7 Days of Funk: 7 Days of Funk – review

"When I'm recording as Snoopzilla, I'm basically an offspring of Bootsy Collins," says Snoop Dogg of his latest alter-ego (following reggae incarnation Snoop Lion). We've yet to check Jeremy Kyle's paternity tests, but Snoop's claim is a neat enough way of saying that this short collaboration with Dâm-Funk is, well, pretty damn funky. In fact, it's the kind of laidback, space-age funk that can be traced back through Snoop's G-funk roots and all the way back to psychedelic sonic adventurers like Funkadelic. Not since his debut album, Doggystyle, has Snoop worked exclusively with a single producer, and the rapper's main purpose here may well be to shine a light on the sample-free compositions of Damon G Riddick. Yet it's hard to escape the feeling this project is a labour of love for both players, with tracks such as Do My Thang counterbalancing woozy cushions of synth with organ-prodding stabs of bass. Until Snoop's next reincarnation, this is a welcome diversion.