Next week will mark the unofficial end of the summer vacation season. With school starting back up and beach houses getting ready to shutter for wintertime, a certain sense of melancholy has started to settle in on a lot of gamers. What better to lift our spirits than a chance to lay down some dope rhymes on Rock Band? To that end, Harmonix has announced that next week, the game would be adding eight new tracks from tha Doggfather himself, Snoop Doggy Dog. Potentially the world's best known rapper, and winner of a dozen Grammys, along with countless MTV, BET and Billboard awards, Snoop's addition as the first hip hop artist in Rock Band just happens to coincide with a current tour of Japan and the US.

In a statement, Snoop said, "I consider myself an OG gamer, and to be chosen as the first hip hop artist to appear in Rock Band...well, it doesn't get any better than that, ya dig?!? I know my fans gonna get down with tha Pound with this one and tha youngsters really gonna realize who started this gamer ish, u hear me?!?". Actually, since the statement includes phrases like "u hear me" and "tha youngsters", it's probably more accurate to say that Snoop typed that statement, rather than said it.

Available on Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3 system (Sept. 7):

·         “Beautiful”

·         “Drop It Like It’s Hot”

·         “Ridin’ In My Chevy”

·         “Sensual Seduction”

·         “Snoop’s Upside Ya Head”

·         “Tha Shiznit”

·         “That’s Tha Homie” *

·         “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?”

(All tracks are original master recordings) (These tracks will be available in Europe on PlayStation 3 system Sept. 8) (“That’s Tha Homie” will be available on PlayStation 3 in North America Sept. 14 and on PlayStation 3 in Europe Sept. 15.)

These tracks will be available for purchase as individual tracks on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system and Wii and as “Snoop Dogg Pack 01” on Xbox360 on Sept. 7. “Snoop Dogg Pack 01” will be available for PlayStation 3 Sept. 21 in North America and Sept. 22 in Europe.

Price:          
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points) per song                     
$2.00 USD (200 Wii Points™) per song                     
$13.49, £8.99 UK, €13.49 EU (1,080 Microsoft Points) for Snoop Dogg Pack 01

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **