For the first time in just about a decade, Snoop Dogg has returned down under. The legendary Californian rapper has had a contentious relationship with the country over the years, but now that he’s back for his “I Wanna Thank Me” tour, Aussies are just clearly glad the doggfather has finally touched down.
The last time I saw Snoop Dogg was when he was here for Big Day Out, with Mac Miller on support. And while thinking about that gave me a bit of a sting, there was no time to feel anything but celebratory once Snoop took to the stage.
DJs filled the first few hours after doors opened for Qudos Bank Arena, but special attention was given to Kuniva and Swifty McVay of D12 and Versatile as the international supports. D12’s set, 45-minutes of choice cuts taken from their two albums plus a few Eminem collaborations, missed the dynamism that would have been there if Bizarre had made the trip over (D12 is pretty much just a trio now, after officially disbanding in 2018). Although both Kuniva and Swifty have great chemistry together, best expressed toward the end of the set when hits like “Fight Music,” “40 Oz,” and “Purple Pills” came out. The biggest surprise, however, was a rendition of Eminem’s “Under the Influence,” which the sleepy crowd came alive for.
It was clear nostalgia was the theme of the tour. Rather than Snoop push any new material – he has plenty – he took us on a trip down memory lane, sandwiching a very pop-heavy set with gangster rap classics like “The Next Episode” (his raucous opener) and “Bitch Please” in the first half, and “2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted” and “Who Am I? (What’s My Name)” towards the end of the set.
And yet, as exciting as those all were, Snoop took much of the time to give a heady nod to his more commercial-friendly hits, including ones he was featured on and a few he just felt like covering because they fit the vibe. And the vibe. Well, it felt very 90’s to being with and then descended into a medley of TikTok-style snippets taking in the likes of “Wiggle” and “California Girls.”
Yet, even the hardiest of hip hop heads couldn’t be mad at how infectiously fun Snoop was on stage. Fans got cuts like “Wrong Idea” and “Lodi Dodi” to chew on, while more casual listeners received a string of features that instantly hit on that nostalgic theme, from 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P (Remix)” to DJ Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win.”
Yet, sadly there were only a few tracks from his seminal Doggystyle album included on the setlist. Whereas previous times I’ve seen him, Snoop seemed like he heavily favoured his debut album and didn’t care if no one knew the deeper cuts. Classics like “The Shiznit” and “Murder Was The Case” were sorely missed, but instead we got surprises like the aforementioned “Lodi Dodi” and his signature “Who Am I? (What’s My Name).”
The setlist was slightly different from Perth. They got “Signs” but we got “Ain’t No Fun” and it was slightly rearranged as well. Sometimes, awkwardly. For example, “Wiggle” appeared sandwiched between “Bitch Please” and “Wrong Idea,” which thematically makes absolutely no sense.
Speaking of “Wiggle,” there were a far few covers that Snoop was only featured on, and they worked well on the set list. Songs like Lil’ Duval’s “Smile” really worked in the set, as did a two-verse cover of Biggie’s “Hypnotize” followed by Pac’s iconic collaboration with Snoop, “2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted” – the Doggfather thankfully rapping both his own verses and never missing a step when he filled in for the late 2Pac as well.
Hell, we even got “Snoop’s Upside Ya Head” (from 1996’s underrated The Doggfather). And, well, that was more than enough to satisfy anyone who has been waiting for Snoop to bounce on back to Australian shores.
THREE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Snoop Dogg performs one more show in Sydney tonight. The full dates for his current tour can be found below.
MON 27 FEB | PERTH | RAC ARENA
WED 01 MARCH | SYDNEY | QUDOS BANK ARENA
THUR 02 MARCH | SYDNEY | QUDOS BANK ARENA
SAT 04 MARCH | MELBOURNE | ROD LAVER ARENA
SUN 05 MARCH | MELBOURNE | ROD LAVER ARENA
TUE 07 MARCH | BRISBANE | ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
WED 08 MARCH | ADELAIDE | ADELAIDE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
Tickets can be found here.
Snoop Dogg Set List
The Next Episode
Boyz N Tha Hood (Eazy E Cover)
Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang
Bitch Please
Wiggle
Wrong Idea
P.I.M.P
I Want You (w/ October London)
All I Do Is Win
Gin And Juice
Sexual Eruption
California Girls
Too Close (Next Cover) / I Wanna Fuck You
Ain’t No Fun
Beautiful
Wet
Lodi Dodi
Smile (Living My Best Life)
Snoop’s Upside Ya Head
Legend
Hypnotize (Notorious BIG Cover)
2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted
Jump Around (House of Pain Cover)
Drop It Like It’s Hot
Who Am I (What’s My Name?)
Young, Wild & Free (chorus only)
Snoopy Don’t Go
All images by Bruce Baker – to see more photos from the night – head HERE
