Customer Reviews

Tha Blue Carpet Treatment

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Snoop Dogg is one of my favorite rappers. I've grown up listening to him since I was a child while he was rhyming on Dr. Dre's "The Chronic". I've even stuck by him when he put out bad albums ("The Game Is Sold...") and when he dropped a decent album ("Paid The Cost..."). "The Blue Carpet Treatment" would probably be his best in over a decade if you ask me.

This album is full of laced beats and good rhymes. "Think About It" comes off real strong from Snoop laced with a dope beat. The radio hit "Thats That..." with R. Kelly gives listeners a nice R&B tune to listen to. As well as the other hit "I Wanna Love You" with Akon, another hit for this album.

As I said in my title, this is what "Cali Iz Active" should have sounded like. That CD was so horrible and failed to follow it's concept. This album followed what that concept should have been. Most of the guest appearances are form Cali. "Candy" would feature Goldie Loc, MC Eiht, E-40, and The Dogg Pound, and a real nice tune to ride to. "LAX" with Ice Cube is another standout tune that featured a sample from Biggie's "Going Back To Cali" in the hook. I'd say for some reason, my favorite song is toward the end with "Imagine" with Dr. Dre. and D'Angelo. Possibly because that piano laced throughout the song. Snoop would close the album with "Conversations" with Stevie Wonder, showing off that he's trying to get his mind right. Other guests include The Game, B-Real from Cypress Hill, George Clinton, and Kam (where the hell have YOU been Kam???).

Although this is a good CD I've heard from Snoop in a minute, it still has some rough parts. "10 Lil' Crips" sounded kinda weak to me. And I wasn't feeling the song "Beatin' Up On Yo Pads" although it's a positive song about him coaching and playing football, but it's a good song, so I'll make it my honorable mention track.

If you heard that this album was his most consistant since "Doggystyle", you heard correct. We're more than aware that he's not going to drop another one of those albums, but this is a real good one from Snoop. If other west coast artists drop albums like this, we might have the West Coast making a comeback. And being a fan of West Coast rap music, I am more than ready for it. If you thought Snoop fell off, well he gives doubters "Tha Blue Carpet Treatment".

Lyrics: A-
Production: A-
Guest Appearances: A-
Musical Vibes: B
Overall: A-

My Favorite Tracks From This Album: Think About It, Thats That..., Candy (Drippin' Like Water), Gangbangn 101, LAX, Which One Of You, I Wanna [Love] You, Psst!, Imagine, Converstions

Honorable Mention Track: Beatin' On Yo Pads

Peace Everyone!!

In a lot of ways anticipating a Snoop album is like anticipating a KRS-One album. I mean, lyrically we have nothing to worry about. Both artists are absolutely brilliant with how they work the words. But for both artists I get a little anxious to see if the production will do even a hint of justice to their flow. I've never doubted Snoop's lyrical hustle. But the beats behind his rhymes are often an insult to his wordplay.

And it kind of happens again with the Blue Carpet Treatment -- but not until a little after the mid-point of this album. At the jump, the Album is charged with smooth fire that is complimentary of Snoop's voice and flow. The moment "Think About it" rolls in my hopes went up and I thought this album was going to put all the others before it to sleep! "Crazy" has a crazy smooth beat. "Vato" has one of the most unique exotic electric sounds I've ever heard in a hip-hop song. And it seems like this energy keeps pushing onward and upward... until Tracks 14 thru 19, all of which --on a sliding scale of quality -- seemed to be below par. Well...actually, track 18 "Pump up your Pads" is an endearing track. I don't care for the beat, but lyrically -- as always -- Snoop can take any topic and make it sound good. Even if it's about young ball players.

And then comes the save: "Imagine." This is by far the most memorable track on the whole album. Unlike most hip-hop songs where it takes a few listens before the meaning behind the lyrics step forward, Imagine manages to resonate from the very beginning. It's one of those songs where you don't just hear it, you feel it.

I have to say also that Snoop's new mission of peace makes for much more compelling material than some of his other work. His more soulful songs bring me back to "Lil' Ghetto Boy" from the Chronic. A lot of hip-hop artists have tried to inject positivity into their rhymes and failed, mostly because they couldn't make hope and optimism as addictive as their gangster tales. Snoop on the other makes you feel like you can still have a cool swagger and still get warm booty without all the mean-mugging and gangster thuggin'. Even his more relaxed visage on the cover works much better than the wrenched up face I've seen on his other album covers. His image and his lyrics seem to project a more natural Snoop -- a perfect image since being laid back comes natural to him.

As far as the five iffy tracks on this album -- whatever. You still have 16 really solid tracks remaining. I hope this isn't our last Snoop album. If anything I think this is proof that Snoop and Doc in the studio one more time will give us another good hit of the Chronic before the Detox.

