The Best of Snoop Dogg [Clean] [Edited] (CD - 2005)

Liner Note Author: Kimberly N. Cooper.

Photographers: Don Mason; John Marcotte; Andrew Robinson.

It's easy to take Snoop Dogg for granted, especially given the inconsistency of much of his output. It's also easy to forget that he's one of the best MCs in the game, with a delivery so smooth, laid-back, and distinctive that it slides through speaker systems like butter.

Although this Capitol collection excludes tracks from Snoop's landmark DOGGYSTYLE album, it still does fans a great service by skimming the cream from his four albums released between 1998 and 2002. There are plenty of highlights, including the smooth Neptunes-produced R&B throwback, "Beautiful," and several tracks from Snoop's brief enlistment in Master P's No Limit army. Even the less stellar material, filled with funk-drenched jams and Snoop's inimitable flow, is hard to resist, making it a good bet for those seeking an overview of Snoop's turn-of-the-millennium albums.

The tracks on this compilation cover 1998 through 2002, a period filled with plenty of artistic, commercial, and personal ups and downs for Snoop Dogg. It's simply a selection of highlights from Da Game Is to Be Sold Not to Be Told, No Limit Top Dogg, Tha Last Meal, and Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$. Priority thankfully resisted the temptation to throw in a couple exclusives, so it cuts right to the chase, offering a pretty even spread between the four albums, rendering them all but obsolete for casual fans. The only missing chart entries from this phase: two tracks from tha Eastsidaz's self-titled album, along with a track each from the Dr. Dolittle 2 and Baby Boy soundtracks. Though Snoop was responsible for plenty of filler on each of the albums, few MCs have pulled off such a range of work with such a high level of finesse, from the Premier-produced "The One and Only" (raw, in your face) to the Neptunes-produced "Beautiful" (smooth, laid-back). A lot of people -- fans and haters alike -- declared Snoop's career dead once the disastrous first No Limit album came out, so the MC himself must feel at least a little vindicated that this set exists. [A clean version of the album was also released.] ~ Andy Kellman minimize