NxWorries was one of the rare musical combinations that lived up to its potential. Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge teaming up for a genre-spanning album was such a cool idea that it was impressive that the two of them managed to pull it off. That was way back in 2016, though. Paak and Knxwledge have made a lot of music since, so there was uncertainty as to whether they could do it again. Well, they did just that. The second NxWorries album, Why Lawd?, is weirder and even better than its predecessor.
Part of the reason this sophomore album has superseded Yes Lawd is the chemistry between Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge. It’s obvious they’re more comfortable working together, and their chemistry leaps out of the speakers on songs like “Daydreaming” and “HereIAm.” The duo also manage to weave in more guest features than last time. Dave Chappelle sets a memorable tone in the opener, and the rest follow suit. Thundercat sounds lovelorn and funky as ever on the standout “KeepHer,” while H.E.R. and .Paak excel on the duet “Where I Go.” Earl Sweatshirt is in his element over the chunky soul instrumental on “WalkOnBy,” while .Paak protege Rae Khalil steals the show on two separate tracks. Why Lawd? is everything a sequel should be but rarely is: bigger, more ambitious, and actually better.
Let us know what you think of this brand-new track, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are having a moment. Three decades after they were two of the biggest stars on television, they’re proving themselves to be even bigger draws as movie stars. Bad Boys: Ride or Die has killed at the box office, and part of the reason why is the promo tour Smith and Lawrence are on. They’re everywhere, sharing anecdotes about their friendship and their seemingly bulletproof franchise. The Smith and Lawrence convo we didn’t expect, however, was who the greatest rapper of all time is.
Smith and Lawrence recently went on the YouTube series GOAT Talk to discuss, well GOAT topics. Given the impact that both of them have had on hip-hop culture, it was only a matter of time before they were hit with the “GOAT rapper” question. Their answers did not disappoint. Martin Lawrence decided to go with a generational peer and a close personal friend. “I would have to say Snoop Dogg for me,” he noted. “Because Snoop’s always come through for me. He’s done my show and has always been excellent. And he’s a good friend of mine.” Both Lawrence and Snoop Dogg appeared in the 2019 film The Beach Bum. The latter also made a cameo on a 1994 episode of Martin.
Will Smith Struggled To Pick Between Three Rappers
Will Smith’s answer was more intriguing. He rose to fame as a rapper. He was the first rapper to win a Grammy, in fact, so he’s technically a GOAT candidate himself. Rest assured, however, the actor didn’t pick himself. He decided to go old school with his picks. “I think that in terms of changing the game,” he posited. “Rakim.” Will Smith was unable to limit his answer to one, though. He mentioned two other men who shaped his love for the genre. “The combination of Melle Mel and Grandmaster Caz,” he explained. “In terms of me developing my love for hip-hop.” The Caz shout out is timely, given that Smith recently encountered the rapper during a radio interview.
Smith gushed about Grandmaster Caz during his appearance on Sway In the Morning. He told the host that he modeled his rhyming style after the Cold Crush legend. In the middle of his interview, Caz walks in the room and leaves the Oscar winner starstruck. Smith let out a yell of surprise before hyping up the rapper to the rest of the room. “Ladies and gentleman,” he said. “The full, complete and total inspiration for the Fresh Prince: Grandmaster Caz.” Smith might’ve said Rakim first, but this encounter tips the scale in Caz’s favor.
Tha Dogg Pound is best known as the rap supergroup who made landmark appearances on such West Coast classics as Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle back in the 1990s. Kurupt and Daz Dillinger, who comprise the group, signed with Death Row Records in the early stages of their career before branching out into more independent solo work. Though Tha Dogg Pound has remained somewhat active in recent years, the duo are best known for their 1995 debut Dogg Food. Now, the pair have linked with West Coast legend Snoop Dogg, for a full-length collab album titled W.A.G.W. (We All We Got). Snoop is an early pioneer of Tha Dogg Pound’s sound and a cousin to Daz Dillinger. Now that the gang is all back together, let’s dive into the tracklist of this exciting new album and see what exactly the trio has cooked up.
