Hip Hop just isn’t what it use to be, and you can’t teach old dog new tricks.  Snoop Dogg tries to stay relevant and hip with the kids on his 10th studio album “Malice N Wonderland.”

With hardcore “thugs” like Ice Cube playing blundering father characters in movies like “Are We There Yet?” It’s really hard to take Gansta Rap seriously anymore.  Criminals who were once Crips of Los Angeles are now hilarious host on “Pimp My Ride.”

Have you seen Xzibit on that show, I wouldn’t mind introducing him to my grandma.

The same can be said for Snoop Dogg with his reality TV show “Father Hood,” and his inner city football league, it’s hard to imagine him as the same old pot smokin, hoe slappin Double-Oh Gee.

REVIEW:

Ever since “Paid Tha Cost To Be Tha Boss” Snoop Diggity Dogg has gravitated away from his fan base to appeal to the much younger crowd.  Though filled with solid backbeats and radio hits, the funk and personal experience laced lyrics are gone.   In their place are a number of more electronically produced, auto-tune influenced sounds which is all the rave with kids these days.

Do not be fooled by the title, it has little to do with Snoop tripping out on some good “Sticky Icky,” and rapping about giant bags of weed and Cadillacs.  The title is merely a metaphor that Snoop dives into the factious world to make a record but at the end of the day he is a father and loving husband.  For this I applaud Snoop Dogg but if he realizes what he creates his no longer him then way bother continuing to push the image from records sells.

Most songs are easy to skip through even with high profile artist like R. Kelly, Pharell, Lil Jon, and Soulja Boy Tell Em.  Snoop makes a nod towards new movements like “jerking” on this album, which is awkward for a guy his age to attempt to fit into that scene.  Tracks “Different Languages” and “Luv Drunk” are intriguing but fail to really deliver the goods.  Already a radio hit “Gansta Luv” is catchy but then your reminded that there are at least 20 other songs that are exactly the same.

Being a longtime Snoop Dogg listener I had really hoped that Snoop would continue his wise learned OG sound from  “The Blue Carpet Treatment.”  This album seems to rely so heavily on great hooks and attractive beats to sell Snoop’s tired, been-there-done-that raps, the whole experience fells hollow.

RATING: 2/10

Something can be said for Dr. Dre long awaited last album, he stated that in an interview with MTV “I’m not rapping about low riders and blunts and all that anymore, I mean, that’s played out.  As a matter of fact, I’m tired of hearing other people talk about it to tell you the truth,” and so are we.

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