RECIPROCAL REWARDS

Words: N. Ali Early

While putting his platinum touch on Snoop Dogg’s Ego Trippin’ a year ago, DJ Quik observed an atmosphere that reminded him of a time when the West could do no wrong. Everybody was hungry and virtually unknown. Together, The Lady of Rage, RBX, Dat Nigga Daz, Kurupt, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre spent weeks in the studio, their vision blurred from writing day and night – their stomachs growling from certain hunger. But it was their appetite to succeed that made The Chronic a classic album. It was their greed for success that catapulted Dre from super producer to unadulterated genius.

And it was there all over again. Right before his eyes, Quik saw the same type of unbridled fury unfolding in front of him – like magic. The music was on point, as was the energy and all that was left, was for someone to make the suggestion.

“Snoop set it up like an old school studio session,” Quik discloses, commending his longtime rap cohort for his own genius. “He made the energy the same way it was back then. He triggered it.”

‘It’ eventually materialized in the form of Blaqkout, an insane combination of arguably the West’s best lyricist and producer for a full-length album collaboration.

“Snoop just started being really sharp,” Quik continues. “He just started planting seeds. He planted a seed in us about potentially doing a record and he pretty much let Kurupt know it was in his best interest to stay here and not hit the road.”

A devout Dogg Pound Gangsta, Kurupt is known to travel with Snoop Dogg every year regardless of what may be available to him beyond Snoop’s interests. Ironically, it’s that loyalty and dedication that convinced Big Snoop that he and Quik would kreate a masterpiece together.

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