The Album Contains The Rawest West Coast Sound In Years
W.A.G.W. (We All We Got) opens strong, with tracks such as “Smoke Up,” “We All We Got,” and “Imma Dog.” The Dogg Pound released “Smoke Up” ahead of time as a teaser to the album, and it still holds up after numerous listens. The track delivers on the old-school West Coast style, instantly transporting listeners back to the mid 1990s. The song is quite brief, serving as an easily-digestible opener. It also proves that Tha Dogg Pound have not missed a step in over 30 years behind the mic.
Likewise, “Imma Dog” serves as a major stand-out on the album, with a bouncing bass sample and thick, snappy synths. DJ Battlecat went absolutely haywire producing this cut, with some kooky sound effects that make you feel like you’re being abducted by an alien spacecraft that landed in Long Beach. There’s even a moment where the instrumental interpolates some hood-style circus music, which shouldn’t go hard on paper, but absolutely slaps.
There Are A Few Duds In The Mix
Despite the many prevalent highlights in the album, Tha Dogg Pound has given us a few ill-advised misses as well. One such track includes the vulgar sex jam “Inside Of Her,” which offers tactless lyrics describing the female anatomy in painstaking detail. Many old-school rappers created joints like this, but they need to leave them in the past unless these OGs can find a way to speak with more nuance. “LA Kind Of Love” is another hard skip, with a nearly unlistenable instrumental that sounds like a Katy Perry B-side from 2010. While we can certainly appreciate the Doggs for trying to diversify their sound, this is not a step in the right direction.
The Album Shows Great Artistic And Personal Growth
Despite a few minor missteps, Tha Dogg Pound mostly delivers a powerful, mature meditation on their decades-long careers on W.A.G.W. Tracks like “Grown Up” offer something of an OG anthem, with lyrics such as “I’m looking at things a little different/ I got grandchildren, self-resilient/ This is how I’m living.” These bars help to demonstrate that these OGs have moved away from the street and started diversifying their financial portfolio with safer long-term investments, to give back to their families.
The penultimate track on the record, “Always On My Mind,” opens with some positively murderous piano stabs, as Tha Dogg Pound shoutout their lost loved ones, including Nate Dogg, BadAzz, Nipsey Hussle, and others. The track also interpolates vocal rhythms from Tupac Shakur and the Outlawz’ classic track “Homeboyz.” This song brings a lot of heart and touts the best Daz Dillinger verse on the project. On “Always On My Mind,” Daz raps “They say, put it on the dead homies, it’s just an everyday hood slang/ Sleep is the cousin of death, we in our last days/ I lost my mother, lost my daddy, lost my brother/ It’s Heaven or Earth, do you know just where you’re going?“
W.A.W.G. Concludes On A High Note
With only 14 tracks spanning 47 minutes of run time, W.A.G.W. (We All We Got) manages to be incredibly concise and surprisingly versatile. The album closes out with a DJ Premier-produced posse cut titled “Who Da Hardest?” This track features vocals from DGPC affiliates RBX and The Lady of Rage. Rage opens the track with some incredibly hard lyricism, further cementing how powerful her career could and should have been when she first came out in the late 90s. This track also has Kurupt’s best verse on the album, which opens with the bars “Tyrannosaurus Rex, complex the octagon/ Eight sides to this genetic aquatic Pteranodon/ The template has been set, this when the sharks hit/ Composin’ words of wizardry cold as the artic.“
Tha Dogg Pound has proven with this record that they’re more than just a legacy act surviving on old classics. This album might not top anyone’s album of the year list, but it will certainly get heavy rotation. Especially from fans of that long-lost authentic West Coast sound.
Snoop Dogg’s new album with Dr. Dre is on the way. Daz Dillinger and Kurupt pulled up on Drink Champs and revealed the Missionary album’s date
“Dogg sacrificed ’cause he got an album dropping in July,” Kurupt said. “This album with Dr. Dre dropping in July.”
Dillinger added, “He got an album coming out next month with Dr. Dre.”
Last August, speaking on the project with From The Desk of Lo is The D.O.C., who revealed he would travel to L.A. to help finish the project and what fans would expect.
The D.O.C. reveals that his collaboration with, Snoop and Dre is long overdue, and they are focused on creating a great product. The album so far is a family reunion. “It sounds like what Snoop’s next record would’ve been like on Death Row, that’s what it sounds like.”
