Snoop Dogg has named a release date for his long-awaited next solo album.

Blue Carpet Treatment is set to hit the shops on October 17th, with some of the business' top stars hotly tipped as guest performers.

Artists including Stevie Wonder, The Game, Janet Jackson, Timbaland, R Kelly, Brandy and Daz & Kurupt are among the guests that could make it onto the new album, proving Snoop Dogg's hip hop pedigree.

The track listings haven't been finalised yet, as Snoop is currently sorting through more than 300 tracks to find the final cuts for the album, according to his record label.

Speaking to Billboard magazine in June, Snoop said that he was still making his mind up.

"I've been working on [the album] for nine months, I have so much good material, it's about [figuring out] what I'm going to use on my record."

Journalists had a chance to preview some of the hot tracks which might make it onto the new Doggystyle/Geffen album in New York last week.

The album's lead single, Vato, features B Real of Cypress Hill and is produced by the Neptunes, reports Billboard.

The track, which is named after a Spanish slang word meaning 'homie', apparently deals with conflicts between African American and Latino groups in the US.

One track which has definitely been confirmed to be on the album is another number produced by the Neptunes – So Special, featuring Brandy.

Snoop Dogg has recently been spending some time in the studio with his long time friend Dr Dre, but its not been confirmed whether any of these collaborations are going to appear on the new record.

The rapper told AllHipHop.com that he was hoping the new record would restore the West Coast's dominance in the hip hop arena.

"I hate losing. I'm a sore loser," he told the site.

"That's why when the West Coast was losing, I had to come step the game up so we could get back in the game.

"We just want to get noticed one more time and then once you notice us and start to hear us, then you'll start to feel us."

Snoop Dogg will also be releasing the related DVD, The Adventures of the Blue Carpet Treatment, in November.

The DVD will feature ten animated videos to go with tracks on the album, as well as a few extra tracks.