SNOOP DOGG - IZ IT A CRIME? (Official Discussion)

[shmosh]

Nah I agree with that. But he tried to achieve that by putting out a pretentious tryhard overproduced project, not by pop music bullshit or commercial sound. Missionary doesn't even sound modern and doesn't follow current music trends that are popular right now.

The truth is somewhere in the middle. There are some very poppy sounds in there - the chorus of Gorgeous, the track with Sting etc.

But overall I don't believe they were going for a fully commercial sound, just a really polished, orchestral vibe which production wise does sound brilliant, but just not for a Snoop Dogg album. I enjoyed it, but it was objectively a massive let down.

[The Predator]

An Embattled Snoop Dogg Bites Back a Little But Mostly Keeps It Cool

Iz It a Crime? is the beloved rapper and pop culture staple's first album since his recent Trump-related controversy



May 16, 2025

snoop dogg iz it a crime album Rolling Stones review

*****


For 30 years, it seems that there has never been a pitch too wild for Snoop Dogg. He’s done a reggae album, a funk album, two gospel albums and even released an album on the blockchain. The Zelig of popular music, no collaborator is off limits: Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, Katy Perry, Quincy Jones, Daddy Yankee, the Bee Gees, Limp Bizkit, BTS, Patti LaBelle, Prince Royce, Banda MS, Tiësto, Popcaan, Jelly Roll, Charlie Sheen. He’s sold his own app, his own breakfast cereal and recently opened a weed store in L.A., the city where he will likely serve as NBC’s ambassador to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.

If any of this ever seemed incongruous with being gangsta rap royalty, it has never once affected the Teflon Dogg, America’s lovable uncle. He gives a truckloads of money to charity, is generally regarded as one of the nicest people in the business and has been consistently releasing solid if underheralded solo albums since the Clinton administration. Who’s going to care if the guy sells an NFT or two?

That all changed in January when Snoop did a short DJ set at David Sacks’ Crypto Ball, a Washington D.C. schmoozefest held to celebrate Donald Trump’s re-inauguration. Fans on social media rebelled, calling him a sellout, but Snoop stood his ground, telling The Breakfast Club, “I’m not a politician. I don’t represent the Republican Party. I don’t represent the Democratic Party. I represent the motherfucking Gangsta Party, period point blank.” Snoop promised that his 21st solo album, Iz It a Crime, would break his radio silence, fighting back against haters and doubters and reaffirming his legacy. Luckily, a defensive Snoop is still classically and effortlessly cool: “Me and Dre at the So-Fi the only way I sell out,” he raps on “Unsung Heroes”

“Unsung Heroes” is also the album highlight with its droning organ that sounds like it’s stripped from an Ethiopian jazz record providing a hot slab of asphalt for Snoop to spit venomous invective. Tracks like “Iz It a Crime?” with its breathy Sade sample and the breezy “Sophisticated Crippin'” are less antagonistic as middle fingers go, listing his achievements and brushing off crumbs. The only other song that really seems to be the State of the Snoop address is “ShutYoBitchAssUp,” which most assume is aimed at former Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight, who has been disputing Snoop’s ownership of the label: “I can see why you mad/I bought everything you own/Now you in PC snitching on the phone.”


However, beyond those tracks, Iz It a Crime? isn’t really the pugalistic battle record it’s being made out to be. Instead it’s another dependable Rhythm & Gangsta offering in a career full of them. There’s his cadre of producers he’s been using for the last 20-30 years (Battlecat, Soopafly, Denaun, Nottz, Rick Rock); there’s the always liquid flow (“I’m talking lolos, a couple of cholos, la vida loco/Facts in a chokehold/Hey Siri, we need some more hoes”); and there’s the occasional misstep (in this case, the narcotic would-be-club-banger “Spot”). The duet with still-rising raunch-rapper Sexxy Redd (“Me and OG Snoop”) is naturally electric and Wiz Khalifa shows up like an old friend to get a little wistful (“Just the Way It Iz”). It really is just Snoop being the ever-reliable Snoop — and only a true keyboard warrior could be mad at that.

