Snoop Dogg

Who2 Biography: Snoop Dogg, Rapper / Music Producer

Born: 20 October 1971
Birthplace: Long Beach, California
Best Known As: Languid West Coast rapper and celebr-izzle

Name at birth: Cordozar Broadus

Snoop Dogg is a hip-hop star who shot to fame after being a featured rapper on Dr. Dre's 1992 album The Chronic. A native of Long Beach, California, Broadus was a teenage gang member and drug dealer before being discovered by Dr. Dre and Death Row Records. A hit single from the movie Deep Cover (1992, with Laurence Fishburne), and the success of The Chronic helped make an immediate bestseller out of Snoop's solo debut album, Doggystyle (1993). His first hit songs, "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" and "Gin and Juice," established him as a star with broad appeal, and his unapologetic admissions of street crimes and a 1996 acquittal on a murder charge gave him "gangsta" credibility. Snoop's distinctive languid drawl set him apart from other rappers, and his bass-heavy sound, influenced by the George Clinton Parliament and Funkadelic records of the 1970s, set the tone for the West Coast "G-Funk" sound. Criticized for his frequent run-ins with police, misogynistic lyrics and success as a producer of pornography, Snoop Dogg is nonetheless a mainstream celebrity who pops up in TV shows, the movies and high-profile ad campaigns. His notable moments on screen include the movies Training Day (2001, with Denzel Washington) and Starsky & Hutch (2004, with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson). His best-known songs include "Murder Was the Case," "Snoop Dogg (What's My Name, Pt. 2)" and "Drop It Like It's Hot."

Snoop Dogg's linguistic trademark is a slang form that substitutes "izzle" for word parts, as in "fo' shizzle" ("for sure")... Snoop's early recordings with Death Row Records are under the name Snoop Doggy Dogg; in 1996 he left Death Row for No Limit Records and changed his name to simply Snoop Dogg... There is much confusion over his real name, but his autobiography, The Doggfather: The Times, Trials and Hardcore Truths of Snoop Dogg (1999), says he was born Cordozar and called Calvin as a boy... Snoop Dogg was a member of the Crips gang in Long Beach, California... In 2006 he was arrested on drugs and weapons charges in September, in October and again in November.

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Black Biography: Snoop Dogg

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rap musician; actor

Personal Information

Born Calvin Broadus (or Cordovar Varnado) on October 20th, 1972, in Long Beach, CA; son of Beverly and Vernell Varnado; married Chante; children: three.

Career

Contributed raps to "Deep Cover" soundtrack recording by Dr. Dre, 1991; featured performer on Dr. Dre, The Chronic, 1992; signed to Death Row label; released debut album Doggystyle, 1993; released Tha Doggfather, 1996; signed to No Limit label; recorded for No Limit, 1996-00; launched career of teen rapper Lil' Bow Wow; launched own clothing line; designed special-edition Cadillac, the Snoop de Ville; numerous film appearances, 2000-02.

Life's Work

His 1993 album Doggystyle was one of the defining musical moments of the 1990s, a runaway bestseller that exemplified the violent themes of West Coast rap music. But rapper Snoop Dogg, then known as Snoop Doggy Dogg, did much more than ride the wave of a musical trend. With an instantly recognizable personal style often described as relaxed or languid, Snoop told of murder and mayhem in rhymes that projected a cool charisma only intensified by the rapper's elegant six-foot-four-inch frame. "He must have had to work hard to sound this laid-back," noted the British Guardian newspaper.

By the turn of the millennium new musical trends had dented Snoop's popularity, but his talent and energy helped him avoid the flameout suffered by many of his contemporaries. With continuing musical activity, a burgeoning movie career, and a new role as a mentor to younger artists, Snoop had become, in the Guardian's words, "a pillar of the hip-hop aristocracy." His early career had been fueled in part by notoriety stemming from serious brushes with the law, and he remained a controversial figure. Few musicians of the age, however, could be reckoned equally influential.

Named After Comic-Strip Dog

Snoop Dogg was born Calvin Broadus on October 20th, 1972, in Long Beach, California; his postal-worker father was named Vernell Varnado, and he seems also to have been known as Cordovar Varnado. His mother, noting his thick head of hair as a baby, thought he resembled a puppy and nicknamed him Snoop after the "Peanuts" comic-strip dog Snoopy. Snoop's parents separated while he was still a child, but his father kept in contact with the family and encouraged his son's obvious musical talent. As a teenager Snoop played the piano in church, and it seemed for a time that sports might help to keep him off the streets--he was a gifted basketball player who attracted the attention of college scouts.

