Hip-hop fans rejoice! After Snoop Dogg removed all Death Row albums from streaming platforms less than a year ago, heβs finally come to his senses and put all of the previously removed work back on streaming services.
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The owner of the iconic rap label made the announcement on Thursday in an Instagram post, writing, βWe heard you. The time has come. Death Row Records catalog is back streaming everywhere tonight 9pm PST.β In the post, he shared a dope Death Row-themed video montage, featuring some of the labelβs most iconic music moments.
He officially celebrated the release of the entire labelβs catalog by simply writing, βWe back,β on an Instagram post featuring a screenshot of some of Death Rowβs most recognizable projects.
Why did he take Death Rowβs catalog off of streaming in the first place?Β
After taking ownership of Death Row Records in February 2022, he later announced that he would be removing the entire labelβs catalog from streaming services in April 2022.
He delved into his reasoning behind the decision on an episode of N.O.R.E. and DJ EFNβs popular podcast, Drink Champs. In the interview, he explained, βFirst thing I did was snatch all the music off those platforms traditionally known to people because those platforms donβt pay.β
He continued, βAnd those platforms get millions and millions and millions of streams and nobody gets paid other than the record labels. So what I wanted to do was snatch my music off, create a platform which is something sort of similar to Amazon, Netflix, Hulu. Itβll be a Death Row app. And then the music, in the meantime, will live in the metaverse.β
Obviously, his plans to bring Death Row into the metaverse and turn it into an NFT fell through.
Whatβs the first Death Row album youβll be listening to now that itβs back on streaming?
It felt like such an odd decision to take Death Rowβs music off of streaming services because it erases an entire area of hip-hop from a newer generation of rap listeners. But, now that itβs back, long-time fans of the label and new ones who are just learning about the label can enjoy some of the best and most influential music of all time.
There are so many albums that come to mind when you think of all the work Death Row has put out: The Chronic, All Eyez On Me, Dogg Food, Don Kiluminati: The 7-Day Theory, Above the Rim (Soundtrack).
If anyone decides to listen to those albums first, I canβt blame them. They are all excellent. But, Iβll be opting for Snoop Doggβs debut album, Doggystyle. Even though Snoop still went on to have a very successful career, nothing heβs put out since this project has measured up.
His rapping is witty, sharp and creative. Itβs unlike anything heβs ever put out. Yes, there are some topics he raps about that Iβd rather not discuss out loud, but this album is still one of the most enjoyable listens of all time and I canβt wait to listen to it again now that itβs back on streaming platforms
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