Released right before his Super Bowl halftime performance in February, Snoop Dogg’s latest album BODR attempts to pride itself on the idea of reclaiming what is rightfully yours. While the intro track does a solid job at carving this idea out, the rest of the album ends up being a just ok spectacle where Snoop shows us everything he has left in the tank at this point. While there are lows throughout the tracklist, the record is quite entertaining through Snoop’s semi-revitalized energy and exciting collaborations. Features like Nas, T.I., The Game, DaBaby, Nate Dogg, and all of the talented producers involve spice up the album, creating memorable dynamics with Snoop (for better or for worse).
When showing enough dedication and effort, Snoop shows he is still good from a skillset standpoint. He can rap at an above-average level, and he understands how to use his voice and flow to ease listeners into having a good time while listening. The only problem Snoop has using these skills is when it comes to finding meaningful topics to rap about. One of the record’s biggest flaws comes from the idea that Snoop has nothing really interesting to say and really hasn’t for so long. He is not making a powerful message here, nor is he passionate enough about any of the past experiences he references. Snoop’s subject matter just runs through the motions checking off all of the most basic boxes a rapper needs to. On the brighter side of the spectrum, Snoop also has genuine moments of comedic greatness where he takes ridiculous ideas and makes something super memorable out of them such as on the song “Crip Ya Enthusiam.” This mixed with the fun spirit Snoop nearly always holds up makes the 53-minute listening experience much more digestible. Overall, BODR may be better than Snoop’s recent run of scrutinized albums, but it is still hardly tolerable for a few listens.
Top 5 Songs:
- Still Smokin
- Sandwich Bag
- Doggystlyin
- Gun Smokin
- Crip Ya Enthusiasm
Key Strengths:
- Snoop Dogg’s energy
- Interesting collaborations
Rating: 4.8/10