In cooperation with friend Warren Griffin, later known as Warren G., and the brother of N.W.A. frontman and "gangsta" rap pioneer Dr. Dre, Snoop also explored hip-hop music during his high school years. The two owned a simple drum machine, and Snoop, especially influenced by rapper Slick Rick, would try his hand at original rhymes. Snoop, his brother, Nate Dogg, and Griffin formed a trio called 213, named for their Southern California area code. But, partly due to family financial pressures brought on by his parents' divorce, Snoop was drawn into the notorious Los Angeles street gang the Crips. After leaving high school in Long Beach he was arrested on drug-dealing charges and spent parts of the next three years in prison.

Even the career criminals whom Snoop encountered in prison (and who provided inspiration for some of his later recordings) noticed his musical talents and advised him to stay clear of the streets and develop them. Taking the advice to heart, Snoop began spending time at a neighborhood store, V.I.P. Records, whose owner allowed Snoop and Griffin to use the shop's array of audio equipment. Soon they had recorded a demonstration single, "Super Duper Snooper," and were shopping it to music labels. Their break came when Griffin played the recording for his brother, Dr. Dre, who suddenly realized how talented his brother's friend had become. Dr. Dre, about to make his solo debut with a recording called "Deep Cover" (featured in a 1992 film of the same name), invited Snoop to contribute a rap to the piece.

Featured on The Chronic

"Deep Cover" was a hit in itself, and it landed Snoop a featured slot on Dr. Dre's 1992 recording The Chronic. That album marked the beginning of gangsta rap's long success in crossing over to the mainstream pop charts; its two singles, "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" and "Dre Day," both featuring Snoop, made the pop top 10 in 1993. The Chronic also established the stylistic basis for Snoop's music--Dr. Dre provided Snoop with bass lines influenced by the classic funk styles of George Clinton's Funkadelic and Parliament ensembles.

Everything came together with the release of Snoop Doggy Dogg's own solo debut, Doggystyle, in 1993. Snoop proved to have the perfect rhymes to complement the "P-Funk"-inspired beats laid down by Dr. Dre, now acting as producer. In contrast to the powerful dance rhythms of hip-hop music up to that point, Snoop and Dre offered a deliberately paced, sonically varied, and vaguely druggy sound that allowed Snoop to rap convincingly of sensual pleasures and to recount his tales of violence with a particularly detached, chilling effect. In addition to these purely musical attractions, Snoop proved that there is no such thing as bad publicity when he was charged with involvement in a drive-by shooting in August of 1993; he drove a car from which his bodyguard shot and killed a man whom Snoop claimed was stalking him.

Snoop landed on the covers of three magazines; Doggystyle sold 800,000 copies in its first week of release on its way to multiplatinum status; and Snoop Doggy Dogg became a bona fide star. In addition to its numerous drug references, the album stirred controversy with its unrelenting vilification of women as "bitches" and "ho's." Snoop defended himself with the now-standard gangsta-rap rejoinder that he was only representing reality as he knew it. Sometimes condemned as a terrible example for youth in the United States, Snoop ran into even stronger criticism during a 1994 tour of Great Britain during which newspapers called for his expulsion from the country. But all these events boosted sales of Doggystyle and its everywhere-heard singles "What's My Name?" and "Gin & Juice," and Snoop got even more mileage from his predicament by releasing a short film about it, "Murder was the Case," whose soundtrack sold two million copies on its own. The rapper employed famed defense attorney Johnnie Cochran and was cleared of all charges in 1996.

By the following year, much in the musical world had changed. The appeal of gangsta rap had been diluted by the slayings of several of the genre's major stars, and the Death Row label was suffering from the indictment of its founder, Suge Knight, for violating on assault charges that would send him to prison for a five-year term. Dr. Dre produced Snoop's second solo album, Tha Doggfather, but Dre, too, was beginning to turn his attention to new projects such as the music of the phenomenally successful white rapper Eminem. Sales of Tha Doggfather stalled at approximately two million copies, half of what Doggystyle had recorded. Snoop left Death Row, incurring the enmity of Knight, and signed on with the successful rap label No Limit.

Recorded for No Limit

Truncating his name to Snoop Dogg, Snoop recorded a series of albums for No Limit and its impresario Master P. Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told (1998), Top Dogg (1999), and 2000's Dead Man Walkin'; and Tha Last Meal sold well, but to some observers seemed less distinctive in style than Snoop's earlier efforts. Snoop, opined Stephen Thomas Erlewine of the All Music Guide, was "now merely a general in the No Limit army." Unlike some other hip-hop artists, Snoop remained a formidable draw in concert. A brief reprise of his earlier troubles with the law arose in 2002 when he was arrested for marijuana possession in Ohio during his "Puff, Puff, Pass" tour.

For the most part, however, the early 2000s witnessed the emergence of a kinder, gentler Snoop Dogg. At the height of his fame in the mid-1990s he had written in Details magazine that "The best thing about being successful is that I'm able to make little kids happy. I love kids." He backed up his words with his support of the youthful rapper Lil' Bow Wow (whom he also had also given that name), and made appearances on Bow Wow's squeaky-clean recordings. On tour after the terrorist bombings of September 11, 2001, Snoop called from the stage for peace--surely an unfamiliar role for him.

His career branched out into film as he appeared in Caught Up (1998), and in 1999's Hot Boyz, The Wrecking Crew, and Urban Menace--the last two of which also featured fellow rapper Ice-T. In 2000 and 2001 Snoop was even busier. He co-starred with Dr. Dre in The Wash, a well-regarded throwback to the 1970s hit Car Wash, appeared in director John Singleton's Baby Boy, and played a small role in the award-winning Denzel Washington vehicle Training Day. On top of all these, Snoop designed a special-edition luxury car (the Snoop de Ville) and started his own clothing line. Snoop Dogg received positive reviews for his first starring role in the 2001 horror film Bones. "You kind of feel for the villain," Snoop commented to New York's Newsday, "because I'm a villain and a hero." It was a line on which Snoop had balanced expertly during his musical career as well.

Awards

Grammy nomination for Doggystyle, 1994; quadruple platinum album (sales of four million copies), Doggystyle; other platinum albums.

Works

Selected works

Albums
Doggystyle, Death Row, 1993.
Murder Was the Case, Death Row, 1994 (short film soundtrack).
Tha Doggfather, Death Row, 1996.
Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told, No Limit, 1998.
Top Dogg, No Limit, 1999.
Tha Last Meal, No Limit, 2000.
Dead Man Walkin', No Limit, 2000.
Death Row's Snoop Doggy Dogg Greatest Hits, Death Row, 2001.
Films
The Wash, 2000.
Baby Boy, 2000.
Bones, 2001.
Training Day, 2001.

Biography

As the embodiment of '90s gangsta rap, Snoop Dogg blurred the lines between reality and fiction. Introduced to the world through Dr. Dre's The Chronic, Snoop quickly became the most famous star in rap, partially because of his drawled, laconic rhyming and partially because the violence that his lyrics implied seemed real, especially after he was arrested on charges of being a murder accomplice. The arrest certainly strengthened his myth, and it helped his debut album, 1993's Doggystyle, become the first debut album to enter the charts at number one, but in the long run, it hurt his career. Snoop had to fight charges throughout 1994 and 1995, and while he was eventually cleared, it hurt his momentum. The Doggfather, his second album, wasn't released until November 1996, and by that time, pop and hip-hop had burned itself out on gangsta rap. The Doggfather sold half as well as its predecessor, which meant that Snoop remained a star, but he no longer had the influence he had just two years before.

Nicknamed Snoop by his mother because of his appearance, Calvin Broadus (born October 20, 1972) was raised in Long Beach, CA, where he frequently ran into trouble with the law. Not long after his high school graduation, he was arrested for possession of cocaine, beginning a period of three years where he was often imprisoned. He found escape from a life of crime through music. Snoop began recording homemade tapes with his friend Warren G, who happened to be the stepbrother of N.W.A's Dr. Dre. Warren G gave a tape to Dre, who was considerably impressed with Snoop's style and began collaborating with the rapper.

When Dre decided to make his tentative first stab at a solo career in 1992 with the theme song for the film Deep Cover, he had Snoop rap with him. "Deep Cover" started a buzz about Snoop that escalated into full-fledged mania when Dre released his own debut album, The Chronic, on Death Row Records late in 1992. Snoop rapped on The Chronic as much as Dre, and his drawled vocals were as important to the record's success as its P-Funk bass grooves. Dre's singles "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" and "Dre Day," which prominently featured Snoop, became Top Ten pop crossover hits in the spring of 1993, setting the stage for Snoop's much-anticipated debut album, Doggystyle. While he was recording the album with Dre in August, Snoop was arrested in connection with the drive-by shooting death of Phillip Woldermarian. According to the charges, the rapper's bodyguard, McKinley Lee, shot Woldermarian as Snoop drove the vehicle; the rapper claimed it was self-defense, alleging that the victim was stalking Snoop. Following a performance at the MTV Music Awards in September 1993, he turned himself over to authorities.

