Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss

Infobox Album
Name = Paid the Cost to Be the Bo$$
Type = Studio album
Artist = Snoop Dogg


Released = November 26, 2002
Recorded = 2002
Genre = Hip hop, Gangsta rap
Length = 78:59
Label = Priority/Capitol/EMI Records
7243 5 39157 2 8
P2-39157
Producer = Jelly Roll
Fredwreck
The Neptunes
DJ Premier
Hi-Tek
Reviews = * Allmusic rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0ekxikxsbb59 link]
* Entertainment Weekly (A-) [http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=5381202&style=music&cart=358537095&BAB=E link]
* HipHopDX.com rating|4|5 [http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/reviews/id.256/title.snoop-dogg-paid-the-cost-to-be-tha-boss link]
* Robert Christgau rating-Christgau|dud [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=3759 link]
* Rolling Stone rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/snoopdogg/albums/album/269733/review/6067744/paid_tha_cost_to_be_da_boss link]
* Spin rating|4|5 [http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=5381202&style=music&cart=358537095&BAB=E link]
* Uncut rating|3|5 [http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=5381202&style=music&cart=358537095&BAB=E link]
* VIBE rating|3.5|5 [http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=5381202&style=music&cart=358537095&BAB=E link]
Last album = "Snoop Dogg Presents...Doggy Style Allstars Vol. 1"
(2002)
This album = "Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$"
(2002)
Next album = ""
(2003)

"Paid the Cost to Be the Bo$$" is a Snoop Dogg album, released in 2002.

Album information

There were two singles releases that were followed by videos for TV promotion. Although both "From tha Chuuuch to da Palace" and "Beautiful" feature Pharrell, he was only invited to the latter video shot that took place in Brazil. They were directed by Bucky Chrome and Chris Robinson respectively, and also there are two street videos embedded in Snoop Dogg's "Boss Playa - a day in the life of Bigg Snoop Dogg" DVD, namely "Boss Playa" and "Pimp Slapp'd", both directed by Pook Brown, and there's also a third one made for the "That's the Shit", and a fourth one that can be seen in the Doggystyle porn DVD ("You Like Doin It Too") however these tracks are from the later unreleased project version of the album.

Thanks to the Brazilian eye-catching carnival-like scenes of the "Beautiful" video, the song became an instant hit and charted in almost every major country all around the world, helping the album to achieve Gold in 6 weeks and Platinum within four months. It reached the 60th spot on the LAUNCH Music Videos Top 100.

This album has six announced pre-released versions with different CD covers and several tracks not included in the final list.

Reception

"Professional reviews":

*Rolling Stone (1/23/03, p.67) - 3 stars out of 5 - "Snoop stretches his silky flow over tracks by underground ace Hi-Tek and the unstoppable Neptunes."
*Spin (2/03, p.100) - 8 out of 10 - "The most spirited pop record of his career....Paid Tha Cost is Snoop unleashed."
*Entertainment Weekly (12/13/02, p.82) - "Snoop is reborn, a gangsta rap granddaddy in recline." - Rating: A-
*Uncut (01/03, p.128) - 3 stars out of 5 - "He treads a line between loving monogamy and club bangers, emphasizing accessibility throughout."
*Vibe (1/03, pp.125-6) - 3.5 out of 5 - "His wordplay is still as nimble and quick as ever, giving the beats a beat down with newfound urgency."

Controversy

On March 24, 2003 a lawsuit was filed against Snoop Dogg, in which a Californian man (who kept his anonymity for security reasons) claimed that his life was endangered after the rapper had included, without his permission, a 50 second phone message the plaintiff had left in the album's last track, titled "Pimp Slapp'd". The message made fun of then Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight, ex-producer of Snoop Dogg and in jail at the time for the MGM arena mayhem, supporting Snoop Dogg in the rivalry between him and Knight. The man identified as John Doe left a voice message for Snoop last October, and for months was unaware that it had been included as part of a song on the album.

After hearing the track himself, the plaintiff called Snoop and inquired about the message's inclusion, to which he replied "because it was so real." John Doe, who was identified on the answering machine as Jim Bob, insisted the album be recalled and cancelled for distribution in its current form. The plaintiff lives in Compton as does Knight, who is known to still have affiliations with the Bloods gang. He stated in court papers that he had been threatened verbally several times and that he fears his and his mother's life due to Knight's close proximity. The judge dismissed a lawsuit for common law appropriation of voice and intentional infliction of emotional distress on February 3, 2004 because privacy can not be maintained while leaving a message on another's recording device. [ [http://www.celebritywonder.com/html/snoopdogg_trivia1.html Snoop Dogg News and Trivias at CelebrityWonder.com ] ] [ [http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/pslappd1.html The Smoking Gun: Archive ] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/2891741.stm BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Music | Rapper sued over phone message ] ]

