<p id=”par-1_56″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/katy-perry/”>Katy Perry</a>‘s decision to ask Snoop Dogg to perform a guest verse on <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/artist-reacted-inspired-katy-perrys-california-gurls-music-video.html/”>her song “California Gurls”</a> was great. Snoop Dogg’s actual verse on the song was terrible. While he’s worked with artists from many genres, the “Gin and Juice” rapper seemed worried that appearing on a Perry song wasn’t the best move for his image.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-why-snoop-dogg-should-have-been-perfect-for-katy-perry-s-california-gurls”>Why Snoop Dogg should have been perfect for Katy Perry’s ‘California Gurls’</h2>
<p id=”par-2_48″>Snoop Dogg is one of the most quintessentially Californian artists alive. He did as much to shape the public image of California in the 1990s as The Doors did in the 1960s. For that reason, the rapper should have made “California Gurls” so much better. But he didn’t.</p>
<p id=”par-3_53″>He didn’t manage to work one good line into his guest spot on the song. Furthermore, he doesn’t even sound like he wants to be there. Snoop Dogg has more charisma in his pinky than most of us have in our whole bodies, but he didn’t bother to display it on “California Gurls.”</p>
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<iframe title=”Katy Perry – California Gurls (Official Music Video) ft. Snoop Dogg” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/F57P9C4SAW4?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-the-track-includes-an-unfortunate-classic-rock-reference”>The track includes an unfortunate classic rock reference</h2>
<p id=”par-4_60″>On top of that, the only memorable moment from Snoop Dogg’s contribution is when he said “I wish they all could be California girls.” That’s a reference to The Beach Boys’ <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/how-the-beach-boys-reacted-to-katy-perrys-california-gurls.html/”>classic song “California Girls.”</a> Maybe that tip of the hat was a good idea in principle. After all, every artist should pay homage to the greats of earlier generations.</p>
<p id=”par-5_44″>However, Snoop Dogg forces fans to compare his “California Gurls” to The Beach Boys’ “California Girls.” That’s counterproductive. The Beach Boys’ song helped pave the way for psychedelic music. Meanwhile, Perry’s track is a lot of fun, but it’s still just another pop hit.</p>
<p id=”par-6_40″>Even Snoop Dogg might know that. He hasn’t seemed to perform “California Gurls” live too often. I can’t imagine it’s going to appear on any of his greatest hits albums. It doesn’t matter that it topped the <a href=”https://www.billboard.com/artist/snoop-dogg/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Billboard Hot 100</a>. </p>
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<iframe title=”The Beach Boys – California Girls (1968)” width=”925″ height=”694″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/MGQIqiRALow?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
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<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/how-katy-perrys-tight-sexy-dress-inspired-a-britney-spears-hit.html/”>
How Katy Perry’s ‘Tight, Sexy’ Dress Inspired a Britney Spears Hit </a>
</p>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-how-katy-perry-got-snoop-dogg-on-california-gurls”>How Katy Perry got Snoop Dogg on ‘California Gurls’</h2>
<p id=”par-7_91″>In the 2012 book <em>Katy Perry</em>, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/california-gurls-almost-wasnt-katy-perrys-teenage-dream-album.html/”>the “Teenage Dream” star</a> said she used flattery to get Snoop Dogg to add a verse to “California Gurls.” “I started to insert obvious Snoop Dogg references like ‘sipping gin and juice’ and more obvious ones like ‘Snoop Doggy Dogg on the stereo,’” Perry recalled. “And I was like, ‘If Snoop Dogg was on a song about the West Coast, it would be truly legit!’ So I kind of lured him with all those little odes to Snoop Dogg already in the ‘California Gurls’ lyrics.”</p>
<p id=”par-8_105″>Snoop Dogg seemed, perhaps, a little defensive about his choice to work with Perry. “She had a cake with no candles on it, then she put me on ‘California Gurls,’ and it went to No. 1,” he said. “I’m probably the most popular rapper in the world, but I don’t make pop music. I make gangsta s***. I don’t cross over to pop — pop crosses over to me … I don’t ever aim for radio play. I make s that feels good to me, and if top 40 radio catches wind, then great. If they don’t I’m still gonna do what I gotta do.”</p>
<p id=”par-9_18″>Snoop Dogg has made a lot of legendary music — but his verse on “California Gurls” was subpar.</p>