Given everything that has transpired between Eminem and Snoop Dogg of late, including the welcome revelation that the legendary emcees had officially made peace, it feels appropriate to highlight a song that bridges the gap between them. Though not a collaboration by any means, on Snoop's 2006 album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, producer Dr. Dre came through with his own interpretation of the iconic "Stan" sample. The end result is "Round Here," a brooding gangsta-rap anthem brimming with calculated menace from the Doggfather, who proved once again that Dre beats are truly his element.
As Snoop once took issue with the comparisons between "Round Here" and "Stan," it's important to examine the former on the basis of its own merit. Thematically, Snoop paints a vivid picture of his stomping ground and the dangerous dynamics that exist within. Respected across all corners, Snoop observes his surroundings with icy detachment, a birds-eye observer. "You can't walk through the Beach unless you walk with a piece," he raps, over mournful guitars. "You can't talk to police cause most police is like me / They get that cheddar like they want it, take yo shit in the streets." As additional elements are brought into the mix, including gothic bells and jazzy piano riffs, "Round Here" makes for one of Snoop's most immersive cuts to this day.
Check it out now, and be sure to revisit Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, one of Snoop's more underrated albums.
QUOTABLE LYRICS
You'll get beat outside the set and then sent home in your stretch, this shit is a mess
You can't walk in them streets unless you walk with your vest
You can't talk to police cause most police ain't gon' stress
They get that cheddar like they want it with they foot in your chest