After many delays, Doggystyle was finally released on Death Row in November of 1993, and it became the first debut album to enter the charts at number one. Despite reviews that claimed the album was a carbon copy of The Chronic, the Top Ten singles "What's My Name?" and "Gin & Juice" kept Doggystyle at the top of the charts during early 1994, as did the considerable controversy over Snoop's arrest and his lyrics, which were accused of being exceedingly violent and sexist. During an English tour in the spring of 1994, tabloids and a Tory minister pleaded for the government to kick the rapper out of the country, largely based on his arrest. Snoop exploited his impending trial by shooting a short film based on the Doggystyle song "Murder Was the Case" and releasing an accompanying soundtrack, which debuted at number one in 1994. By that time, Doggystyle had gone quadruple platinum.

Snoop spent much of 1995 preparing for the case, which finally went to trial in late 1995. In February of 1996, he was cleared of all charges and began working on his second album, this time without Dre as producer. Nevertheless, when The Doggfather was finally released in November 1996, it bore all the evidence of a Dre-produced G-funk record. The album was greeted with mixed reviews, and it initially sold well, but it failed to produce a hit along the lines of "What's My Name?" and "Gin & Juice." Part of the reason of the moderate success of The Doggfather was the decline of gangsta rap. 2Pac, who had become a friend of Snoop during 1996, died weeks before the release of The Doggfather, and Dre had left Death Row to his partner Suge Knight, who was indicted on racketeering charges by the end of 1996. Consequently, Snoop's second album got lost in the shuffle, stalling at sales of two million, which was disappointing for a superstar.

Perhaps sensing something was wrong, Snoop began to revamp his public image, moving away from his gangsta roots toward a calmer lyrical aesthetic. He also began making gestures toward the rock community, signing up to tour with Lollapalooza 1997 and talking about two separate collaborations with Beck and Marilyn Manson. The solo Da Game Is to Be Sold Not to Be Told, Snoop's first effort for No Limit, followed in 1998; No Limit Top Dogg appeared a year later and Dead Man Walkin' the year after that. Tha Last Meal followed in December of that same year. The heavy release schedule resulted in varying musical quality from album to album, but by the turn of the century, Snoop had become such a cultural phenomenon that his albums almost became secondary to the personality behind them. An autobiography appeared in 2001, followed by a stream of movie roles in several high-profile pictures. Late in 2002, Snoop released his first album for Capitol, Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$. He then switched to Geffen for 2004's R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece. The hit album was followed a year later by Welcome to tha Chuuch: Da Album, a collection of tracks from the Welcome to the Chuuch mixtape series.

That same year he hosted a West Coast peace summit in hopes of squashing all beefs. In 2006, he appeared on Tha Dogg Pound's Cali Iz Active and Ice Cube's Laugh Now, Cry Later. Toward the end of the year the intentionally leaked "My Peoples" freestyle apppeared. The track paid tribute to many involved in Cali's Latin rap community, so it was no big surprise when "Vato" with Cypress Hill's B Real became his next album's leadoff single. The hard and very G-Funk Tha Blue Carpet Treatment triumphantly capped off a year of heavy West Coast activity. In late 2007 he recruited two hip-hop veterans -- New Jack Swing legend Teddy Riley and West Coast hero DJ Quik - and formed the production team QDT Muzic. The team oversaw Snoop's 2008 album Ego Trippin' which included the single "Sensual Seduction". ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Discography: Snoop Dogg

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Raw N Uncut, Vol. 1: The Soundtrack Buy this CD	Boss Playa: A Day in the Life Buy this CD	Snoop Dogg Presents the East Sidaz Buy this CD	Star Profiles Buy this CD	Dead Man Walkin Buy this CD
Dead Man Walkin [Clean] Buy this CD	Death Row's Snoop Doggy Dogg Greatest Hits Buy this CD	Death Row's Snoop Doggy Dogg Greatest Hits Buy this CD	Death Row's Snoop Doggy Dogg Greatest Hits [Clean] Buy this CD	Death Row's Snoop Doggy Dogg Greatest Hits [Clean] Buy this CD