Tracklisting

# "Don Doggy"
# "Da Bo$$ Would Like to See You" (Produced by E-Swift)
# "Stoplight" (Produced by Jelly Roll)
# "From tha Chuuuch to da Palace" (featuring Pharrell) (Produced by The Neptunes)
# "I Believe in You" (featuring LaToiya Williams) (Produced by Hi-Tek)
# "Lollipop" (featuring Soopafly, Jay-Z, Nate Dogg) (Produced by Just Blaze)
# "Ballin" (featuring The Dramatics) (Produced by Battlecat)
# "Beautiful" (featuring Pharrell Williams, Charlie Wilson) (Produced by The Neptunes)
# "Paper'd Up" (featuring Kokane, Traci Nelson) (Produced by Fredwreck)
# "Wasn't Your Fault" (Produced by L.T. Hutton)
# "Bo$$ Playa" (Produced by Fredwreck)
# "Hourglass" (featuring Kokane, Goldie Loc) (Produced by Jelly Roll)
# "The One And Only" (Produced by DJ Premier)
# "I Miss That Bitch" (featuring E-White) (Produced by Hi-Tek)
# "From Long Beach 2 Brick City" (featuring Redman, Nate Dogg) (Produced by Fredwreck)
# "Suited N Booted" (Produced by Meech Wells, co-produced by Quaze Harris)
# "You Got What I Want" (featuring Charlie Wilson, Goldie Loc, Ludacris) (Produced by Jelly Roll)
# "Batman & Robin" (featuring Lady of Rage, RBX) (Produced by DJ Premier)
# "Message 2 Fat Cuzz"
# "Pimp Slapp'd" (Produced by Josef Laimberg)

Credits

* Executive producer: Bigg Snoop Dogg
* Vice president of Doggystyle Records: Shanté Broadus
* General manager of Doggy Style Records: Lupe Ceballos
* Vice president of A&R/marketing: Ted Chung
* Direction of radio promotions: La Angie Fuller
* New media manager: Karan Wadhera
* Studio manager: Darrin "Nomad" Jacskon
* Cartoon illustration: Darryl "Cuzzin Joe Cool" Daniel
* Cartoon colouring: Joe Ceballos
* Graphic designer: Constan Hermano Q
* Photography: Anthony Mandler, aRT miX the Agency
* Art direction: Eric Roinestad
* Album sequencing: Snoop Dogg, Fredwreck, Nomad
* Mastering: Brian "Big Bass" Gardner
* Sample clearance: Nanci Stern, Robin Hill, James Rainey

Other version

"Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$" (French Edition 2CD)

CD1

# "Don Doggy"
# "Da Boss Would Like to See You"
# "Stoplight"
# "From tha Chuuch to da Palace" (Feat. Pharrell)
# "I Believe in You" (Feat. LaToiya Williams)
# "Lollipop" (Feat. Soopafly, Jay-Z & Nate Dogg)
# "Ballin'" (Feat. The Dramatics & Lil' Half Dead)
# "Beautiful" (Feat. Pharrell & Charlie Wilson)
# "Paper'd Up" (Feat. Traci Nelson, Kokane)
# "It Wasn't Your Fault"
# "Boss Playa"
# "Hourglass" (Feat. Kokane & Goldie Loc)
# "The One and Only"
# "I Miss That Bitch" (Feat. E-White)
# "From Long Beach 2 Brick City" (Feat. Warren G, Redman & Nate Dogg)
# "Suited N Booted"
# "You Got What I Want" (Feat. Charlie Wilson, Goldie Loc & Ludacris)
# "Batman & Robin" (Feat. RBX & Lady of Rage)
# "A Message 2 Fat Cuzz" (Interlude)
# "Pimp Slapp'd"

CD2

# "Mission Cleopatra (Feat. Jamel Debbouze)"

Previous versions

"Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$" (pre-release)

# "Whatever" (ft E-White)
# "Time Goes On" (ft Kokane)
# "Doe Doe" (ft Soopafly & E-White)
# "That's the Shit" (ft The Neptunes)
# "Suited and Booted"
# "Can't Control These Hoes"
# "Ballin" (ft The Dramatics)
# "From Long Beach 2 Brick City (original)" (ft Redman & Nate Dogg)
# "We Gonna Handle It" (ft Kokane)
# "Like Doing It Too"
# "Get the Fuck Out" (ft Fiend)
# "It's The" (ft E White)
# "Reunion" (ft Bad Azz, Soopafly, Warren G & Daz Dillinger)
# "By My Side"
# "God Bless" (ft E-White, Soopafly & Kokane)
# "From tha Chuuch to da Palace" (ft The Neptunes)
# "Lollipop (original)" (ft Soopafly)
# "Pimp Slapp'd"

"Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$" (bootleg)

# "Whatever" ft. E White
#* Produced by Michael Angelo Saulsberry
# "There Were Times" ft. Marvin Gaye & Kokane
#* Produced by Battlecat
# "Twenty Minutes Part II" ft. Goldie Loc
#* Produced by Fredwreck
# "On the Mash" ft. Kokane
#* Produced by
# "You Like Doin' It Too" ft. Soopafly
#* Produced by Soopafly
# "Boss Up"
#* Produced by Fredwreck
# "Pimp On" ft. Tha Eastsidaz
#* Produced by Fredwreck
# "I Just Can't Take It" ft. Kokane
#* Produced by Meech Wells
# "For Real" ft. Kokane
#* Produced by Meech Wells
# "Tell Me What U Really Want"
#* Produced by Battlecat
# "Gangsta Wit It" ft. Nate Dogg & Butch Cassidy
#* Produced by Battlecat
#* (song also featured on the "Bones houndtrack")
# "Ballin'" ft. The Dramatics
#* Produced by Battlecat

"Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$" (advance versions)

Tracks combined from three different advance versions:

# "Whatever" ft. Johnny Chronic
#* Produced by Michael Angelo Saulsberry
# "Time Goes On" ft. Kokane
#* Produced by Battlecat
# "Doe Doe" ft. Soopafly & E White
#* Produced by Hi-Tek
# "That's the Shit"
#* Produced by Jazze Pha
# "Suited and Booted"
#* Produced by Meech Wells
# "Can't Control These Hoes" ft. Ginuwine
#* Produced by Timbaland
# "Ballin'" ft. Dramatics & Lil' 1/2 Dead
#* Produced by Battlecat
# "The Way You Shake It" ft. Redman & Nate Dogg
#* Produced by Battlecat
# "Like Doing It Too" ft. Soopafly
#* Produced by Soopafly
# "Get the Fuck Out" ft. Fiend
#* Produced by Beats by the Pound
# "It's the Dogg" ft. E White
#* Produced by Fred Wreck
#* Drums by Battlecat
# "Family Reunion" ft. Daz, Warren G, Bad Azz & Soopafly
#* Produced by Battlecat
# "By My Side (Funny How Time Flies)"
#* Produced by Battlecat
# "DoggHouse America (God Bless)" ft. DoggHouse All Stars
#* Produced by Battlecat
#: "— From the old promo, and some of them also on the new —"
# "There Were Times" ft. Marvin Gaye & Kokane
#* Produced by Battlecat
# "Twenty Minutes Part II" ft. Goldie Loc
#* Produced by Fred Wreck
# "On the Mash" ft. Kokane
#* Produced by Battlecat
# "Boss Up"
#* Produced by Fred Wreck
# "Pimp On" ft. Eastsidaz
#* Produced by Fred Wreck
# "I Just Can't Take It" ft. Kokane
#* Produced by Meech Wells
# "For Real" ft. Kokane
#* Produced by Meech Wells
# "Tell Me What U Really Want"
#* Produced by Battlecat
# "Vicious Flow" featuring Soopafly
#* Produced by Soopafly
# "Pimp Game" ft. Magic Don Juan
#* Produced by Fred Wreck
# "Get Gangsta Wit It" ft. Prodigy, Kokane
#* Produced by Rockwilder
# "For Real" ft. RBX (different from the homonymous one above: new beat, new lyrics, RBX)
#* Produced by Fred Wreck

ingles

"From tha Chuuuch to da Palace"

"Lollipop"

This is a promo single released only on vinyl:

*# "Lollipop - Clean version" 3:48 produced by Just Blaze
*# "Lollipop - Album version" 3:48 produced by Just Blaze
*# "Lollipop - Instrumental" 3:48 produced by Just Blaze
*# "The One and Only - Clean version" 3:57 produced by DJ Premier
*# "The One and Only - Instrumental" 3:56 produced by DJ Premier
*# "You Got What I Want - Clean version" 3:36 produced by Just Blaze

Album charts and certifications

Album charts peak positions

Notes

References

* [http://www.virginmegastores.co.uk/invt/490579 Virgin Megastores]
* [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000075A20 Amazon]
* [http://thugradio.net/dpg-main.html Thug Radio]
* [http://www.dubcnn.com/thevault/ DubCNN]
* [http://www.mariah-charts.com/chartdata/PSnoopDogg.htm Chart Data]
* [http://top40-charts.com/song.php?sid=5648&sort=chartid&string=Snoop Top40-charts]
* http://www.myspace.com/paidthacosttobedaboss Official Myspace