Artist: Dam-Funk & Snoopzilla
Album: 7 Days of Funk
Released: December 10, 2013
Is there anyone else out there whom, after hearing “Sexual Eruption” from Snoop, said more than once, “Damn, I wish there was a whole album of Snoop on this tip?” Lo and behold, that album has arrived.
Uncle Snoop has linked up with Stones Throw’s master and L.A. Times-dubbed reigning ambassador of modern funk, Damon Riddick b.k.a. Dam-Funk, to create Voltron in the form of a synthesized G-Funk and R&B album. It’s G-Funk meets Funkadelic. Doggystyle meets Toeachizown. It’s 7 Days of Funk.
It’s funny it took 15 years of living a half-hour from each other for these two modern ambassadors of West Coast music to meet and create this magic (Snoop is from Long Beach, Dam is from Pasadena).
But while the DoggFather of Death-Row was carving out Hip Hop history on his way toward becoming every one’s favorite Uncle Snoop, Damon Riddick was in his bedroom, putting in over a decade of dedication and affection toward keeping the lost art of synthetic funk and rhythm & blues alive. After being discovered by Stones Throw founder Peanut Butter Wolf and being thrust into the underground spotlight with a niche sound, uniquely nostalgic appeal, a keytar and breakout album, Toeachizown, Dam’s earned a very loyal following over the years. Among them, one very well known and avid lover of the funk, Snoop D-O-double.
The result: 7 Days of Funk.
In harmony with Dam’s stellar, time-portal opening production laced with synthesized melodies, booming drums, thick-as-space-goo, electric basslines and other fun stuff, Snoop has morphed into “Snoopzilla” giving us the groove that made us fall in love with Doggystyle, except he brought it to the space age. Both rapping and singing on this excursion into the (Dam-)funkmosphere, his verses sound like they’re in the passenger side of a lowrider riding on its side in the Jetsons era, throughout the entire project. Positive without being preachy, hood pass still intact with no need to flash it, Snoop’s flow and song-writing is mature and in tune with much of the themes of classic funk (i.e. having a good time, love, drugs, and seduction) while still keeping it G’d up as he was in ’93.
The album makes its G-ness clear from the jump with the hypnotic and heavy-hitting opener, “Hit Da Pavement,” laced with obese, reverberated G-funk era drums, dark and lulling keys floating along with a grimy, fuzzed out bassline and Snoop light-heartedly flaunting, “I live with a maid // I won’t be happy ’til my whole team paid // From my mama to my daddy, to my kids, to my wife // And all my kinfolks in the afterlife…”
From there, it only gets more groovy. From the Steve Arrington (legendary frontman of legendary funk band, Slave) assisted, “1Question?,” a smooth milky-way cruise of a lovers’ lament to the album’s “Sexual Eruption”-esque (except more sincere) breakout track,“Faden Away,” Dam & Snoop’s musical chemistry goes without saying. Their mutual love of “the funk” has created an incredibly organic, sonically seductive bond and perhaps the first successful modern funk album to hit a commercial level. Every track is a hitter.
One common critique that has been voiced in the air (at least to this particular writer’s attention), mostly by hip hoppers thirsty for classic Snoop, has been Snoop’s “lack of rapping.” But where there might be a “lack of rapping” there is a beautiful compensation of melodic harmonies, groovy hooks, lushly-produced soundscapes, and, for those avid fans of rap listening to the album, appearances from Kurupt and Tha Dogg Pound to add even more G to the Funk.
For those who may be looking for straight raps over funk instrumentals on this album, please be encouraged to open your ear to a wider range of style. Snoop is a known connoisseur of many styles of music and, as demonstrated by his more recent projects (i.e. Reincarnated), is able to adapt to many different genres. While he may not be rippity-rapping throughout the entire affair, it’s evident in the songwriting and energy behind this album that it is a complete passion project. “You may think I’ve had enough, but it’s must I find my way back to the funk” Snoop raps on “I’ll Be There 4U.” Everything about the god on this album feels very organic and sincere.
In addition to this being one of Dam-Funk’s best production efforts in his catalogue (it is a production masterpiece, in fact), 7 Days of Funk is perhaps Snoop’s most enjoyable album to listen to in years. A bunch of years.
Is this the breaking in of a new era of Funk? Time will tell.
For now, this album is beautiful and funky as Bootsy Collins’ boots must be.
Peace to the gods Dam & Uncle Snoop,
& peace to you. Let this record rock and let loose.
Follow