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From tha Church to da Palace Buy this CD	Best of Snoop Dogg Buy this CD	Best of Snoop Dogg [Clean] Buy this CD	Me and My Homies Buy this CD	From Compton to Longbeach Buy this CD
Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$ Buy this CD	Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$ [Clean] Buy this CD	Doggystyle Buy this CD	Doggystyle [Enhanced] Buy this CD	Doggystyle [Original 19 Tracks] Buy this CD
Tha Blue Carpet Treatment Buy this CD	Tha Blue Carpet Treatment Buy this CD	Tha Blue Carpet Treatment Buy this CD	Tha Blue Carpet Treatment [Clean] Buy this CD	That's That Buy this CD
R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece Buy this CD	R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece [Clean] Buy this CD	Tha Doggfather Buy this CD	Death Row's Snoop Doggy Dogg Greatest Hits [Deluxe] Buy this CD	Lay Low [Holland CD] Buy this CD
Jamaican Episode [DVD] Buy this CD	Jamaican Episode Buy this CD	Chronicals Buy this CD	No Limit Top Dogg Buy this CD	No Limit Top Dogg [Clean] Buy this CD
Tha Doggfather [Clean] Buy this CD	Ego Trippin' [Bonus Track] Buy this CD	Bigg Snoop Dogg's Puff Puff Pass Tour [Special Edition] Buy this CD	Ego Trippin' Buy this CD	Ego Trippin' [Clean] Buy this CD
R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece [Limited Tour Edition] Buy this CD	Best of the Street Buy this CD	Let's Get Blown [CD #2] Buy this CD	Tha Doggfather [Bonus DVD] Buy this CD	Doggy Stuff Buy this CD
Getcha Girl Dogg EP Buy this CD	Chronicles [Clean] Buy this CD	Sensual Seduction [3 Tracks] Buy this CD	Legend of Hip Hop Buy this CD	It Blows My Mind Buy this CD
Tha Dogg: Best of the Works Buy this CD	Welcome to tha Chuuch: Da Album Buy this CD	Welcome to tha Chuuch: Da Album [Clean] Buy this CD	Drop Like It's Hot, Pt. 1 Buy this CD	That's Life Buy this CD
Tha Last Meal Buy this CD	Tha Last Meal [Clean] Buy this CD	Doggy Style Allstars: Welcome to tha House, Vol. 1 Buy this CD	Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told Buy this CD	Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told [Clean] Buy this CD
Signs, Pt. 1 [UK] Buy this CD	Signs [US] Buy this CD	Signs, Pt. 2 [UK] Buy this CD	Presents the Big Squeeze Buy this CD	Presents the Big Squeeze Buy this CD
R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece [Bonus Tracks/CD] Buy this CD	Welcome to tha Chuuch [UK] Buy this CD	Cali Iz Active Buy this CD	Drop It Like It's Hot [German] [2 Disc] Buy this CD	Drop It Like It's Hot [German] [2 Disc] Buy this CD
Presents the Big Squeeze [Clean] Buy this CD	Let's Get Blown [UK CD] Buy this CD	Beautiful [Germany CD] Buy this CD	Snoop Doggy Dogg & Friends, Vol. 1 Buy this CD	Chronicalz, Vol. 1: The Mixed Up Album Buy this CD
Sound of Snoop Doggy Dogg Buy this CD	Maximum Snoop Dogg: The Unauthorised Biography of Snoop Dogg Buy this CD	Boss'n Up [DVD/CD] Buy this CD	What's My Name? [US Single] Buy this CD	Doggystyle [DualDisc] Buy this CD
Legend of Hip Hop, Vol. 2 Buy this CD

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Actor: Snoop Dogg

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Born: Oct 20, 1972 in Long Beach, California
Occupation: Actor
Active: 2000s
Major Genres: Music, Comedy
Career Highlights: Baby Boy, Bones, The Tenants
First Major Screen Credit: The Show (1995)

Biography

Laid-back rapper Snoop Dogg followed in the footsteps of such West Coast colleagues as Ice Cube and Ice-T, and added acting to his repertoire in the late '90s.

Raised in Long Beach and nicknamed Snoop due to his resemblance to Peanuts' top canine, Snoop Dogg's troubled teen years culminated in a drug conviction after high school. After he got out of prison, Snoop Dogg turned to rap and soon captured the attention of star producer/rapper Dr. Dre. Introduced on Dr. Dre's seminal album The Chronic (1992), Snoop Dogg's smooth low-key style and lyrical authenticity turned him into one of gangster rap's stars, culminating with the release of his own top-selling, Grammy-nominated debut album Doggystyle (1993). Snoop Dogg's street cred, however, proved too negatively authentic when his involvement in a drive-by shooting led to a murder charge that same year. Battling the charge through the mid-'90s, Snoop Dogg was cleared in 1996, but his record sales waned along with gangster rap's popularity.

