Snoop Dogg has never rested on his laurels, never allowed his back catalogue to supersede his current plans. The 21stcentury has brought a host of projects, musical and otherwise, with Snoop arguably transcending rap to become cherished part of American pop culture more generally. Fresh from having a ball at the Paris Olympics, ‘Missionary’ dials into his roots – the title is a self-conscious echo of almighty debut album ‘Doggystyle’, while old friend Dr. Dre comes on board as producer. An eager act of fan service, the results represent one of his most consistent records from the past 20 years.
Anyone who’s encountered Snoop Dogg before will know what to expect. This is sheer West Coast hip-hop, matching rubberfunk beats to his playful flows. There are marijuana references a-plenty, with the rapper seizing on the cartoonish aspects of his persona and claiming them as his own.
There’s plenty to absorb here. Early highlights like ‘Shangri-La’ and ‘Outta Da Blue’ snap hard, the latter with a neat ‘Paper Planes’ interpolation. Method Man guests on ‘Skyscrapers’, and it’s a neat collaboration from two all-timers. ‘Now Or Never’ has a great BJ The Chicago Kid feature, while the sombre ‘Last Dance With Mary Jane’ lifts from the Tom Petty classic to probe Snoop’s life-long infatuation with the sweet leaf.
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The production, too, is note-worthy. Now perhaps known as a leading music industry figure and business mogul, Dr. Dre serves up some excellent beats, with some nimble sonic moments alongside. The rugged keys on ‘Gorgeous’ for example are undiluted West Coast funk, while ‘Gangsta Pose’ oozes don’t-f*ck-with-me energy.
That said, not everything lands. ‘Gunz N Smoke’ has an incredible guest cast, but the features from 50 Cent and Eminem are forgettable; equally, the Sting sample on ‘Another Part Of Me’ doesn’t quite fit the broader sonic themes on the record.
But perhaps that’s churlish. Snoop Dogg has worked relentlessly these past decades, but it hasn’t always met his lofty standards – entertaining-if-sight diversions in reggae and gospel, albums that have often felt patchwork. Aligning with Dre across the full breadth of the record, ‘Missionary’ is one of rap’s most iconic voices doing what he does best.
7/10
Words: Robin Murray
