MNRK Music Group, announced on Wednesday rapper Snoop Dogg has acquired Death Row Records, which released his debut album nearly three decades ago and launched his career, from the group.