If Hip Hop was a religion, an MC not writing his own rhymes might be considered blasphemous. Unlike other genres of music, MCs who typically spit raps written by others have been chastised (though Diddy and Dr. Dre seem to have gotten a pass). Now, with his super stardom bigger than ever, Snoop Dogg challenges the status quo.
In the current issue of XXL magazine, Snoop, “the only muthafucka that can do porno, coach football and have a cooking show”, openly admitted to having others write songs for him on his forthcoming album, Ego Trippin .
“I was watching Diana Ross get inducted into a Hall of Fame, and she got up there and named all of these great songwriters. Her biggest songs were written by somebody else”, Snoop says about the switch. “So I’m thinking, Wow, there’s nothing wrong with my pen, but I’m going to let other people write for me”.
The revelation may come as a shock to fans of the Dogg Father, but fans may be shocked further upon learning that one of the most creative songs to hit radio in some time, “Sensual Seduction”, is one of the tracks Snoop didn’t pen himself.
“My boy Shawty Red wrote the song, ”he reveals during the interview.
He goes on to possibly violate another of Hip Hop’s commandments by stating that he’s not into rapping as much as he used to be.
“I was probably a little doper back then, ”he says when asked about 1993. “Right now I’m into creating a lot of shit. Back then, I was just into rap—the style, the flow, fucking you up, the baddest muthafucka, the coldest vocalist.”
Snoop also discusses the late 2Pac ’s final days and sets the record straight on his involvement in the Death Row/Bad Boy beef.
The latest issue of XXL is on newsstands now.
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