Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss
Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss (stylized as Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$) is the sixth studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on November 26, 2002, by his Doggystyle label, alongside Priority and Capitol Records. Following his departure from the No Limit Records, he later signed a recording contract to Capitol through Priority Records. The album was supported by two singles, both featuring Pharrell: "From tha Chuuuch to da Palace" and "Beautiful", the latter also featuring Charlie Wilson.
Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 26, 2002 | |||
Recorded | 2001–02 | |||
Studio | Doggystyle Records Studio, Diamond Bar, Los Angeles, California | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 78:58 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | ||||
Snoop Dogg chronology | ||||
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Singles from Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss | ||||
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The album debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard 200, selling 174,000 copies in its first week. To date, the album became a certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over 1,500,000 copies worldwide.
Music
This album marked the beginning of Snoop's long-lasting association with Pharrell and The Neptunes.[1] The album's lead single "From tha Chuuuch to da Palace", produced by The Neptunes and featuring an uncredited guest appearance from Pharrell, was released on October 15, 2002. The song's music video was directed by Diane Martel, under the alias Bucky Chrome.
The album's second single, "Beautiful" featuring Pharrell and Charlie Wilson, also produced by The Neptunes, was released on January 28, 2003. The music video for "Beautiful", which featured Pharrell but omitted Charlie Wilson, was directed by Chris Robinson in Brazil, which helped the single to become a hit on the Billboard's charts. In a retrospective critique on the song, Pharrell would later admit he didn't think the song would be a hit. "[Snoop] really loved ‘Beautiful.’ I didn’t get ‘Beautiful,’ mainly because I was singing on there flat as fuck and I just didn’t hear it. I thought it was a fun record. And then we put Charlie Wilson on it and I was like man Charlie sounding amazing on this, and this feels good to me, but no one is ever going to go for this."[2]
Release
It was announced to be re-packaged for the album, with six of these pre-released versions of different album covers, but only several tracks were not to be included on each. Snoop's also contains two-disc's DVD, called Boss Playa: A Day in the Life of Bigg Snoop Dogg; including the first disc featuring three music videos for "Boss Playa", "Pimp Slapp'd" (where both of them, were directed by Pook Brown), and "That's the Shit"; the second disc is a DVD, named "Doggystyle Porn", which features the song, titled "You Like Doin It Too". However, these tracks were later featured in an unreleased project version of the album.
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | (76/100)[3] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Blender | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | A−[6] |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
RapReviews.com | (8.5/10)[8] |
Robert Christgau | ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Stylus Magazine | A−[11] |
USA Today | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Vibe | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
- Rolling Stone - 3 stars out of 5 - "Snoop stretches his silky flow over tracks by underground ace Hi-Tek and the unstoppable Neptunes."[10]
- Spin - 8 out of 10 - "The most spirited pop record of his career....Paid Tha Cost is Snoop unleashed."[13]
- Entertainment Weekly - "Snoop is reborn, a gangsta rap granddaddy in recline." - Rating: A-[6]
- Uncut - 3 stars out of 5 - "He treads a line between loving monogamy and club bangers, emphasizing accessibility throughout."[14]
- Vibe - 3.5 out of 5 - "His wordplay is still as nimble and quick as ever, giving the beats a beat down with newfound urgency."[12]
Commercial performance
Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard 200, selling 174,000 copies in its first week.[15][16] In November 2004, the album sales, where it has sold 1,210,000 copies in the United States.[17]
Controversy
On March 24, 2003, a lawsuit was filed against Snoop Dogg by a man who claimed that his life was endangered after the rapper had included a 50-second phone message featuring the plaintiff's voice on the album's last track, "Pimp Slapp'd", a diss track directed at then-Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight. The man, identified only as John Doe for security reasons, had left the voice message for Snoop Dogg in October 2002, unaware of the intention of its inclusion on the album. 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, and stated in court papers that he had been threatened verbally several times and feared for his and his mother's life due to Knight's close proximity, as both he and Knight resided in Compton, California at the time.
On February 3, 2004, the lawsuit was dismissed for common law appropriation of voice and intentional infliction of emotional distress, under the ruling that privacy cannot be maintained while leaving a message on another's recording device.[18][19][20]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Don Doggy" | 0:42 | ||
2. | "Da Bo$$ Would Like to See You" | E-Swift | 1:59 | |
3. | "Stoplight" |
| Jelly Roll | 4:26 |
4. | "From tha Chuuuch to da Palace" (featuring Pharrell) |
| The Neptunes | 4:40 |
5. | "I Believe in You" (featuring LaToiya Williams) |
| Hi-Tek | 4:34 |
6. | "Lollipop" (featuring Jay-Z, Nate Dogg, and Soopafly) |
| Just Blaze | 3:48 |
7. | "Ballin'" (featuring The Dramatics and Lil' ½ Dead) |
| Battlecat | 5:19 |
8. | "Beautiful" (featuring Pharrell and Charlie Wilson) |
| The Neptunes | 4:58 |
9. | "Paper'd Up" (featuring Kokane and Traci Nelson) |
| Fredwreck | 3:49 |
10. | "Wasn't Your Fault" |
| L.T. Hutton | 4:30 |
11. | "Bo$$ Playa" |
| Fredwreck | 5:53 |
12. | "Hourglass" (featuring Kokane and Goldie Loc) |
| Jelly Roll | 4:20 |
13. | "The One and Only" |
| DJ Premier | 3:49 |
14. | "I Miss That Bitch" (featuring E-White) |
| Hi-Tek | 3:12 |
15. | "From Long Beach 2 Brick City" (featuring Redman, Nate Dogg, and Warren G) |
| Fredwreck | 3:43 |
16. | "Suited n Booted" |
|
| 3:16 |
17. | "You Got What I Want" (featuring Goldie Loc, Ludacris, and Charlie Wilson) |
| Jelly Roll | 3:36 |
18. | "Batman & Robin" (featuring The Lady of Rage and RBX) |
| DJ Premier | 5:02 |
19. | "A Message 2 Fat Cuzz" | 1:40 | ||
20. | "Pimp Slapp'd" |
| Leimberg | 5:42 |
Total length: | 78:58 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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21. | "Mission Cleopatra" (featuring Jamel Debbouze) |
| Daz Dillinger | 3:51 |
Sample credits
- "Da Bo$$ Would Like to See You" samples "It's My House" performed by Diana Ross.
