The Bottom Line
Hoping to boost the west coast's hip-hop revival, Snoop D.O. Double G teamed up with Cypress Hill's B-Real on "Vato," a vivid narrative portraying the never-ending Black / Brown conflict that has plagued the City of Angels for long.
Pros
- Vivid storytelling, reminiscent of Doggystyle days.
- Appropriate west coast–bred production from the Neptunes.
Cons
- Snoop appears to be part of the ethnic conflict, not the solution.
Description
- "Vato" is the first single from Snoop Dogg's The Blue Carpet Treatment.
- The song was produced by (surprise!) The Neptunes
- "Vato" features B-Real of Cypress Hill
Guide Review - Snoop Dogg featuring B-Real - "Vato"
Originally, the hook to "Vato" was delivered by Pharrell Williams in a faux-Spanish accent. Thankfully, Snoop Dogg made the wise decision to recruit fellow west coast vet B-Real to spit an authentic-sounding chorus instead. The duo complement each other well, and Snoop manages to add a hard-hitting jam to his hefty catalog.
However, that's not to say that "Vato" is a perfect tune. Considering the authority and influence these two emcees command, a song pitching unity (as the single's cover suggests), as opposed to antipathy and violence, would have been a brilliant and refreshing concept. Nonetheless, "Vato" definitely knocks, and Snoop comes through with a freshness he's been lacking for years. As I play the track, I can imagine it vibrating the concrete of streets from Long Beach to Watts, arms extended out of Chevys: throwing up dubs. Wes' Wes' y'all.