This album is great. The best he's done in a long time. I listen to it all the time .I can honestly say I like every song on this album. The best hip hop album in a long time. If you like this you will love his close pals Devin new CD Smoke Session Vol. 1Smoke Sessions, Vol. 1

I know a lot of people are going to exaggerate how good this album was; I can't blame them. After the last few years of straight garbage from Snoop Dogg, it's amazing to here such a solid effort from the Doggfather, and fans are going to have a tendency to state this album is hotter than it is. No disrespect, but this album is not a five; I've only given out fives to albums that are consistently dope from start to finish, and while this album has some dope joints spread throughout, there are a couple missteps. That's more than a bit expected with 21 tracks; if Snoop had cut off a few of the weaker tracks, then yes, I'd reward this album with a five. As it stands, this is a very, very solid four stars.

Snoop has honestly been the posterboy for emcees who left money overwhelm them, and their artistic freedom. The last album I truly enjoyed from Snoop was released when he was still a puppy; Tha Doggfather was, while dissapointing, the last album that displayed any of Snoop's often self-obscured talent. Everything that he put out on No Limit dissapointed me(including the Last Supper), and he wasn't exactly making any strides with Star Trak either. Just when it appears that even some of his most devoted fans have given up on Snoop, he comes back with such a well-rounded album.

Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, first and foremost, has some of the sweetest beats you'll find on any hip-hop album this year. The first nine tracks, all produced by a wide range of emcees, including Timbaland, Dr. Dre, Fredwreck, and Battlecat, among others, are all sincerely engaging pieces of music that'd keep your attention no matter who's spitting over them. LAX is, unfortunately, a very dissapointing track from Battlecat, and neither Snoop Dogg or Ice Cube can carry the track above average. 10 Lil' Crips is insanely hard for a Neptunes joint, and Snoop continues to flow breezily over the track with his refocused sound. Round Here samples the same Dido song that was used for Eminem's Stan, but this somber track still succeeds with its melancholy backdrop, and Snoop's introspective rhymes. The next few tracks are all 'take your pick' types of cuts, in that they may appeal to some heads more than others. However, I think we can all agree that the standout cut, "Imagine," featuring Dr. Dre and D'Angelo is nearly enough reason to warrant a purchase of this album.

While Snoop is admittedly still overrated, one can't deny the dopeness that this album excretes. If you've been waiting on an album from Snoop that you can nearly bump from start to finish in the new millenium, this is the closest thing to it. Sadly, however, at Snoop's age, there is no room for improvement, so this will most likely be his last great album. If Snoop were to retire after this album, he'd go out on a relative high-note; and if he happens to stay in the game for a few more years, than I'll be checking out his next release. Either, with Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, everyone's a winner. Pick it up.

Over the past decade or so Snoop Dogg has become more than a brand than a rapper staring in movies, commercials, his own variety show, even lent his name to a porno, started up his own clothing line including a pet accessory line, hosting his own satellite radio show, starred in video games, and founded the Snoop Youth Football League. But the biggest impact was giving new slang for suburbanite white dudes everywhere to annoy their parents. But among all the extracurricular sometimes his music gets overlooks; most casual music fans probably can't named any of his songs between Jin & Juice and Drop it Like it's Hot. Even Snoop's son fully respects his dad's rapping because when the elder ask him who his favorite lyrist, the Bigg Snoop Dogg wasn't on the list.

The disrespect from Lil' Snoop is the catalyst for Snoop Dogg's latest album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment. The title naturally comes from his affiliation to his former gang the Crips who get their own song on the Neptunes produced 10 Lil' Crips. To give his advisories equal airtime, Snoop brings in The Game, a Blood to spit a couple verses on Gangbangin' 101. Longtime producer Dr. Dre shows up behind the boards on four songs and Dre's old running mate Ice Cube drops a couple verses on LAX. And no Snoop album would be complete without a hook from Nate Dogg who lends his trademark baritone for Crazy while Tha Dogg Pound and Kurupt also show up on the album. New collaborators the Neptunes actually deliver a banging track, one of the few this year, and is only heightened by having B-Real of Cypress Hill on the hook.

Snoop Eastwood embraces the new school too as he brings in Akon, who seems to show up on all rap songs lately despite having a voice that sounds like nails on a chalk board, for two songs but he's not as bad as the sorry Jamie Foxx appearance. Damien Marley brings some dancehall to the Timbaland produced Get a Light, another stand out track. Snoop also brings in a catchphrase maker in his own right E-40 for Candy but the two can do much better than the over obvious double entendres that show up on Candy. And regardless of his falling out with Jay-Z, tha Doggfather still collaborates with R. Kelly, straight from the closet, for That's That (Expletive Deleted) which humorously samples the best line from Coming to America.

Tha Blue Carpet Treatment though is way too long at seventy-eight minutes. Plenty of mediocre tracks could have been cut to make a much more complete hour length album. Then they stuck some of the best track at the end including the introspective Imagine which sees Dre step out from behind the boards and takes the mike and D'Angelo on the hook. For the closer, Snoop brings in the legendary Stevie Wonder to rework Have a Talk with God into Conversations. So many rappers sneak in a religious song at the end of their albums, imagine is one would fill up a album with songs like this instead of re-treading the "G" that has overtaken the genre foe over fifteen years.

