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Is Snoop Dogg as big as Elton John? Just can’t stop
Snoop Dogg
By John Berger
Special to the Star-BulletinTo put it another way, will Snoop, the rap superstar also known as Bigg Snoop Dogg and Tha Dogg Father, sell out Blaisdell Arena tomorrow night with ticket prices comparable to those charged for the legendary Sir Elton's sold-out Blaisdell two-nighter last month?
Snoop fans will pay $65 per head for the arena level and loges. It's $45 for the higher altitudes.
One thing for sure: Snoop has been on a roll since he got back together with his original mentor, Dr. Dre, in 1999.
He's returning to Hawaii with a strong new album, "Tha Last Meal," and is celebrating the debut of his proteges, Doggy's Angels, and the release of their debut album, "Pleezbaleevet!"
Among Snoop's other projects are a straight-to-video film, "The Eastsidaz," a role in an upcoming horror movie, "Bones," a weekly radio show in L.A., overseeing his own Doggystyle record label, and promoting a co-written autobiography, "Tha Doggfather."
IN CONCERT
Who: Snoop Dogg and the Family
Most fan sites and reviewers are rating "Tha Last Meal" as Snoop's album since "Doggystyle" made his rep in 1993.
As with many progressive rap projects these days, "Tha Last Meal" is an ensemble production that includes an assortment of celebrity sidemen -- Nate Dogg and Kokane are the most prominent -- and a parade of guests that includes Master P., the Eastsidaz, Butch Cassidy, Bad Azz and the Lady of Rage.
Also heard on are two of Dre's old partners from seminal gangsta krew NWA, Ice Cube and MC Ren. Their participation bodes well for NWA loyalists hoping for an NWA "reunion" tour by Dre, 'Cube, Ren and DJ Yella with Snoop standing in for the late Eazy-E.
"Tha Last Meal" is also notable for a sharp bit of political commentary that imagines Snoop questioning President Clinton about the nature of his activities with Monica Lewinsky.
Over the years though, Snoop has been most known as an articulate proponent of the good life as defined by the gangsta playas of Southern California. Snoop's favorite topics -- his sexual prowess, the joys of the gangsta/pimp lifestyle, his enjoyment of gin-and-juice and the "sticky icky" (marijuana) -- framed the lyric milieu of "Doggystyle" album and has provided continuity ever since.
Dre was his mentor in blending retro '70s-style funk and soul with contemporary cutting-edge beats. The partnership ended when Dre severed his ties with Death Row Records.
Snoop then went told the world that he didn't need Dre's know-how to succeed. Snoop's next album was generally appraised as falling far short of his work with Dre and reason enough for Snoop to still be skittish about talking to the media.
Louisiana rap entrepreneur Master P eventually rescued Snoop from Death Row by buying out his contract and signing him to a multi-album deal, but it took a while to find the right balance between Snoop's distinctive dryly laconic drawl and the edgier formula of P's Beats by the Pound production team. Snoop's second No Limit album, "Top Dogg," helped restore his credibility as a presence in progressive rap.
Snoop completed the campaign by renewing his ties with Dre who then showcased Snoop on his own smash "Dr. Dre 2001" project before playing a key role in assembling "Tha Last Meal."
Snoop and Dre were out here for a series of club shows a little over a year ago. A more recent "Up in Smoke" tour with Snoop, Dre, Eminem, Ice Cube, Warren G, Nate Dogg, Mack 10 and various other rappers, didn't play Hawaii but is said to have grossed over $24 million nationwide, a lot of money for a hip-hop tour.
And so the question: Is Tha Doggfather as big as Elton John? We'll find out tomorrow night.
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