Nobody expected Lil' Bow Wow to go multi-platinum with his first album, Beware of Dog. His success was quite simply unprecedented, and that's perhaps why his follow-up album, Doggy Bag, feels awfully familiar. There are only nine songs here if you don't count the intro and the interludes,... [+] Expand

Nobody expected Lil' Bow Wow to go multi-platinum with his first album, Beware of Dog. His success was quite simply unprecedented, and that's perhaps why his follow-up album, Doggy Bag, feels awfully familiar. There are only nine songs here if you don't count the intro and the interludes, incredibly brief for a rap album in 2001. Furthermore, most of the nine songs are either interpolations of proven songs, such as New Edition's "Candy Girl" on "All I Know," or partially rehashed songs, such as DMX's "Party Up (Up in Here)" on "Up in Here." It seems as if Dupri, who co-produces and co-writes every song, is relying on either what worked well on the first Bow Wow album or else what has worked well in the past for other artists. But this shouldn't be much of a surprise; it's the nature of pop-rap, and Dupri certainly knows how to craft it in a catchy way that you can't deny. He does so by sticking with the familiar, and that's precisely how Doggy Bag sounds. Everyone who loved songs like "Bounce With Me" and "Bow Wow (That's My Name)" will find much to savor here. As mentioned, Dupri mines the vaults of pop music for his hooks, as do the Neptunes on their hit contribution, "Take Ya Home." This isn't kids' music; it's music that appeals to everyone, kids and adults alike. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

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