Still a notable music celebrity, however, Snoop Dogg branched out into acting with a cameo appearance in the stoner comedy Half Baked (1998). Staying true to his urban persona, Snoop Dogg appeared in L.A. crime drama Caught Up (1998) (as Kool Kitty Kat) and Master P's coming-of-age story Hot Boyz (1999), and co-starred with Ice-T in action movies The Wrecking Crew (1999) and Urban Menace (1999). Increasingly comfortable as an actor, Snoop Dogg subsequently took on roles in several prominent 2001 releases. Trying comedy, Snoop Dogg co-starred with Dr. Dre as friends and car wash employees in The Wash (2001). Though John Singleton's Baby Boy (2001) failed to live up to antecedent Boyz 'N the Hood (1991), Snoop Dogg was convincing as the neighborhood troublemaker. After a cameo as a drug dealer paralyzed by Denzel Washington's corrupt cop in Training Day (2001), Snoop Dogg moved to his first solo starring role in the horror movie Bones (2001). As a murdered 1970s superfly community pillar-turned-ghostly avenger, Snoop Dogg earned kudos for his assured, menacing performance.

Despite claims that his legal problems were over, Snoop Dogg was busted for marijuana possession during his Puff, Puff, Pass tour in October 2001.

2003 marked the release of Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, which featured Snoop Dogg changing his role from gangster to prankster in a series of sketch comedy bits and various on-the-street disguises. Despite its popularity, Snoop's busy schedule prevented the show for lasting more than two seasons, though it helped reestablish the market for smart, African-American satire, which had been left largely unfulfilled since the cancellation of The Chris Rock Show. Luckily, Dave Chappelle proved a more than worthy successor to Snoop Dogg in that area, leaving the rapper more than enough time to make a cameo as himself in Old School (2003), as well as continue his contributions to the infamous Girls Gone Wild series, and thoroughly overuse the never-quite-hip slang suffix "izzle." In 2004, Snoop played informant to Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson's Starsky & Hutch, as well as co-starred in director Jessy Terrero's Soul Plane. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide

Filmography: Snoop Dogg

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Tha Westside

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Hip Hop Story: Tha Movie

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Hip-Hop VIPs

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Straight from the Streetz, Vol. 1

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Baby Boy

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Black Spring Break 2: The Sequel

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Master P Presents: No Limit Records Video Compilation, Vol. 1

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The Source: 1999 Hip-Hop Music Awards

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Murder Was the Case: The Movie

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Wikipedia: Snoop Dogg

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Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg in June 2008
Background information
Birth name	Cordazar Calvin Broadus
Also known as	Snoop Doggy Dogg, Bigg Snoop Dogg
Born	October 20, 1971 (1971-10-20) (age 38) Long Beach, California, United States
Origin	Long Beach, California
Genres	Hip hop West Coast hip-hop Gangsta rap
Occupations	Chairman, Rapper, Actor, Producer
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Death Row, No Limit, Capitol, Doggystyle, Geffen, EMI, Priority
Associated acts	Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Ice Cube, Daddy Yankee, Pharrell, Tha Dogg Pound, Tha Eastsidaz, 213, The Game, Nine Inch Dix, Nipsey Hussle
Website	www.snoopdogg.com

Cordazar Calvin Broadus (born October 20, 1971),^[1]^[2] better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is a Grammy Award-nominated American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as an MC in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of producer Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. He popularized the catch phrase suffix "-izzle," a slang term or infix that had been in use for decades, but not nearly to the extent that it currently permeates the pop and hip hop music industry as well as general usage.

Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school; shortly after graduation, he was arrested for cocaine possession and sentenced to three years in prison, then began his music career in 1992 after his release. He was discovered by Dr. Dre and collaborated on several tracks on Dre's solo debut, The Chronic and on the titular theme song to the film Deep Cover. Snoop's debut album, Doggystyle, was released in 1993 under Death Row Records. Doggystyle went quadruple platinum and spawned several hit singles, including "What's My Name" and "Gin & Juice."

In 1996, Snoop Dogg was cleared of charges over his bodyguard's 1993 murder of Phillip Woldemariam. His second album, 1996's Tha Doggfather, was his last release for Death Row before he signed with No Limit Records, with whom he recorded three albums from 1998 to 2001. Snoop then joined Capitol Records in 2002 for his album Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss, and then to Geffen Records in 2004 for his next three albums. He also joined forces with his cousin Nate Dogg and rapper Warren G as the supergroup 213 for an album in 2004.

In addition to music, Snoop Dogg has also starred in motion pictures and hosted several television shows: Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood, and Dogg After Dark. He also coaches a youth football league and high school football team. Snoop Dogg has also run into many legal troubles, some of which caused him to be legally banned from the UK and Australia. He is the cousin of rappers Nate Dogg, Daz Dillinger, RBX and Lil' Half Dead and the cousin of R&B singers Brandy and Ray J.

Starting in September 2009 Snoop began his role as the chairman of Priority Records^[3]. He also plans on releasing his tenth studio album, Malice n Wonderland in 2009.

