No Limit Top Dogg

Background

After Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told, Master P granted Snoop Dogg more creative freedom, leading to an album that revisited the sound of his early Death Row years. Snoop explained that limiting creative control initially was necessary to shape him into the No Limit roster, and that allowing it from the start would not have been the smartest move. With this freedom, he sought out former mentor Dr. Dre, their first collaboration since Dre left Death Row in 1996.

Snoop said they had continued reaching out and collaborating on projects, but public demand brought them back together publicly. Attempts at reuniting dated to early 1998 with the song "Zoom," but contract problems prevented its release, and Snoop's verses were replaced by LL Cool J for the Bulworth soundtrack. Along with other former label mates such as Warren G, Nate Dogg, Jewell, DJ Quik, and Raphael Saadiq, Snoop viewed the album as a companion piece to Doggystyle.

The album cover marked a departure from No Limit's usual design; Master P stated they let Snoop be himself, focusing on dogs and his image rather than bling.

Music

Work on No Limit Top Dogg spanned many months beginning in 1998, in contrast to the three weeks taken for Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told. The album departed from the southern sound of previous No Limit releases, with only a few tracks featuring No Limit artists and producers, instead emphasizing West Coast artists and producers in a conscious effort to return to his earlier music. Of the 19 songs, three were produced by Dr. Dre. Snoop said it was about getting material from Dre that best represented both of them, and Dre directed him on what to say and how to say it.

Dre noted that Snoop had evolved into being humble, focused, and disciplined during production. Snoop continued his tradition of covering an older hip-hop song with "Snoopafella," a remake of Dana Dane's "Cinderfella Dana Dane." Despite limited musical involvement from No Limit, Snoop stated that Master P influenced the album through the track "I Love My Momma," as Master P includes songs about his mother and dead brother on every album. Snoop also took vocal influence from Dr. Dre during recording, commenting on their chemistry and Dre's return to a mentor role.

Critical reception

No Limit Top Dogg generally received positive reviews, with many critics calling it a return to form after the mixed reception of the previous two albums. Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club noted that Snoop sounded happier, looser, and more confident than on any album since his Chronic/Doggystyle days, calling it a vital album and his best since Doggystyle. The Washington Post highlighted the Dre-produced tracks "Just Dippin'" and "Buck 'Em" as among the best Snoop-Dre collaborations.

Source writer Frank Williams described it as nearly flawless, saying Snoop meshed all his influences to create an album that would ride for a long time; the magazine later included it on its top 10 albums of 1999 list. Kevin Powell of Rolling Stone called it Snoop's finest work since his debut, full of seductive party jams, and noted his return to West Coast G-funk with help from old friends like Dr. Dre and DJ Quik. Neil Strauss of The New York Times positively compared it to the previous release, calling it a major musical improvement.

NME stated that the silken flow of yore was back, with tales of love, thuggery, surviving, and succeeding in the wild west, calling it a certifiable return to form.

Commercial performance

No Limit Top Dogg debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, selling 187,400 copies in its first week, second only to Ricky Martin's self-titled album with 661,000 copies. The following week it sold 108,000 copies, dropping to number seven before leaving the top ten. The single "Bitch Please" gained popularity on radio and television, helping album sales rise 16% on the Billboard 200 after months of decline.

The single peaked at number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number eight on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles on August 28, making it one of Snoop's highest-ranking songs on that chart at the time. Its music video peaked at number three on BET and charted within the top 20 most played videos on MTV, directed by Dr. Dre. The album spent 40 weeks on the Billboard 200, second only to Doggystyle for a Snoop Dogg album. Although it was his first album not to debut at number one, it was certified platinum on October 13, 1999, and sold 1,100,000 copies by the end of 1999, making it the 73rd best-selling album of the year.

Some speculated that low first-week sales resulted from anticipation for Ricky Martin's album and a lack of a video or hit single before release. As of March 2008, the album sold 1,518,000 copies in the United States, and 2 million worldwide as of 2016.