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have been the closest pals for decades on decades. The iconic pairing has released some of the best music in hip-hop, but also from the West Coast. Arguably their greatest accomplishment together was dropping Doggystyle, which is now over 30 years old. It featured some of the G-funk/gangsta/West Coast tracks of that decade, and even to this day. Soon, –actually very soon– Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre will further cement their chemistry and legacies when they release Missionary in July.
That is what Tha Dogg Pound told the good people over at Drink Champs in a recent interview. According to HipHopDX, Kurupt and Daz Dillinger let that information slip at the 14:33 mark of the video. “Dogg sacrificed ’cause he got an album dropping in July. This album with Dr. Dre dropping in July,” said Kurupt. Daz also added, “He got an album coming out next month with Dr. Dre”.
Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre Have Been Working On “Missionary” For A Bit
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have had Missionary in the works for quite some time now, so this latest update is massive. Uncle Snoop dropped the bombshell that this was happening nearly two years ago in an interview with Stephen A. Smith. During the October 2022 conversation, the multi-talent said, “I’ma tell you this, you’re the first one to hear this: me and Dr. Dre have been working on an album for the past two months… It’ll be done in November. It’s produced by Dr. Dre, it’s our 30th anniversary to Doggystyle. And the name of the album is Missionary“. He also mentioned that it was going to drop that November, but obviously we are still waiting. So, we will see if Tha Dogg Pound are telling the truth in due time.
What are your thoughts on Tha Dogg Pound confirming the release date of Missionary by Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre? How do you feel about this being the “succeeding” project to Doggystyle? Do you think the duo will actually drop it in July? Does this have the potential to be one of the best records of 2024? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Tha Dogg Pound, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
In April 2024, Eminem announced he would release his 12th studio album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), in the summer. The announcement sparked excitement among the rapper’s fan base and marked his return four years after his last album, Music to be Murdered By. Eminem released his upcoming album’s lead single, “Houdini,” on May 31. “Houdini” showed Eminem remains the “Rap God” as he stayed true to his style. He stirred controversy with some of his lyrics, including his bars about Tory Lanez’s shooting of Megan Thee Stallion. Eminem also showed his creative genius as the song revived Steve Miller’s classic 1982 tune, “Abracadabra.”
“Houdini” took the internet by storm thanks to its catchy hook and lyrics, which brought back memories of Eminem’s Slim Shady era. The “My Name Is” and “Without Me” references are hard to miss. Eminem released the “Houdini” single alongside a music video and featured several celebrities, including Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, and Eminem’s children. Let’s explore all the celebrity cameos in Em’s latest music video.
The “Houdini” Music Video Plot
Eminem’s alter ego, the Real Slim Shady, is back. The “Houdini” music video shows how the blonde Slim Shady entered a portal in 2002 and found himself in today’s present world. Dr. Dre alerts Eminem about Shady’s presence, and they team up to take him down in true superhero style. However, before they get to Slim, he wreaks havoc across the city in his bid to cancel the present-day Eminem. Eventually, Em, dressed in the Rap Boy costume, meets Shady and engages in a battle. However, there is no victor as both merge to become a hybrid individual.
Eminem “Houdini” Video Celebrity Cameos: Paul Rosenburg
The “Houdini” video begins with Eminem’s longtime friend and manager, Paul Rosenburg, calling to tell him he heard the album and wishing him luck. Paul playfully states, “Hey Em, it’s Paul. I was listening to the album. Good f**king luck, you are on your own.”
Dr. Dre acts as one of the main characters in the “Houdini” video. He is the first to call Em to let him know Slim Shady has entered 2024 via a mysterious portal. He drives Eminem around the city to find the rampaging Slim Shady. At first, Dr. Dre and Eminem have a little fight in the car but get along just fine.
As Eminem’s “Houdini” video progressed to the chorus, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Westside Boogie, and Denaun Porter made cameos. The four rappers lined up in a book panel reacted to the news that Slim Shady was back in the city by singing “Guess Who’s Back.” The chorus offered a fresh version of “Without Me’s” evergreen hook, which Em paid homage to in “Houdini.”