- "Stoplight" samples "Flash Light" performed by Parliament.
- "From tha Chuuuch to da Palace" samples "Buffalo Gals" performed by Malcolm McLaren.
- "Ballin'" samples "Fell for You" performed by The Dramatics.
- "Paper'd Up" samples "Paid in Full" performed by Eric B. & Rakim, and "Don't Look Any Further" performed by Dennis Edwards.
- "Wasn't Your Fault" samples "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" performed by Cherrelle.
- "Bo$$ Playa" samples "Riding High" performed by Faze-O.
- "Hourglass" samples "I Just Want to Be" performed by Cameo.
- "The One and Only" samples "It's You, It's You" performed by Tyrone Davis.
- "I Miss That Bitch" samples "I'm Your Mechanical Man" performed by Jerry Butler.
- "From Long Beach 2 Brick City" samples "Wikka Wrap" performed by The Evasions.
- "Batman & Robin" samples "Batman" performed by TeeVee Toons, Inc.
- "Pimp Slapp'd" samples "Rapper's Delight" performed by Sugarhill Gang, "Tonite" performed by DJ Quik, "Flash Light" performed by Parliament, and "Streets is Watching" performed by Jay-Z.
Personnel
Credits adapted from Allmusic.[21]
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Vocals,
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Engineer- Reddbrothers (Dwayne & Daniel)
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada)[37] | Gold | 50,000^ |
France (SNEP)[38] | Gold | 100,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI)[39] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[40] | Platinum | 1,210,000[41] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
References
- Julian Kimble (November 20, 2014). "10 Years Later: How Pharrell Revived Snoop Dogg's Career With 'R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece'". Vibe. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
- Revolt (December 23, 2020). "Pharrell Admits He Didn't Get Snoop Dogg's "Beautiful" & Thought His Singing Was "Flat As F-ck"". Retrieved September 20, 2021.
- "Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Boss Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
- Bush, John. "Snoop Dogg: Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Bo$$ > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- Blender review
- Caramanica, Jon (13 December 2002). "Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Bo$$ (2002): Snoop Dogg". Entertainment Weekly. Time (#686): 82. ISSN 1049-0434. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- Baker, Soren (24 November 2002). "Snoop Dogg has his day once again". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. OCLC 3638237. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- Juon, Steve (26 November 2002). "Snoop Dogg :: Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Bo$$". RapReviews.com. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- Christgau, Robert. "CG: Snoop Dogg". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
- Bozza, Anthony (3 January 2003). "Snoop Dogg: Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Boss". Rolling Stone. No. RS 914. Straight Arrow. p. 67. ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on 2007-10-02.
- Berliner, Brett (1 September 2003). "Snoop Dogg: Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- "Vibe review". Vibe. New York City: InterMedia Partners: 125–6. January 2003. ISSN 1070-4701. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- "Spin review". Spin: 100. February 2003. ISSN 0886-3032. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- "Uncut review". Uncut: 128. January 2003. ISSN 1368-0722. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- Whitmire, Margo (December 4, 2002). "Twain Holds Off McGraw". Rollingstone.com.
- Martens, Todd (2002-12-04). "Twain Remains 'Up' Top On Billboard Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
- Whitmire, Margo (November 24, 2004). "Eminem Thankful To Remain No. 1". Billboard.com.
- "Snoop Dogg". Trivia. CelebrityWonder.com. Archived from the original on 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- "Snoop Dogg Slapp'd With Lawsuit". TheSmokingGun.com. 26 March 2003. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- "Rapper sued over phone message". BBC NEWS. 27 March 2003. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- "Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss – Snoop Dogg : Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
- "Ultratop.be – Snoop Dogg – Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- "Danishcharts.dk – Snoop Dogg – Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$". Hung Medien.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Snoop Dogg – Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- "Lescharts.com – Snoop Dogg – Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$". Hung Medien.
- "Officialcharts.de – Snoop Dogg – Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$". GfK Entertainment Charts.
- "Charts.nz – Snoop Dogg – Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$". Hung Medien.
- "Swisscharts.com – Snoop Dogg – Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$". Hung Medien.
- "Snoop Dogg - Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss". June 24, 2013. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
- "Snoop Dogg - Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss UK R&B Albums".
- "Snoop Dogg Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- "Snoop Dogg Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
- "Canada's Top 200 R&B; albums of 2002". Jam!. Archived from the original on October 12, 2003. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- "Top 100 rap albums of 2002 in Canada". Jam!. Archived from the original on October 12, 2003. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2003". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2003". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
- "Canadian album certifications – Snoop Dogg – PAID THA COST TO BE THA BOSS". Music Canada.
- "French album certifications – Snoop Dogg – Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Boss" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
- "British album certifications – Snoop Dogg – Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Boss". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Boss in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- "American album certifications – Snoop Dogg – PAID THA COST TO BE DA BO$$". Recording Industry Association of America.
- "Billboard Magazine Match 1, 2008 - pág 25". Prometheus Global Media. Billboard. 2008-03-01. p. 25. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
Snoop's Upside Ya Head soundscan.