Snoop Dogg’s 21st Album “Iz It a Crime?” Throws It Back to His Older Sounds (Album Review)

Legends Will Never Die Review



Here we have the 21st studio LP from Long Beach emcee, songwriter, media personality, actor, entrepreneur, record executive & WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg. His 1993 debut Doggystyle produced his mentor Dr. Dre is widely regarded as a west coast essential, but his output since has been hit or miss whether it be Tha Last Meal & Tha Blue Carpet Treatment almost reaching the same caliber of his debut or Da Game is to be Sold, Not to be Told & Bible of Love falling flat on their faces. He purchased Death Row Records from MNRK Music Group days ahead of the Super Bowl LVI halftime person hence why he’s B.o.D.R. (Bacc on Death Row) since. Missionary last winter drew mixed reception because of some delusional fans expecting it to be another Doggystyle, coming off the Altar Call compilation to ask Iz It a Crime?.

After the intro, the title track samples “Is It a Crime?” by Sade asking how many out there are still living by the code whereas “Joy” crosses over soul & boom bap to talk about it being that time for him to fuck up the streets making a feast out of the crumbs he was given. “Unsung Heroes” works in some cool organ melodies responding to people criticizing him for his half hour DJ Snoopadelic set at the Crypto Ball in January when even I myself found that odd due to the video he shared on Instagram in 2017, but then “Sophisticated Crippin’” samples Marvin Gaye courtesy of DJ Battlecat talking about his 3+ decade legacy.

“Can’t Wait” featuring LaRussell finds the pair linking up so they can get shit poppin’ together over a g-funk instrumental from Nottz just before “Can’t Get Enough” featuring Jane Handcock cooks up a smooth R&B & west coast hip hop duet portraying 2 lovers who’re quite obsessed with being in each other’s company. “Keep It Moving” brings the g-funk vibes back in the fold thanks to Rick Rock talking about never stop pushin’ leading into “Just the Way It Iz” featuring Wiz Khalifa teaming up on top of a moody Soopafly beat to not change shit in their lives.

Akeem Ali easily delivers the worst feature on the entire album during “You Want My All” kinda sounding like a Lil Wayne knockoff when I’m sure Uncle Snoop could’ve easily got Weezy himself on there if he wanted to while Charlie Bereal takes a shot at g-funk behind the boards on “What’s Hattnin’?” giving a shoutout to everyone who’s been with Tha Doggfather from the very jump. “Spot” reunites with Pharrell for a pop rap joint reminiscent of “Beautiful” or “Perfect” with a modern twist & “ShutYoBitchAssUp” smacks the taste of these rats’ mouths.

“Cold Summer” switches it up with a synth-pop cut & the vocal performances predominantly sung by it’s own producer mR. pOrTeR formerly of D12 while “Snoop Will Make You Dance” returns to a g-funk direction for a good old fashioned west coast party anthem. “Life’s Journey” feels like a bit of a response to his daughter Chocc fresh off dropping her debut EP Journals to Johnny last winter & becoming a mother a few months ago while “Me N O.G. Snoop” featuring Sexyy Red still remaining one of the most polarizing, controversial & popular artists in hip hop today talks about their ties to the Crips & the Bloods respectively.

Getting the final leg of Iz It a Crime? started, “Let Me Love You” heads for a bit of a delicate boom bap approach instrumentally for a tribute to his wife of almost 3 decades Shante Taylor while “West Up” slides through with a g-funk love letter to the west coast asking why the fuck should he retire when the west justifiably dominated the previous year. “My Friend” featuring mR. pOrTeR unites both of them for a passionate remembrance of Snoop’s cousin Darryl Daniel passing away 10 months ago & “Live Life” ends by talking about his only advice being to love yourself getting what’s yours.

