From the depths of the seas, back to the block
I'm the Kobe and Lebron, you know who called the shots
At the height of his twenty-first studio album, asking Snoop Dogg to reinvent himself seems too much even for those who recognize his considerable talent. “Is It A Crime?” arrives after some controversy for having performed in support of Donald Trump but, honestly, when there doesn't seem to be any particular urgency to listen to other songs with his signature, also because “Missionary” with Dr. Dre is recent, released at the end of 2024. To overdo it, it is accompanied by a official movie 70 minutes long that deserves a separate review by Yotobi.
Still comfortable on numerous beat in the style of Dr. Dre and Pharrell (“Unsung Heroes”, “Can't Wait”, “Keep It Moving”, “What's Hattnin?”, “West Up”), master of a relaxed and sinuous rap that made history showcased in a song chill like “Sophisticated Crippin'” or in a more nostalgic one like “Life's Journey” (feat. Blaqthoven), he convinces much less in a romantic moment like “Can't Get Enough” (with Jane Handcock) or a sappy one like “You Want My All” (feat. Akeem Ali).
Quotes abound, linking his career to that of other hip-hop giants, from Biggie to OutKast. More curious is the reference to Daft Punk's “Technologic” in “Spot”, with Pharrell Williams and Tonio Armani, but it is a messy attempt to sound contemporary, which is difficult to identify as a Snoop Dogg song.
Even worse, in some cases there isn't even that minimum of ideas necessary to justify a new song, see the trivial gag from dancefloor by “SYBAU” (feat. Stresmatic). When he then tries to practice again the character of the wise man who transmits his knowledge to the new generations, as in the final “Live Life”, embarrassment is honestly just around the corner because of the verses motivational and the refrain:
Live life (life, life)
You gotta live life (life, life)
Dance like nobody watchin' (life, life, life)
I don't care who you likeBe who you are (life, life, life)
You a star without the cameras and lightsLive life (life, life)
Live your best life (life, life) Yeah (life, life, life)
I know feeling like you're winning but inside you're losing
You ain't got motion. That don't mean God ain't movin'
Someone who was the godfather of Long Beach deserved, perhaps, a better end. In any case, at the time of writing this review, he is #204 among the most listened to artists in the world on Spotify, with almost 29 million monthly listeners. Probably, however, few will be listening to anything from “Iz It A Crime?”.
28/10/2025
Antonio Santini for SANREMO.FM
