Dr. Dre has reportedly gone back in time with his enthusiasm for Snoop Dogg’s new album, which mirrors that of his classic 1992 debut The Chronic.
In a recent interview with AllHipHop, Grammy Award-winning producer Smitty, who has worked with both of the West Coast legends, gave some insight into the studio sessions and overall energy surrounding Snoop’s forthcoming album Missionary, which is being produced by Dr. Dre.
AD LOADING...
“It’s gonna be great music,” Smitty said. “That’s not even the given. What people won’t expect is the level of execution that Snoop is committed to. Snoop’s in his bag.
“I was in Hawaii working with other projects last week. He called me — I’m three hours behind, it has to be 8 in the morning — he’s like ‘Man, this is Snoop. Little bro, I ain’t seen Dre this excited since The Chronic. He’s really excited about what we’re doing.’
AD LOADING...
“I said, ‘Nah, you think?’ He said, ‘Y’all ain’t got what we got. Y’all go on trips on yachts with him, record and all that shit,’ because that’s how we started.”
He continued: “He took us on a yacht trip to Croatia. We were recording every day, we had three records for Snoop. When we came back, Snoop said ‘Yo, this could be something!’ That’s what set the plug, that’s what started it. That’s the last thing Snoop said to me: ‘Man, he’s really excited.’ And Snoop’s commitment to execution makes us all humble.
AD LOADING...
“I’ve seen Snoop come in and not be in the mood to record, and he’ll still give it his all. Because a lot of people are intimidated to record with Dre. I’ve seen some of the biggest names not want to record with him because he’s that meticulous. He’ll make you do the line over and over a thousand times, then tomorrow say, ‘Yeah, I was wrong.’
“That’s him. It takes a certain level of commitment to even rock with him.”
Snoop Dogg first announced that he was dropping a new album with Dr. Dre during an appearance on Stephen A. Smith’s Know Mercy podcast last October.
“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,” Snoop said. “It’s produced by Dr. Dre, it’s our 30th anniversary to Doggystyle. And the name of the album is Missionary.”
AD LOADING...
When Smith asked: “Why that name?” Snoop replied: “The first album was Doggystyle,” prompting a roar of laughter from the sports personality. “That is beautiful. I love it, man,” Smith remarked.
In February, the Long Beach legend took to Instagram to share a throwback photo of himself and the Doctor while confirming that new material from them will be released in the coming months.
“Dynamic. Duo,” he wrote in the caption. “Music comin summer 23.”
AD LOADING...
Dr. Dre produced the entirety of Snoop Dogg’s 1993 debut Doggystyle, which was home to hits such as “Gin and Juice” and “Who Am I (What’s My Name?).” The collaborative effort came on the heels of Snoop’s breakout appearances on Dre’s The Chronic, including the hit single “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang.”
The West Coast duo continued their collaborative success on hits such as “Still D.R.E.” and “The Next Episode” from Dre’s 1999 sophomore album, 2001.
