Tha Doggfather

Tha Doggfather

Company type	Studio album
Industry	Music
Founded	November 12, 1996 (1996-11-12)
Founder	Snoop Doggy Dogg
Headquarters	United States
Products	Hip hop music album
Parent	Death Row Records, Interscope Records

Tha Doggfather represents the sophomore studio album effort by American hip-hop artist Snoop Doggy Dogg, officially released on November 12, 1996, through Death Row and Interscope Records. After the widespread acclaim of his debut Doggystyle (1993), Snoop encountered a murder accusation and devoted much of 1995 to legal preparations. Following his acquittal on February 20, 1996, he proceeded to develop this project without the involvement of Dr. Dre, who had produced his first album. This record was Snoop's last release on Death Row until 2022, when he regained ownership of the label’s trademarks and issued BODR. Additionally, it was the final album under the moniker Snoop Doggy Dogg before he shortened it to Snoop Dogg. Recording sessions spanned from February through October 1996, with Suge Knight acting as executive producer and production contributions from DJ Pooh, Daz Dillinger, Soopafly, and L.T. Hutton. Featured collaborators included Charlie Wilson, Kurupt, Tray Dee, and Warren G.

Upon release, the album entered the charts at number one during the week of November 12, 1996, moving 479,000 units in its first week, though it did not reach the commercial heights of Doggystyle. By late 1996, Dr. Dre had departed from Death Row, and Suge Knight was embroiled in racketeering allegations. Released just one week after Tupac Shakur’s posthumous album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory—which also debuted at number one—Tha Doggfather ultimately stalled at two million copies sold.

Background

Work on Doggystyle began in 1993 between Snoop and Dr. Dre and achieved significant popularity and critical praise. During this period, Snoop was charged with murder but was acquitted shortly before that album’s launch, prompting a shift away from the "gangsta" themes prevalent in his earlier work.

With Dr. Dre's exit from Death Row in 1996 to establish his own label, Snoop's cousin Daz Dillinger assumed the role of lead producer at Death Row and played a major part in crafting this album. The tragic death of Tupac Shakur—Snoop’s close friend and labelmate—in 1996 had a profound impact on him; Shakur makes an appearance on the closing track "Outro" under his alias "Makaveli".

Title and Artwork

The album’s name and cover art draw thematic inspiration from the classic 1972 film The Godfather. The artwork was designed by Darryl "Joe Cool" Daniel, Snoop Dogg’s cousin who also created the cover for Doggystyle. Daniel passed away in July 2024.

Production

Following Dr. Dre’s departure from Death Row Records, production and mixing responsibilities for most of this album were handled by DJ Pooh. Additional production input came from Daz Dillinger among others. In a 1996 interview, Snoop disclosed that he had intended to collaborate with Dr. Dre again on this project but was prevented by Suge Knight. The album incorporates samples from artists such as Run-D.M.C., Biz Markie, Zapp & Roger, and The Gap Band. Importantly, Tha Doggfather marked Snoop Dogg’s inaugural role as a record producer on the track "(O.J.) Wake Up", which also features keyboard work by producer L.T. Hutton.

Lyrics

Compared to Doggystyle, the lyrical content on Tha Doggfather is notably less aggressive and controversial, reflecting Snoop Dogg’s evolution as both an artist and a new father emphasizing more positive themes.

In a 2006 interview with VH1, Snoop described this album as a form of rebirth focusing on uplifting messages rather than endorsing the negativity often associated with Death Row Records. Although reception among fans and critics was mixed, he considers it a success: "I sign more Doggfather records than any other... I'm proud of what I did... sometimes you can outgrow your fans."

Critical reaction

The album garnered moderately positive reviews from critics and listeners upon its release. In a February issue of Spin, Dr. Dre expressed disappointment with the album, stating he disliked it due to repetitive themes.

