Snoop Dogg has long been considered one of Hip Hop’s all-time greats, and being self-aware is one of the many reasons why.
On Thursday (June 15), Audible released From the Streets, to the Suites featuring stories from the Long Beach rapper’s storied career as part of its Words + Music series. One story in particular he opens up about is the recording of “Drop It Like It’s Hot” with Pharrell Williams.
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“[Pharrell’s] in the back with the keyboards, it’s just him and the engineer,” Snoop said of his session with Skateboard P in an exclusive clip obtained by Billboard. “He ain’t even got the beat all the way made. This how this n-gga get down, he don’t say words, he just [imitates Pharrell’s vocalizations], so it’s my job to make that shit make sense!”
When the West Coast icon heard Pharrell’s verse for the 2004 hit, it prompted him to up his game: “This n-gga done took the bar all the way … I cannot let Pharrell out-rap me on my muthafuckin’ song!”
Tha Doggfather also talks about Pharrell’s constructive feedback and how he likes being challenged because it brings out the best in him.
“That third verse … that ain’t it,” he remembered the Neptunes producer saying, after which Snoop bounced back with an ever stronger 16. “That’s what I mean about ‘I like to be produced.’” The single went on to reach No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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In the same spirit but far more intense, the “Lodi Dodi” rapper referred to Dr. Dre as his “worse critic” at the time: “This n-gga don’t like nothing! I’m scared he gon’ come and say he don’t like it!”
However, when it came to “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” even the N.W.A founder was taken aback: “N-gga, this shit right here off the hook! This shit bomb, n-gga! Y’all did that!”
In a separate and equally modest story from the audiobook, Snoop talks about the disappointment he felt after he didn’t win Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1995 Grammy Awards for “Gin and Juice.” Despite the upset, the person he lost to was the one who consoled him.
“Queen Latifah approached me about that song,” he explained. “Me and her was nominated for a Grammy for [‘Gin and Juice’] against ‘U.N.I.T.Y..’ She won and I was hurt, but she was like, ‘N-gga, I love ‘Gin and Juice.’ That’s my favorite shit.’ So then I got unhurt fast.”
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He added: “You know a muthafucka get hurt ’cause he lose and shit. But I’m like, damn this is the Queen, n-gga. Bow down. This is the muthafuckin’ queen, and she told me that. She said: ‘But, I love ‘Gin and Juice,’ that’s my favorite shit.’ So I was like you know what? I can take that L.”