I cant even remember how long its been since bought a snoop album, but after hearing some other reviews I figured it was worth a try. There are 2 types of snoop fans, ones that repect him for his early hits but think he fell off into "pop" culture, and ones that think his last serveral years have been his best. Basically if you weren't pounding snoop 10 years ago you're probibly the latter, and this cd isn't for u.
This cd is certainly not all gold, but its a far better reach to the old days then anything hes dropped since his "no limit" run began.

It's got more then enough tracks for old school fans to find a few hot cuts no matter what you like. And maybe new fans will like all the stars who joined in on this album, though personally I would like to see about 1/2 of them cut. The simple fact is snoop only needs DRE to make pure gold and the song "Imagine" proves it. That song alone makes this album worth the 10 dollars I spent.

So if you used to like snoop then please, BUY THIS. You'll get your money's worth and finally be able to play some new snoop while you roll around town.

This album features some of the best producers in hip hop, such as Dre, Neptunes, Timbaland, R. Kelly and Akon. And Snoop shines in these collaborations.

There are three songs on this CD that I can't stop listening to. "Vato" is a stellar song with a great Neptunes beat that actually calls for a lessening in street violence. A hard beat like this allows Snoop to really hit the listeners with his amazing abilities as a rapper. "Think About It" may be one of the more underrated songs I've heard in a while. There's no hook; it's just Snoop laying down rhymes like no one else can. The last one is "Imagine," a collaboration with Dre, who offers a thought-provoking first verse and a great, mellow beat.

There are too many tracks on here, but you'll certainly find some gems that will be staples on your iPod for years to come.

I think I am like most Snoop Dogg fans who feel that Doggystyle was his best album. I tend to like the Doggfather and various tracks from his other albums since then, but this was this first album since 1996 that I feel is very solid. It it true that he resorted back to more of the gaangbanging genre of raps, but it seems to be a healthy regression back to those songs that made us love Snoop in the first place. I thought the features were well placed, and my only complaint is that the album is too long. I think if her would ahve used the 14 strongest tracks it would be an album we deem a classic. It actually feels like her put forth a great deal of effort on this release.

I can't decide whether Snoop keeps getting better with age or whether my expectations for a Snoop release have gradually decreased over the last 13 years. Whatever it is I still enjoyed Tha Blue Caret Treatment

As with Nas critics and fans alike can't seem to get over his debut album and the fact that there will never be another Doggystyle. In '05 however, it seemed Snoop finally exorcised the Doggystyle demons with the release of his hit "Drop It Like Its Hot." Although the song had some gangsta elements it featured Pharrell and had a beat that is closer Snap music than anything else. Finally, everyone could groove with Snoop on a track wasn't gangsta.

He took full advantage of his now accepted `laid back gangsta status' with the release of The Masterpiece. However after a positive response initially the critics began to question the `Pop Gangsta' image and The Masterpiece proved to have very little staying power even though it had a few successful commercial singles.

Fast forward to '06 and Snoop has an answer for those critics. If anything, with this album Snoop proves that he can make Doggystyle II if he wanted to, but he chooses not to. On the opener "Think About It" shows that the butter smooth flow he became renowned for in '92 - '94 is still alive. On the 1st single "Vato" he shows that he can still get his gangsta on over one of Pharrell's hardest beat outside Hell Hath No Fury. What makes "Vato" interesting is the fact that he uses it to spread a positive message about unifying the west coast (a la the gangsta rap of old). "A B**** I Knew" resurrects the freaky tales error of Luke and Too Short. "Gangbangin 101" with blood brother The Game and "10 Lil' Crips" add to the gangster feel of the album.

Snoop balances the hard with the laid back cuts that you know he really enjoys. From the soul sampling "Think About It", to the classic west coast cut "Crazy" complete with a Nate Dogg hook, to the showstopper "Imagine" a dream collaboration between Dr. Dre, Snoop and D'Angelo (which caps Dre's most active year in a minute).

However with 20 songs, 21 if you include the intro Snoop leaves enough room for haters to take shots. The easiest targets being the Little league football dedication "Beat Up On Yo Pads" and the Biggie sampling Ice Cube collaboration "LAX". The former will leave you scratching your head (its scary that it could become an anthem)and the latter will remind you why you never missed Battlecat.

Overall the album's definitely dope (for a Snoop album and for a hip-hop album in general), a little too long but on the other hand it definitely has something for everyone. Snoop has finally carved out the niche in rap that he has struggled to his whole career. He did this by finally giving the people what they want without compromising his own artistic ambitions, so now the comparisons to Doggystyle can be finally laid to rest.

Snoop really took me by surprise with this one. I was more excited about Jigga's cd but after hearing the two, I think Snoop's is definately better. Not better lyrically or even better personally, just better musically. In the end, isn't that what the point of making music is all about? The best songs are Get A Light, Lil Crips, Round Here, I Wanna L*** You (ha), and Imagine ft. Dre. Some lowlights are Beat Up On Your Pads (a homage to his kid football team), and LAX ft. Ice Cube. The CD has something for everyone. Dre's beats are better on this cd than they are on Hov's. Way to go Snoop! Keep up the good work