While Dr. Dre and Eminem continue searching for the latter’s younger self, Slim Shady walks into an underground cipher. There, he meets producer and DJ Alan Daniel Maman, popularly known as The Alchemist. However, Slim Shady looks perplexed and disappointed with what he sees in the cipher but eventually steps into a circle.
Slim Shady’s quest for destruction sees him burst through a podcast room where he meets Shane Gillis and Royce da 5’9. Gillis and Royce are engaging in a discussion about who the best MC of all time is. Slim Shady becomes upset with the conversation and disrupts proceedings. He steals a microphone before flipping a table and exiting, leaving Royce and Shane terrified.
Jimmy Iovine
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 05: (L-R) Eminem, Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre speak onstage at WSJ. Magazine 2014 Innovator Awards at Museum of Modern Art on November 5, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
After Eminem and Slim Shady engaged in a battle and fused, they became an unholy hybrid. The monster they create comprises the best and worst versions of Slim Shady and Marshall Mathers. The effect is that Eminem begins to diss his closest friends and family members. Eminem’s longtime friend and Interscope Geffen’s CEO, Jimmy Iovine, is one of the first casualties of the monster. Iovine appears in the “Houdini” video, looking confused and shocked as he listens to Marshall insulting him.
Eminem’s Three Kids Make Appearance In “Houdini” Video
Eminem’s three kids, Hailie, Alaina, and Stevie, were not spared from the onslaught. In the “Houdini” video, the trio was on a video call with their dad, who dissed them by rapping, “F**k my own kids, they are brats/They can screw off.” The rapper’s children reacted to his diss by opening their mouths in shock.
Pete Davidson is the last celebrity to appear in Eminem’s “Houdini” video. Dr. Dre, who had been driving Eminem through the city, gets uncomfortable after the hybrid Marshall insults him and others. Hence, he exits the vehicle, after which Pete shows up. The comedian sports a similar look to the hybrid Eminem. He has the same blonde haircut and wears an all-black ensemble. Pete gets into the yellow Lamborgini and sits in the driver’s seat. He tells Eminem, “Trust me, I’m a great driver. Don’t worry, I just got my license back.” However, that isn’t the case, as the video ends with Em and Pete crashing through other vehicles as they make their way through the city.
On this date three decades ago, Death Row Records producer and Dr. Dre’s brother Warren G dropped his debut album ‘Regulate…G Funk Era’.
Executive produced by the late Chris Lighty, The Def Jam/Violator signee took his solo act on the road and brought it cross country to NYC to distinguish himself from the rest of his legendary peers from Death Row Records. The strategy worked, with the album being certified platinum by the RIAA two years following its release.
The album’s title track is by far the most memorable track from the album, however, another track entitled “So Many Ways” made it into the 1995 Martin Lawrence/Will Smith silver screen smash Bad Boys.
Salute to Warren G, the late Nate Dogg, the late Chris Lighty, Dr. Dre, the Violator squad and Def Jam for this timeless piece of Hip Hop History!
Receiving a Death Row chain from the one and only Snoop Dogg is the highest honor, one that plenty of celebrities and notable colleagues have had the pleasure of experiencing. Add Matthew McConaughey onto that list, who recently showed off his new pendant to his son, and their excited reactions speak volumes. “Snoop, I mean, are you reading my mail or am I reading yours?” the actor asked in front of one of Tha Doggfather’s framed records in the clip below. The two are great friends and co-stars of the 2019 stoner comedy The Beach Bum, for which they had many stories to share.
However, not every celebrity’s interaction with Snoop Dogg external to hip-hop is as wholesome, but he seems to take it in stride all the same. For example, he said that he loved the way that Luka Dončić talked trash to him (well, technically, the person sitting behind him) during Game 5 of the Dallas Mavericks versus the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday (May 30). Luka and Kyrie Irving’s Mavs ended up taking the game, and thus, the series. No matter who the superstar was speaking to, the Long Beach icon was all for it.
But if you didn’t think that there was some crossover between the sports world and Death Row chains, then you’d be sorely mistaken with Snoop Dogg’s game. Last year, Skip Bayless of the Undisputed sports talk show flexed some Death Row chains that the rapper gave him and his former co-host Shannon Sharpe. There’s plenty of love to go around for fans of the label and collective, and coming from Snoop, it carries a different kind of weight. After all, it’s not just the shiny jewelry that can hang heavy on your neck, but the legacy and approval of one of hip-hop’s most iconic and enduring movements.
