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 We all know what Snoop is about, clothes, bankrolls, and pimpin' hoes. The real question is: after a few albums of exploring those topics, has the novelty has worn off? With this new album Snoop picked up features from some old and new faces in an attempt to keep his style up-to-date and current, despite using the same old formula.
While the good songs on the 14-track album aren't hard to come by, they are far from being great and even farther from sounding new. Snoop understands who his audience is and the importance of the hook, so songs that shouldn't get a replay, do. "Different Languages" featuring Jazmine Sullivan is a perfect example. Jazmine owns the chorus despite the weird audio effect, and it's nice to hear Snoop change it up a little and rap about his significant other. It's nearly impossible to go wrong with a track from The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, and "Gangsta Luv" is no different, you instantly memorize The-Dream's albeit very simple hook, and at the end of the song realize you have no clue what Snoop said.
Rapper/singer Kokane reworks the chorus from The Romantics" hit "Talking In Your Sleep" to fit the gangsta-inspired song "Secrets" and reminds listeners that it's hard not to love G-Funk. The best song on the album is perhaps, "Pimpin Aint EZ" featuring R. Kelly, the production from Nottz is on point, Kellz does his thing on the hook, and who better to talk about pimpin' than Snoop.
"I Wanna Rock" features knocking production from Scoop DeVille but add in Snoop's easy-going voice, and the club-ready track loses something. It could have easily been a hit if it fell into the hands of another rapper. "Pronto" has an auto-tune equipped Soulja Boy Tell' Em on the chorus, and would have been one of Soulja Boy's better songs, but it is without a doubt one of Snoop's worst.
Though he has made a plethora of songs about his lack of love for hoes, Snoop is at his best on Malice when he's paying homage to the woman in his life. The aforementioned "Gangsta Luv" and "Different Languages" set the tone for the softer side of Snoop but the Brandy and Pharrell assisted "Special" is one of the best songs Snoop has done in years and should definitely be the next single off of the album.
Malice falls into the grey area between good and bad, and simply put is an extension of his last 2 albums. If you are looking for anything new, you've picked the wrong artist. But, if you like his past work and don't mine hearing it almost verbatim, then this CD won’t disappoint. The songs are light on content, for the most part club-ready, and full of Snoop's addictive persona.
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