Snoop Dogg Explains What It’s Like Working With “Friend” Pharrell Williams Vs. “Big Brother” Dr. Dre
Snoop Dogg has revealed the surprising reality of what it’s like working with super producer Pharrell Williams, versus music industry legend Dr. Dre.
During his recent interview with Bloomberg Screentime, Snoop Dogg opened up about the differences between working with the two iconic producers while reflecting on his long and storied career. Snoop offered insight into the distinct dynamics he shares with each producer, emphasizing how their approaches to shaping their collaborations together is like night and day. When discussing his relationship with Pharrell, Snoop described it as more relaxed and friendly.
“When I worked with Pharrell, me and Pharrell’s relationship is more like friends,” Snoop Dogg explained.
“So when you’re working with your friend, he’s more easier to let me get away with things like, ‘Oh, that was dope.’”
Snoop highlighted how Pharrell’s style is less focused on perfection and more on capturing the raw, unfiltered essence of his artistry. According to Snoop, Pharrell embraces his natural, unpolished persona, allowing him to experiment and express himself freely.
In contrast, Snoop revealed that working with Dr. Dre is a much more intense experience, akin to the guidance and scrutiny of a “big brother.”
“Dre be like, ‘Nah, do that again. No. You said it was too hard on your Ps’,” He noted.
“‘Huh?’ ‘You were supposed to say player. You said player.’ Are you serious?’”
As he continued, Snoop highlighted how Dre’s attention to detail pushes him to achieve perfection, while Pharrell’s affinity for colloquialism and overall vibrations strives to highlight his natural nuances as a lyricist.
“Annunciation pronunciation with Dr. Dre is everything,” he said. “With Pharrell, he likes slang, he likes raw, he likes the uncut Snoop Dogg, where it’s not, it’s polished. You know what I’m saying? That’s his threshold is to have the raw version of Snoop Dogg Dre is to have the perfection version of Snoop Dogg.”
He added, “Dre is to have the perfection version of Snoop Dogg.”
Snoop concluded by reiterating that while Pharrell is more lenient and accepting of his unpolished style, Dre’s role as a big brother means he’s not afraid to critique.
“Your friend wouldn’t say certain things to you because he’s your friend; your big brother, don’t give a f***,” he said.
When it comes to chart success, Snoop has delivered major hits with both producers. Pharrell’s influence helped him achieve commercial success with tracks like “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of Snoop’s biggest hits. Pharrell actually documented the process he and Snoop underwent to craft the chart-topper in his new Lego movie PIECE-BY-PIECE. Meanwhile, Dr. Dre and Snoop have delivered classics such as “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” and “Still D.R.E.” which not only solidified Snoop’s status in Hip-Hop, but also became defining moments in rap history and have stood the test of time.
Check out the clip above.