Snoop Dogg and Eminem are two of hip-hop’s most dynamic relationships, collapsing on some of the genre’s most iconic team-ups. Recently, in a sit-down with DJ Whoo Kid, he spoke about his latest album, Missionary, an album produced by Dr. Dre and a love letter to classic hip-hop; the A-list-studded “Gunz N Smoke” single featuring Eminem and 50 Cent was also discussed.
Snoop talked of how he couldn’t wait to finally be able to work with both Eminem and 50 Cent on one record. He spoke about their respective relationships and how this was going to mean that this would be bringing his bros together, thus setting something special up for it all.
Snoop proved once more just how much he admired the rapping power that is Eminem, having told The Breakfast Club radio, “When I’m rapping with Eminem, I know I gotta be the fuck way up ’cause he ain’t playing. He makes you go hard.”
Gunz N Smoke” was an intense creation where both artists gave it their all in the studio. Snoop said Eminem’s seriousness on tracks sometimes means he goes back into the track and adds more bars, which in turn makes everybody raise their level of performance. “You be like, ‘You cheating, man! Why do you get four more bars in there?!” Snoop joked, showing love for how relentless Eminem gets.
Dr. Dre was the producer for Missionary, and with Dre, one can aptly say that he took part in laying down the track. According to Snoop, Dre had been like a “championship-winning trainer,” putting the best standards in and being attentive. He says of Dre: “Dre is the best when it comes to pushing me, producing me, and making me the best at what I do.” The track marked the reunion of Snoop with his classic collaborator 30 years after his 1993 album Doggystyle merged old-school G-funk with new twists.
The title “Gunz N Smoke” pays homage again to the late Notorious B.I.G. but combines some of the tone of Biggie’s music. 50 Cent commandeers Biggie’s flow and Snoop gives nods to lines from one of Biggie’s pieces, not an uncommon feat between these hip-hop ballers.
This isn’t the first time Snoop and Eminem have created magic together. Their chemistry has been evident in past collaborations like “Guilty Conscience,” “What’s the Difference,” “Superman,” and the unforgettable Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show performance. Each track represents different versions of Snoop’s effortless, laid-back delivery and the rapid-fire delivery for which Eminem has become famous.
Snoop Dogg’s and Eminem’s multiple collaborations speak to their relationship of mutual respect and being competitive. The buzz coming from “Gunz N Smoke” is, rather, reflective of both Eminem and Snoop’s legacy on the respective genre and their shared impact on it. As Snoop aptly put it, since Eminem is on your track, “the stakes are always high,” and the pressure to do good stuff is there.
