After a blistering performance on Dr Dre's The Chronic, Snoop Doggy Dogg was the rap world's hottest property. His debut, Doggystyle, was the first hip-hop album to enter the Billboard chart at number one. When faced with the prospect of creating a second album without the help of Dre, who had lovingly crafted G-funk beats around his subtly menacing flow, he turned to respected LA producer DJ Pooh, who created some catchy beats, but failed to approach the greatness of Doggystyle. Some of Pooh's overbearing gangsta beats sit uneasily with Snoop's sophisticated rap style, and his raps generally lack their usual focus and sparkle. Notable exceptions include "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" and "Vapors", which sees Snoop at his flamboyant best, backed up by a lazily seductive funk beat. Most tellingly, his red-hot freestyle on the sparsely-produced "Sixx Minutes" proves that when left alone, Snoop can still deliver the goods. --Chris Elwell-Sutton