(AllHipHop Features) Snoop Dogg is back and he’s got a new album coming called Neva Left. The album is appropriate on so many levels as the Long Beach O.G. has a career that spans over 20 years in the entertainment game. On Neva Left, Snoop returns to his roots in dope lyrics and dope beats and brings a gang of people with him. KRS-One, Too Short, DJ Battlecat and references to Slick Rick and Whodini. The album sounds like vintage, classic Snoop with a modern twist.
But this is more than just music and Snoop is more than a rapper.
Snoop Dogg has informally become one of the leaders of those speaking out about President Donald Trump. A rap song portrayed him pointing a toy gun to a clown that just happened to look a bit like The Donald. Recently he also was bestowed with the landmark honor of inducting friend and Death Row Records label mate Tupac Shakur into the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame. Check out this exclusive conversation with AllHipHop’s Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur and Snoop Dogg and understand the real reasons Snoop never left.
Neva Left drops May 19th.
On the direction of Neva Left:
“I wanted to make a record that could represent who I’ve always been. Who I’ve been for the past 25 years and at the same time put a brand new twist on it. Musically, sonically and lyrically. And just do what I do best. Representing hip hop, the way that I represent Hip-Hop.”
On the KRS One and Too Short features:
“A lot of the old school artists and music … it’ll never die. It’s all about how you present it. One thing we like to do is present music in a fashion to where it’s musically first and it makes you feel good. Dynamically, you can’t put a time or an era or period on it because it feels good right now. Anytime you play a record that feels good right now, it’s gon’ feel good later in life as well.”
On the difference between 2016’s Coolaid and this one:
“I believe that album was more about me creatively making a record that was about that moment. And really wasn’t about me making a statement. It was just me throwing a record out that I felt good about, ’cause I wanted to do it.
This one is more about a statement to be made as far as … I really wanted to go in and fine tune it. And make sure it was lyrically on point, the production was tight, the concept was on point. And that the record had a meaning. So, when people heard it and listened to it they knew what it was about as opposed to trying to figure it out.”
On collaborating with other song writers:
“I’m open to let other people get down with me ’cause that’s how I got my start, writing for Dr. Dre. I’m never too big to say you can’t write for me or present me something. But on the ‘Neva Left’ record I went in 100% by myself. ‘Cause I felt like it was statement time. Sometimes you gotta go to war by yourself. That way, in case it don’t work you get all the blame. And if it do work, you get all the blame.”
On his relationship with Tupac Shakur:
“We were like brothers. If you know anything about siblings. You argue, you fight, you love, you got each other’s back and you do anything for each other. That’s basically our relationship wrapped up in one big ball.”
On where the United States is at as a country:
“Man, I don’t know where we’re at as a country. It’s like [Trump] is running audibles at the line of scrimmage. What is his playbook? I’m sitting back watching like y’all. I don’t want to offend nobody and say nothing the wrong way, but at the same time I’m confused.”