Tha Last Meal

1	Intro 1:21
2	Hennesey N Buddah 4:11
3	Snoop Dogg (What's My Name, Pt. 2) 4:03
4	True Lies 4:00
5	Wrong Idea 4:14
6	Go Away 4:52
7	Set It Off 4:37
8	Stacey Adams 4:35
9	Lay Low / Master P 3:43
10	Bring It On 4:17
11	Game Court (Skit) 2:10
12	Issues 2:35
13	Brake Fluid (Biiittch Pump Yo Brakes) 5:55
14	Ready 2 Ryde 4:21
15	Loosen' Control 4:08
16	I Can't Swim 4:16
17	Leave Me Alone 4:12
18	Back up off Me 5:15
19	Y'all Gone Miss Me 4:15

Barnes & Noble

The year 2000 has proved a confusing one for Snoop fans. First, the rapper's former label, Death Row Records, released Dead Man Walking, a controversial disc of Snoop outtakes, and then No Limit Records countered with an album of new recordings, The Last Meal. Although a quick listen to both records reveals that Snoop has yet to grow beyond glorifying tales of the gangsta-pimp lifestyle of fast cars, hustlin', and hos, you'd have a hard time proving that hip-hop's most beloved canine needs to evolve. Snoop's drawled, sing-song delivery remains distinctive, and he's able to rhyme with power and finesse over both fast and slow tracks. To keep things interesting, the Doggfather always packs his albums with spirited guest shots from his talented peers. On The Last Meal, production duties are shared by an assortment of sound wizards, most from Dr. Dre's stable. Dirty South beat-master Timbaland provides Snoop with the busy electro-shuffle "Snoop Dogg (What's My Name Pt. 2)" and the hardcore "Set It Off," featuring the Lady of Rage and N.W.A.'s MC Ren and Ice Cube. Elsewhere, Snoop shows he can hold his own with the best of 'em on producer Scott Storch's gangsta-girl tribute "Ready 2 Ryde," which pairs Snoop with Ruff Ryders first lady Eve, and the classic No Limit bounce cut "Back Up Off Me," featuring Master P. and Mr. Magic. Even if his O.G. ways haven't changed much since he released his definitive disc Doggystyle in '93, pimpin' has always been easy for the D-o-double g. Brian Coleman

All Music Guide

Snoop Dogg leaves much of his gang-banging past behind him in favor of preened pimp posturing on his final album for No Limit Records, The Last Meal. Snoop's increasingly old-school pose suits his gracefully aging self well. Despite his former affiliation with Death Row Records and his much-publicized murder trial, Snoop never seemed like much of a thug, which is partly why hostile albums like Tha Doggfather (1996) and Da Game Is to Be Sold Not to Be Told (1998) seemed a bit forced. Contrarily, it seems more natural for him to rap about the pampered pimp life, as he does here on The Last Meal -- tall glasses of Hennesey, glistening pairs of Stacey Adams, overcast clouds of chronic smoke, hungry hordes of so-called bitches -- over truck-rattling G-funk basslines that lope along at a languid tempo. These impressive beats come courtesy of a similarly impressive roster of producers: second-wave G-funksters Meech Wells, Battlecat, Jelly Roll, and Soopafly, and brand-name hitmakers Dr. Dre, Scott Storch, and Timbaland. Among this roster, Timbaland certainly stands out, as do his contributions, "Snoop Dogg (What's My Name, Pt. 2)" and "Set It Off," which place Snoop in an uncharacteristically energetic context. He handles himself well on these bouncy songs regardless, yet seems more at home on Dre's smoother contributions, "Hennesey n Buddah" and "Lay Low." Beyond these four tracks, the remaining 15 are a mixed bag, most of them Crip-walking along at a stoned tempo, featuring soulful P-funk hooks by Kokane and offering laid-back respite while this lengthy album moves leisurely toward its throwback album-capper, "Y'all Gone Miss Me." Following this misty-eyed finale, you're left with the thankful sense that Snoop has finally taken control of his career after succumbing to the oppressive fancy of Suge Knight and Master P ever since parting ways with Dr. Dre following Doggystyle (1993). Jason Birchmeier