Murder Was the Case
Soundtrack album by
Death Row Records
ReleasedOctober 18, 1994
Recorded1994
StudioCan-Am Studios (Tarzana, Los Angeles)
Genre
Length68:30
Label
Producer
Death Row Records chronology
Above the Rim
(1994)		 Murder Was the Case
(1994)		 Death Row Greatest Hits
(1996)
Singles from Murder Was the Case
  1. "One More Day" / "What Would You Do?"
    Released: 1994
  2. "Natural Born Killaz"
    Released: December 18, 1994[1]
  3. "U Better Recognize"
    Released: March 13, 1995

Murder Was the Case is a 1994 short film and soundtrack album starring and performed by Snoop Doggy Dogg. The 18 minute film was directed by Dr. Dre and Fab Five Freddy and chronicles the fictional death of Snoop Dogg and his resurrection after making a deal with the Devil. The film's title comes from Snoop's song of the same name from his debut album, Doggystyle, which had been released a year earlier.

The single "What Would You Do?" by Tha Dogg Pound was included on the Natural Born Killers soundtrack and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in the 38th Annual Grammy Awards in 1996. The album was re-released with a bonus DVD containing three music videos on July 11, 2006.

Tupac Shakur was paid $200,000 by Death Row Records owner Suge Knight to record a song for the album, but the track ("Life's So Hard" featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) was never used on the official soundtrack release; it was later released on the soundtrack for his posthumously released film, Gang Related.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
  • Rolling Stone (12/29/94-1/12/95, p. 178) - "...[It] isn't the trailblazer that Dre's The Chronic was last year. But it is rap very nearly as strong. Featuring West Coast stalwarts...and new discoveries..., Dre and Dat Nigga Daz present gangsta- and R&B-infected fare that slams..."
  • Entertainment Weekly (11/11/94, p. 76) - "...confirms...Dr. Dre as the new king of pop. In addition to the ominous remix of Snoop's title song, Dre reunites with Ice Cube...Dre's G-funk sound may be the hardest in the land, but it's also the most gut-wrenchingly soulful..." - Rating: A
  • Q magazine (1/95, p. 258) - 3 Stars - Good - "...While most ears will be tuned to the bile'n'beats of "Natural Born Killaz"...the best track here is from Snoop's young protege, Nate Dogg....One of West Coast rap's more imaginative albums."
  • The Source (1/95, p. 85) - 4 Stars - Slammin' - "...while Jodeci duets with Tha Dogg Pound and an all-star cast to try their hand at the G-Funk sound, Dre begins plotting his next move...heavy-metal bass meets chunky keyboards..."
  • NME (12/24/94, p. 23) - Ranked #8 in NME's list of the 10 best compilation albums of 1994.
  • NME (10/15/94, p. 53) - 7 - Very Good - "...anyone expecting this to signal Dre's decline is kidding themselves. Murder Was the Case shows the old dogg has plenty of new tricks..."[3]

Commercial performance

In the United States, on the chart dated November 5, 1994, Murder Was the Case debuted on the Billboard 200 at number one, powered by first week sales 329,000 units. The album opened at the top spot of the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

The following week it stayed on top with 197,000 copies sold and was certified Gold. The album was certified platinum on December 6, 1994 and it was certified 2× platinum with 2,030,000 copies sold on April 5, 1995.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Murder Was the Case (remix)" (Snoop Doggy Dogg)C. BroadusDr. Dre4:20
2."Natural Born Killaz" (Dr. Dre & Ice Cube)
4:51
3."What Would U Do?" (Tha Dogg Pound featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg)
Dat Nigga Daz5:08
4."21 Jumpstreet" (Snoop Doggy Dogg & Tray Deee)
Dat Nigga Daz5:26
5."One More Day" (Nate Dogg)N. HaleDat Nigga Daz5:18
6."Harvest for the World" (Jewell)
Dr. Dre3:52
7."Who Got Some Gangsta Shit?" (Snoop Doggy Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Lil' C-Style & Young Swoop G)
Soopafly5:28
8."Come When I Call" (Danny Boy)D. Blake
4:55
9."U Better Recognize" (Sam Sneed featuring Dr. Dre)S. Anderson
  • Sam Sneed
  • Dr. Dre (co.)
3:54
10."Come Up to My Room" (Jodeci & Tha Dogg Pound)
4:37
11."Woman to Woman" (Jewell)
  • J. Banks
  • C. Marion
  • K. Thigpen
  • DJ Quik
  • George "G-One" Archie
  • Jewell
5:18
12."Dollaz + Sense" (DJ Quik)
  • D. Blake
  • G. Archie
DJ Quik5:53
13."The Eulogy" (Slip Capone & CPO)
San Man4:48
14."Horny" (B-Rezell)
  • Kevin Lewis
  • Marc McWilliams
4:41
15."Eastside-Westside" (Young Soldierz)
  • W. Dillon
  • S. Doby
4:45
Total length:1:13:14
Cassette release exclusive
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
16."Hot Ones" (O.F.T.B.)
  • Flipside
  • Low M. B.
  • Bus Stop
  • Brian G
4:46
Total length:1:18:00

Samples

"21 Jumpstreet"

"Who Got Some Gangsta Shit?"

"Come When I Call"

"Woman to Woman"

"Dollaz & Sense"

  • "I Like (What You're Doing to Me)" by Young & Company

'"Eastside-Westside"

Personnel

  • Executive Producer: Suge Knight
  • Soundtrack director: Dr. Dre
  • Overseer: Dat Nigga Daz
  • Recorded at Can-Am Studios
  • Mixed at Dr. Dre's Crib
  • Death Row Engineers: Kesden Wright, Tommy D. Daugherty & Danny Alonso
  • Photographers: Yoko Sato, Simone Green
  • Background Vocals: Nanci Fletcher, Barbara Wilson, Danette Williams

Cover versions

  • Jeremy Messersmith with Andy Thompson performed a cover of "Murder Was the Case" at The Cake Shop in Minneapolis, MN for a 'Murder and Death' concept show on 1/10/2010.
  • South Park Mexican's song "Woodson N' Worthin" is a cover of "Murder Was the Case".
  • Don Vito and Mad DPS covered the song on the 2008 compilation album The Triple-Six Mixtape.

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[10] Gold 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[11] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Chuck Philips (November 3, 1994). "Snoop Doggy Dogg's Still Tops With Album Buyers : Pop music: His 'Murder Was the Case,' the soundtrack to a short film that premieres tonight, remains atop the charts". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  2. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r206681
  3. ↑ "Murder Was the Case Soundtrack CD Album".
  4. ↑ "Soundtrack Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  5. ↑ "Soundtrack Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
  6. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Billboard 200 albums year end 1994". Billboard.
  9. ↑ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Various artists – Murder Was The Case - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack". Music Canada.
  11. ↑ "American album certifications – Soundtrack – Murder Was the Case". Recording Industry Association of America.

Murder Was the Case at IMDb

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