“Go to Church” by Ice Cube

with Snoop Dogg, and Lil Jon

Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg are two of the founding fathers of West Coast hip-hop, while Lil Jon brought Southern Crunk to the mainstream. There’s a combined 90+ years of experience between these three pillars of the hip-hop community, so when they get together you’re bound to get something incredibly special. “Go to Church” is the second single of Ice Cube's seventh studio album, Laugh Now, Cry Later, and was released in June, 2006. Featuring a verse from Snoop, and production and ad-libs from Lil Jon, the song peaked at 67 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-hop Chart.

This song is a pure unabashed, braggadocious anthem from Cube and Snoop. The central theme is that they are as real as real can get, and that if you can’t handle it then take yourself to church. There’s no room for sanctimony here, as Cube and Snoop are trading lethal lines about their lives and reputations. Lil Jon’s production has always been highly underrated, and he produced an incredibly infectious beat.

The music video begins with Lil Jon playing an electronic organ, miming the key motif of the beat. Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg come in riding lowrider bikes, with Lil Jon then joining them. The video takes place on a blistering white soundstage adorned with lowriders, motorcycles, bikini clad girls, and a giant, inflatable Westcoast hand sign. The three dance, strut, and flaunt themselves in front of the camera for the whole video, using their larger than life personalities to fill the screen. Don “Magic” Juan, The Clipse, Bubba Sparxxx, WC, Ying Yang Twins, DJ Crazy Toones, Billie Joe Armstrong and Katt Williams all make cameo appearances to spice up the video. This video is very mid-2000’s hip-hop, with its baggy clothes and excess bling, but one thing that is utterly timeless is Snoop Dogg wearing chucks. Snoop’s been wearing chucks since he first appeared in Dr. Dre videos in the early nineties, and in this video he wears three different pairs: a blue pair, a green pair, and a black pair with neon yellow shoelaces for his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers.