On this date in 1993, Calvin Broadus Jr, known to the world as Snoop Doggy Dogg, released his massively anticipated debut album Doggystyle on the powerhouse imprint Death Row Records. This was the label’s first full length solo release, coming directly off the historic success of The Chronic, the landmark album from Dr Dre where many listeners heard Snoop’s voice for the first time.
Produced entirely by Dre, Doggystyle continued the sonic world introduced on The Chronic but expanded it with a fully formed concept built around the smooth talking dogg persona Snoop had already begun to perfect. The animated artwork and cartoon inserts presented a street wise hound on the run from both enemies and women drawn to his legendary doggystyle reputation.
The album delivered a run of unforgettable tracks, including the explicit party anthem It Aint No Fun featuring childhood friend Nate Dogg and the Dogg Pound duo Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. Snoop also reimagined the classic Slick Rick record Lodi Dodi and dropped the world famous drinking anthem Gin And Juice, which became one of the defining records of the decade.
Although the album received a four mic rating from The Source, writer Reginald Dennis noted that it barely missed the Five Mic mark because he believed it felt rushed. Still, with the arrival of a monumental new artist and the raw authenticity of the gang ridden West Coast streets, Doggystyle quickly proved itself as one of the most important albums of the nineteen nineties. This was even before the East Coast and West Coast rivalry escalated two years later, a reminder of how far ahead Snoop and Dre were creatively and culturally.
Thirty two years later, Doggystyle remains a masterpiece, a landmark of the G Funk era, and a foundational pillar of West Coast history. Salute to Snoop, Dre, the Dogg Pound, The Lady Of Rage, RBX, Suge Knight, and the entire Death Row family for creating a classic that changed the sound of hip hop forever.
