Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To

08/04/1998 3:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Billy Johnson Jr

Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told is missing the cruising G-Funk and immoral catchphrases that caught everyone's attention on "Deep Cover," the Long Beach, California native's introductory duet with Dr. Dre. The closest thing to his hits from Dr. Dre's The Chronic and his solo debut Doggystyle is "Still A G Thang," Da Game's first release. The album's best examples of Snoop's charismatic delivery arise on the pounding, humming synthesizer and New Orleans tank tracks "Woof," "TRU Tank Dogs," and "Ain't Nothing Personal," collabs with Snoop's new limelight-stealing No Limit relatives Fiend, Mystikal, Silkk Tha Shocker, and C-Murder.

Snoop's traditional remake is twofold--an unflattering reworking of N.W.A.'s "Gangsta, Gangsta" called "DP Gangsta," and a well-done interpolation of KRS-One's "Love's Gonna Get Ya" entitled "Doggz Gonna Get Ya" featuring panting and barking dogs and plenty subtle boom.

The only other time Snoop shines is when he raps over previous hits. The sincere "D.O.G.'s Get Lonely," which uses the music from Jon B.'s "They Don't Know," is indeed a hit as is "Game Of Life," which replays Whodini's "Five Minutes Of Funk."

Unfortunately, this still leaves more than a half of album full of less than enthusiastic songs, including the disappointing No Limit-ized "Gin & Juice II."