“Gangsta Luv” by Snoop Dogg

Over the course of a nearly thirty year career, Snoop Dogg has done it all. Undoubtedly one of hip-hop’s greatest pioneers, the Doggfather of gangsta rap has continually evolved over the years, and crossed over to the mainstream like no other rapper before or since. He’s done movies, sitcoms, talk shows, sports shows, and even had a cooking show with Martha Stewart. He’s started his own youth football league, and has also taken a turn at reggae music. Through all of this, Snoop has always stayed true to himself, which is why he has remained one of America’s most beloved entertainers. “Gangsta Luv” is off his tenth studio album, Malice n Wonderland, and features a guest appearance from R&B singer/producer The-Dream.

The song is heavily influenced by the musical stylings of The-Dream. It’s musically much more R&B than hip-hop, and is bolstered by the groovey keyboard sample that is sprinkled throughout the track. However, once Snoop begins rapping the verse there is no doubt that this is a hip-hop song. He varies his flow in parts to better suit the beat but at the end of the day this is 100% Snoop Dogg, which again goes to show his adaptability to almost any genre of music.

The music video begins with The-Dream driving down the Pacific Coast Highway in a baby blue Cadillac Low-Rider. Snoop’s sitting in the back seat as the intro to the song begins, and we see The-Dream playing the piano sample on a dashboard keyboard. They pick up some girls at the beach, and we see that some of them are dressed in chucks with their bathing suits, solidifying that this video is definitely in California. Throughout the rest of the video, the appearance of Snoop, The-Dream and the girls change as the car travels through different places. The-Dream drives the car though the city during the day and at night, and even through a women’s locker room and football stadium. It’s in these latter scenes where Snoop is wearing a lot of Pittsburgh Steelers gear that he pairs with black chucks and gold shoelaces, showing his team spirit while still keeping true to his Long Beach roots. This car bit is actually a tribute to the opening-credits sequences of the Naked Gun films. It’s a fun music video that shows off Snoop’s LA lifestyle and swagger perfectly.