Uncle Snoop here’s trying to understand if it’s a felony for him to do the things he’s done, to take care of people, to love them & to be there for them due some of the things that he’s done & becoming speculation. My response to those questions is absolutely not, although many including myself found it hypocritical for him to post said IG video 8 years ago with the “Lavender 2” music video literally months later only to do that Crypto Ball DJ set. Iz It a Crime? top to bottom however feels reminiscent of B.o.D.R. (Bacc on Death Row) due to the way both albums feel heavily inspired by the older days in career from gangsta rap to boom bap, g-funk & pop rap.

Score: 7/10

[heisenberg]

i feel like people do the same with snoop and eminem. When they are not with dre "oh he should come back with dre and make a whole album with dre beats blabla", when they are with dre "oh dre has lost it, snoop/em should do an album with other producers blabla". on repeat for the last 20 years.

[AftermathBeats]

We are currently at a generational change, we have made the generation with N.WA Death Row the young people are no longer interested in it, when my children go to a concert I don't even know the rappers anymore, and they then say we hear an old shit, I think the over 40-year-olds can climb that, our music is dying out, unfortunately

[Duck Duck Doggy]

We are currently at a generational change, we have made the generation with N.WA Death Row the young people are no longer interested in it, when my children go to a concert I don't even know the rappers anymore, and they then say we hear an old shit, I think the over 40-year-olds can climb that, our music is dying out, unfortunately

We are officially old af

[soopa-man]

We are officially old af

i feel like people do the same with snoop and eminem. When they are not with dre "oh he should come back with dre and make a whole album with dre beats blabla", when they are with dre "oh dre has lost it, snoop/em should do an album with other producers blabla". on repeat for the last 20 years.

i feel like people do the same with snoop and eminem. When they are not with dre "oh he should come back with dre and make a whole album with dre beats blabla", when they are with dre "oh dre has lost it, snoop/em should do an album with other producers blabla". on repeat for the last 20 years.

Agreed

[Mr. Sunshine]

Sophisticated Crippin'  .....Got Nate Dogg catalog in the pipeline...
He already mentioned in an interview that he wants to clear the rights for the 213 album, I also hope that they release the self-titled album

[geezy]

Ok, after a couple of spins, I like the album, a couple of fillers but it's kind of album I expect from Snoop nowadays.

I personally think Missionary is better but maybe because have listened to Missionary for longer, been listening to Hard Knocks, Negotiator, Skyscrapers, Pressure, Gunz N Smoke, Sticky Situation and Thank You, almost daily (my playlist).

My favourites from Iz it a crime:

West Up: Unapologetically West Coast

Joy: Keeps growing on me

Unsung Heroes

Snoop will make you dance: I kinda get the vibe of Beware of my crew from the beat.

Live Life: I really like the message in this.

Shutyabitcassup:🤣

Sophisticated Crippin'.


Even though I think Missionary is better, this one sounds more like Snoop (if that makes sense).

[.:Hercy Buggz:.]

Y'all don't like the title track with the Sade sample?

[geezy]

Y'all don't like the title track with the Sade sample?

The title track is good too

[WCEric]

We are currently at a generational change, we have made the generation with N.WA Death Row the young people are no longer interested in it, when my children go to a concert I don't even know the rappers anymore, and they then say we hear an old shit, I think the over 40-year-olds can climb that, our music is dying out, unfortunately

I think all music is going the way of the dodo - since it doesn't sell anymore, no one does advertising for new releases, Spotify has all the albums, and the artists become more and more less memorable as the albums go on. You know, it use to be no one could describe new rappers due to old music plus costal preference over the South. Now a days, no one can tell me a single artist that I care to remember because the quality of the rapper is so bad and I'm tired of hearing music from the south plus music gets released constantly - so the fact that's a new artist will be brushed over in a matter of a month. Its not just West Coast music is dead; its every genre.

[D-TalkX]

We are officially old af

Shit…it’s true.

[Jay_J]

Yes we are old but it doesnt change the fact that music quality is going down year by year.

[romson19]

[OG Snoopaveli]

No info on physical album?