1 Early life
2 Music career
3 Television and film
4 Personal
- 4.1 Legal issues
5 Endorsements
6 Discography
- 6.1 Tours
7 Filmography
8 Awards
9 Music samples
10 See also
11 References
12 Notes
13 External links

Early life

Calvin Broadus was born at the Los Altos Hospital in Long Beach, California, the second of three sons born to Beverly Broadus.^[4] His father, Vernall Varnado, was a Vietnam veteran, singer, and mail carrier who Calvin says was frequently absent from his life.^[5] Calvin's parents nicknamed him "Snoopy" as a child because of his appearance and usually referred to him as Calvin at home.^[6]^[7] At an early age, Calvin Broadus began singing in Golgotha Trinity Baptist Church and playing piano; when he was in sixth grade, he began rapping.^[8]^[9] He attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, then transferred to Jordan High School, and was convicted for cocaine trafficking and served six months at the Wayside County Jail.^[8]^[10] Snoop Dogg was a member of the Rollin' 20 Crips gang in the Eastside of Long Beach.^[11]^[12] Snoop Dogg's conviction caused him to be in and out of prison for the first three years after he graduated from high school. Snoop, along with his cousins Nate Dogg and Lil Half Dead, and friend Warren G recorded home made tapes as a group called 213, named after the Long Beach area code at the time. One of his early solo freestyles over En Vogue's "Hold on" had made it to a mixtape which was heard by influential producer Dr. Dre, who phoned to invite him to an audition. Former N.W.A member The D.O.C. taught him how to structure his lyrics and separate the thematics into verses, hooks and chorus.^[13]

Music career

Death Row Records years (1992-1997)

When he began recording, Broadus took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg. Dr. Dre began working with Snoop Dogg, first on the theme song of the 1992 film Deep Cover, and then on Dr. Dre's debut solo album The Chronic with the other members of his former starting group, Tha Dogg Pound. The huge success of Snoop Dogg's debut Doggystyle was partially due to this intense exposure.^[6]

To fuel the ascendance of West Coast "G-funk" rap, the singles "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" and "Gin and Juice" reached the top ten most-played songs in the United States, and the album stayed on the Billboard charts for several months.^[6] Gangsta rap became the center of arguments for censorship and labeling, with Snoop Dogg often used as an example of violent and misogynistic musicians.^[14] Doggystyle, much like The Chronic, featured a host of rappers signed to or affiliated with the Death Row label including Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Nate Dogg and others. His video "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" with 2Pac chronicled the difficulties each rapper was dealing with as a result of their unrelated but concurrent criminal prosecutions.^{[citation needed]} Rolling Stone music critic Touré asserted that Snoop had a relatively soft vocal delivery compared to other rappers: "Snoop's vocal style is part of what distinguishes him: where many rappers scream, figuratively and literally, he speaks softly."^[8]

A short film about Snoop Dogg's murder trial called Murder Was The Case, was released in 1994, along with an accompanying soundtrack. However, by the time Snoop Dogg's second album, Tha Doggfather, was released in November 1996, the price of living (or sometimes just imitating) the "gangsta" life had become very evident. Among the many notable rap industry deaths and convictions were the death of Snoop Dogg's friend and labelmate 2Pac and the racketeering indictment of Death Row co-founder Suge Knight.^[6] Dr. Dre had left Death Row earlier in 1996 due to a contract dispute, so Snoop Dogg co-produced Tha Doggfather with Daz Dillinger and DJ Pooh.

This album featured a distinct change of style as compared to Doggystyle, and the leadoff single, "Snoop's Upside Ya Head," featured a collaboration with Gap Band frontman Charlie Wilson. While the album sold reasonably well, it was not as successful as its predecessor, and it was widely believed that its quality suffered from Dr. Dre's lack of involvement. However, Tha Doggfather had a somewhat softer approach to the G-funk style. The immediate aftermath of Dr. Dre's withdrawal from Death Row Records, realizing that he was subject to an iron clad time-based contract (i.e., that Death Row practically owned anything he produced for a number of years), Snoop Dogg refused to produce any more tracks for Suge Knight, other than the insulting "Fuck Death Row," until his contract expired.^[11]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic said that after Tha Doggfather, Snoop Dogg began "moving away from his gangsta roots toward a calmer lyrical aesthetic";^[6] for instance, Snoop participated in the 1997 Lollapalooza concert tour, which featured mainly alternative rock music. Troy J. Augusto of Variety noticed that Snoop's set at Lollapalooza attracted "much dancing, and, strangely, even a small mosh pit" in the audience.^[15]

No Limit and Capitol years (1998–2003)

Snoop signed to Master P's No Limit Records in 1998 and debuted on the label with Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told that year. His other albums under No Limit were No Limit Top Dogg in 1999 and Tha Last Meal in 2000.^[6] In 2001, his autobiography, Tha Doggfather, was published.

