"It's an album of colorful songs and happiness and brighter days," Snoop told an MTV interviewer when asked to describe his new project, Tha Doggfather. Don't believe it. The fact is, this chart-topping disc promotes violence, drugs, misogyny and sexual perversion amid a machine-gunning of obscenities. It could be argued that, compared to his 4 million-selling debut, Doggystyle, this effort is "toned down" a bit. But that's like Michael Corleone toning things down by using one bullet instead of two to dispatch a member of a rival crime family. The effect is negligible.

Somehow, Snoop fancies himself a responsible citizen, as evidenced by a comment he made in a recent issue of The Source. "Before I had a son, I was like, 'I ain't no role model' 'cause I didn't understand that (expletive). But I see that little kids love Snoop Dogg so I'm like, 'D--n, I got some kind of creative control over what they can do with themselves. I would feel guilty as (expletive) if I made kids go out there and kill themselves and do stupid (expletive) when I could make them do the right thing and try to strive and do something right with themselves." (Start feeling guilty, Snoop.)

What, according to this artist, passes for the "right thing"? On Tha Doggfather, a woman is deemed worthless except for performing oral sex ("You Thought"). He boasts of drinking and smoking marijuana ("Freestyle Conversation"), and having perverse sex with a fan ("Groupie"). Violence--including a drive-by shooting--is used to protect a cocaine business on "Downtown Assassins."

Snoop, as well as the record executives pulling his strings, would like to deceive young music fans by making them an offer their parents can't refuse--a clean-cut, trustworthy Calvin Broadus whose bark is worse than his bite. But despite claims to the contrary, this Dogg is as rabid as ever.