Sure, there’s plenty of controversy behind Death Row Records, but Snoop Dogg is doing a lot these days music-wise to bring the sunnier days back. We’ll see what the future holds for Death Row and the D-O-double-G, and whether Matthew McConaughey does anything special with his new ice. There will surely be another bestowed chain to talk about soon. That’s just the Snoop way of giving back and making sure you look nice for the next photo op you get with him.
Snoop Dogg is known for being a prolific artist, as he featured on hundreds of songs and made a ton of tracks for his solo catalog. He has already been a part of a new album from his close pals, Tha Dogg Pound, called W.A.W.G. (We All We Got). D-O-G-G was on eight of Kurupt and Daz Dillinger’s 14 cuts and in addition, he has a solo release today. For this single, “Cali 2 Canada”, Snoop Dogg is working with more California greats, this time in the form of Warren G.
While there is a chance this is just a loosie, this record does have some affiliation with something larger. According to Vibe, Snoop and Warren will be heading up to our friends up north in Canada. In fact, they will be making their way up there in just a couple of days, as the Cali To Canada Tour begins on June 3. It features 11 dates and will go through June 25 in Vancouver.
Listen To “Cali 2 Canada” By Snoop Dogg & Warren G
Also joining them is the equally pivotal figure DJ Quik, so it should be one heck of a tour. On “Cali 2 Canada”, Snoop Dogg and Warren G are trading bars with ease and providing the ol’ reliable bounce of G-funk. This track may not be anything too special, but it is a solid formula that both artists have nailed throughout the course of their storied careers. You can check out the single with the link above.
What are your thoughts on “Cali 2 California” by Snoop Dogg and Warren G? Is this the best song that Snoop has been a part of today, why or why not? Do you think a new album could be in the works? What was your favorite aspect of the track? Who had the better performance? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Snoop Dogg and Warren G. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Quotable Lyrics:
These n****s keep singin’ like makin’ a band For instance, my interests, we makin’ it grand Snoop and Warren, we tourin’ again, soarin’ again Flyin’ to the highest of heights A lot of motherf***ers wanna try to live this life But they can’t, and they won’t
As Luka Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals, Snoop Dogg enjoyed the superstar’s trash-talking skills. As the Mavericks defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, Doncic seemed to direct some disparaging remarks toward the rap icon, who was seated in the front row. This event was caught on camera by both the TV broadcast and spectator film from inside the arena. The Mavericks superstar could be seen saying, “Who’s crying, muthafucka?” in the direction of Snoop, who reacted by laughing.
Many people watching on TV thought the dig was aimed at Snoop, who was shown reacting to the trash talk. Subsequently, it was discovered that Doncic was indeed responding to a spectator sitting immediately behind Snoop, who had been making fun of the NBA All-Star the entire time. Snoop was spotted shaking his head in shock when Luka banked a three-pointer off the glass during the fourth quarter, demonstrating how much he loved the non-trash talk performance. Overall, Luka put on a show, and Snoop loved it.
Naturally, Doncic had the last laugh as he led the Mavericks to a 123-103 victory over the Timberwolves. As a result, they will now play the Boston Celtics in the 2024 Finals, which get underway on June 6. In the first quarter, Doncic outscored the Timberwolves on his own, finishing with 20 points on 8 of 11 shots. Snoop Dogg was there to witness everything and is clearly down for Doncic’s trash talk and ability to back it up.
The Magic Johnson Western Conference MVP Award went to Luka Doncic. Next week, the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics will square off in the NBA Finals. There will be a lot on the line in this clash with some major star power. Luka Doncic is attempting to win his first title. Luka’s overall goal will be to establish himself as one of the greats with a chip. Overall, we are hoping to see Snoop Dogg get in on some NBA Finals action. Hopefully, for the Celtics, fans don’t poke at Luka because it did not go over well in Minnesota.
Megan Thee Stallion Fans Rally Behind Her Amid AI Sex Tape Scandal, She Gets Emotional Onstage