Entertainment Weekly commended the fusion of classic funk elements with gangsta style despite Dr. Dre's absence from production but critiqued its recurring themes involving sex, drugs, and violence. Muzik praised Snoop’s lyrical delivery over an old-school influenced soundscape. Melody Maker ranked it number 49 in their 'Albums of the Year' for 1996. The Los Angeles Times highlighted Snoop's dynamic performance but noted that few beats matched his rapping skill; tracks like "Doggfather," "Freestyle Conversation," "Gold Rush," and their rendition of Biz Markie’s "Vapors" were singled out positively. They concluded that although it didn’t eclipse Doggystyle, Snoop demonstrated enduring talent.

According to The New York Times, the album was expected to reach top ten chart positions due to its emphasis on Snoop's hit-making abilities over gangster narratives. They observed less polished production compared to Dr. Dre’s work but acknowledged catchy bass lines and party vibes influenced by George Clinton's P-Funk style.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic noted that while the album was somewhat lengthy with less intricate production details, it featured improved rapping skills from Snoop combined with solid execution, making it a worthy follow-up to one of hip-hop’s landmark albums.

Commercial reception

Prior to release, there were concerns about whether internal label issues or Tupac Shakur's posthumous release The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory would overshadow this album; nevertheless, retailers predicted robust sales. Violet Brown, an urban music buyer for Wherehouse, remarked that competing rap albums adjusted their release schedules to avoid coinciding with Snoop Dogg's drop.

The album launched at number one selling 479,000 copies in its initial week while Shakur’s album remained at number two with 250,000 units in its second week. Though below the record first-week sales of Doggystyle (803,000), it ranked as the third-highest rap debut in 1996 behind Shakur's All Eyez on Me (566,000) and Killuminati (664,000), placing fourth overall behind Metallica's Load (680,000). To date, it has surpassed two million copies sold within the United States.

Commercial performance

Tha Doggfather entered at number one on both the US Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts with first-week sales totaling 479,000 copies. It achieved double platinum certification on February 4, 1997.

Track listing

Leftover tracks

Numerous songs recorded during these sessions surfaced later across compilations or subsequent releases including "Hit Rocks" featured on both SmokeFest World Tour and Dead Man Walkin; a reworked version titled "Buss'n Rocks" appearing on No Limit Top Dogg; tracks like "Gangstaz Life"; "Head Doctor" with contributions from Swoop G & Raphael Saadiq; "Work It Out" alongside Shaquille O'Neal and Mista Grimm; "Dogg Collar" included on Dr. Dre’s bonus CD for The Chronic Re-Lit; another remake "You Doin' Too Much" also on No Limit Top Dogg; collaborations such as "Street Life" featuring Tupac Shakur, Val Young and Prince Ital Joe; alternate takes like "Keep It Real Dogg" involving Mack 10 et al.; additional tracks including "Too Black", "Vapors [DJ Battlecat Remix]" found on Neva Left, as well as "Just Watching" involving multiple artists; "Out the Moon" by LBC Crew released via the Gridlock'd soundtrack; various compilations containing "C-Walkin"; songs like "Word On The Streets"; bonus material including "Quite Obvious" plus its alternate version "Pop Bloccin"; "Definition Of A Homeboy"; party track "Eastside Party" featuring Nate Dogg; collaborations such as "Too High (Poly High)" with Daz Dillinger & Big Pimpin'; soundtrack appearances like "Off The Hook" for Gridlock'd; along with "21st Street" plus an alternate titled "The Shhh For This". The song "Wanted Dead Or Alive", featuring Tupac Shakur also appeared on the soundtrack for Gridlock'd.

Charts

Weekly charts

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Chart (1996)	Peak position

!scope="row"|UK R&B Albums (UK R&B Chart)

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Year-end charts

Chart (1996)	Peak position
UK Top Selling Artist Albums	148
Chart (1997)	Peak position
US Billboard 200	43

See also

• List of UK R&B Chart number-one albums of 1996
• List of number-one albums of 1996 (U.S.)
• List of number-one R&B albums of 1996 (U.S.)

References

• "Snoop Doggy Dogg" Music Video Database. mvdbase.com. (Archived March 12, 2007)