Snoop Dogg, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment

When Snoop Dogg turned the air blue at Live8, was it a subtle reference to the gang colours of the Crips? The colour is all over his eighth album (hey, even his phone is Bluetooth) and it signals a return to his gangsta roots and the street sound of his breakthrough album, Doggystyle. The artfully constructed Candy is sensationally sparse, with just beats and bleeps backing Snoop and five gruff MCs; Crazy is based around little more than an elastic bass. His laid-back flow remains, whether he's promising ladies naughtiness on the brazenly uncensored I Wanna Fuck You, or dishing out dubious drive-by threats on Vato. Snoop has also reunited with G-funk maestro Dr Dre, and they share verses on Imagine where they ponder a hip-hop-free world: "Imagine if rap wasn't out yet/Imagine all this pain with no outlet." Now that's enough to make you feel blue.