After admitting that he enlists the help of ghost writers in the latest issue of XXL Magazine (most notably recruiting producer Shawty Red to write “Sexual Eruption”) Uncle Snoop is back with his 9th studio album, Ego Trippin.

When his talkative intro fades out, the DJ Quik produced “Press Play” comes into your speakers with Kurupt adding his senseless adlibs in the background and contributing on the hook. The track is one of the better creations from Quik, and Snoop breezes through it effortlessly. “SD Is Out” includes that funky old school groove that you would associate Snoop Dogg with, courtesy of Teddy Riley on beats, with a twist of Charlie Wilson helping out on vocals.

Teddy Riley is on duty six times over on this album, and also he provides the listening sounds for “Gangsta Like Me.” Over a catchy beat and even catchier hook, he drops lines like, “I live with my 2-step/got 2 friends, we can have group sex/n*gga from the 2-1/tall and skinny, and always got blue on.”

“Never Have 2 Worry” is one of those defining records where Snoop goes away from all the pimp and gangsta talk rhetoric and reflects on his life and career in a lyrical display of excellence. After he gets that off his che st, Too $hort and Mistah F.A.B. join in on “Life Of Da Party.” In all his pimp glory, $hort Dog reminds us of how he started this pimp stuff with lines like, “I’m the life of the party/I got 10 bad b*tches—acting retarded.”

Snoop covers “Cool” by Morris Day & The Time and it should’ve stayed right there—in the 80’s. But the Dogg Father redeems himself on “Sets Up” with his buddy Pharrell. Over the Neptunes track, and in between Pharrell’s hook, Uncle Snoop drops lines like, “For the rules of the game, represent yo sh*t/flag around the steering column, making ‘em sick.”

“Whatever U Do” is more West Coast funk for that ass—as he talks about the notches on his belt, or lack-there-of with lines like, “Look at the place I’m in/I never f*cked Super Head, or Kim Kardashian/it’s disgrace to yourself/ Dogg is the champ, to the face with the belt.”

“Staxxx In My Jeans” is another miss on the album with hook that sounds like his daughter could’ve made it up. On “My Medicine” he gets in tune with his grass roots and has House Of Pain’s former front man Everlast join in the fun with his guitar. Other songs like “Deez Hollywood Nights,” “Let It Out,” “Ridin’ In My Chevy,” “One Chance (Make It Good),” “Why Did You Leave Me,” and “Waste Of Time” (feat. Raphael Saddiq) might leave you with mixed emotions.

Some of the material is good, and other stuff you could’ve swore that you heard it on previous releases. Just as he said in XXL: “I was probably doper back then” (referring to 1993). “Right now I’m still into creating a lot of sh*t. But back then, I was just into rap—the style, the flow, f*cking you up, the baddest mothaf*cka, the coolest vocals.” And this album sounds just like that quote. His heart is still in Hip-Hop, but he is no longer the Snoop Dogg from “Deep Cover” and Doggstyle.

Now he’s in his mid 30’s who happens to be the father of three, with more important things to worry about than getting the right “16” for a song, (hence the use of song writers). And even though he’s not the same MC that had the world at his fingertips back in the early 90’s, it’s still good to see Hip-Hop’s favorite uncle still making a valiant effort. (chuuch)