In 2002 he released the album Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$, on Capitol Records which featured the hit singles and videos "From tha Chuuuch to da Palace" and "Beautiful" featuring guest vocals by Pharrell.

Geffen Years (2004–present)

Snoop Dogg performing in Hawaii for U.S. military personnel in 2005.

In 2004, Snoop signed to Geffen Records/Star Trak Entertainment both of which are distributed through Interscope Records; Star Trak is headed by the Neptunes, who produced several tracks for Snoop's 2004 release R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece. "Drop It Like It's Hot" (featuring Pharrell), the first single released from the album, was a hit and became Snoop Dogg's first single to reach number one. His third release was "Signs", featuring Justin Timberlake & Charlie Wilson, which entered the UK chart at #2. This was his highest entry ever in the UK chart. The album sold very well, and most of its singles were heavily played on radio and television. Snoop Dogg joined Warren G and Nate Dogg to form the group 213 and released album The Hard Way in 2004. Debuting at #4 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, it included single "Groupie Luv".

Snoop Dogg performing in 2006.

Snoop Dogg's appeared on two tracks from Ice Cube's 2006 album Laugh Now, Cry Later, including the single "Go to Church", and on several tracks on Tha Dogg Pound's Cali Iz Active the same year. Also, his latest song, "Real Talk", was leaked over the Internet in the summer of 2006 and a video was later released on the Internet. "Real Talk" was a dedication to Tookie Williams and a diss to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Two other singles on which Snoop made a guest performance were "Keep Bouncing" by Too $hort (also with will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas) and "Gangsta Walk" by Coolio.

Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, Snoop's album for 2006, debuted on the Billboard 200 at #5.^[16] The album, and the second single "That's That Shit" featuring R. Kelly were well-received by critics. In the album, he collaborated in a video with E-40 and other West Coast rappers for his single "Candy (Drippin' Like Water)".

In July 2007, Snoop Dogg also made history by becoming the first artist to release a track as a ringtone prior to its release as a single, "It's the D.O.G.". On July 7 2007 Snoop Dogg performed at the Live Earth concert, Hamburg.^[17]

Snoop Dogg has recently ventured into singing for Bollywood with his first ever rap for an Indian movie Singh Is Kinng; the title of the song is also Singh is Kinng. The album featuring the song was released on June 8, 2008 on Junglee Music Records.^[18]

Television and film

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In 1992, Snoop Dogg, along with Dr. Dre, performed "Nuthin But A "G" Thang live on The Arsenio Hall Show.

In 1993, Snoop again appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show, performing "Tha Shiznit" and "What's My Name", and also performing a freestyle dissing rival rapper Eazy-E.

In 1993, Snoop Dogg, along with Dr. Dre, performed "Nuthin But A "G" Thang" and "What's My Name" at the Soul Train Awards.

In 1994, Snoop Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound performed "Gin And Juice" at the American Music Awards.

In 1995, Snoop Dogg performed "Murder Was The Case" at the controversial Source Awards.

In 1998, Snoop had a cameo appearance in the film Half Baked as the "Scavenger Smoker."

In 2000, Snoop (as "Michael J. Corleone") directed Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle, a pornographic film produced by Hustler. This film, combining hip-hop with X-rated material, was a huge success and won "Top Selling Release of the Year" at the 2002 AVN Awards.^[19] Driven by this success, Snoop directed Snoop Dogg's Hustlaz: Diary of a Pimp in 2002 (this time using the nickname "Snoop Scorsese").

In 2001, Snoop lent his voice to the animated show "King of the Hill," in which he played a white pimp named Alabaster Jones.^{[citation needed]} He also played a marijuana dealer in the movie "The Wash" with Dr. Dre.

In 2002, Snoop hosted, starred in, and produced his own MTV sketch comedy show entitled Doggy Fizzle Televizzle.

Snoop was filmed for a brief cameo appearance in the television movie It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002), but his performance was omitted from the final cut of the movie.^[20]

In 2003, Snoop had a cameo appearance in the film Old School as himself. Snoop also performed Sad But True at MTV Icon 2003, where Metallica was chosen as the band to be tributed.

On November 8, 2004, Snoop Dogg was seen starring in the episode Two of a Kind of NBC's series Las Vegas.

In 2004, Snoop appeared on the Showtime series The L Word as the character "Slim Daddy", a combination of Slim Shady and Puff Daddy. He also notably played the drug dealer-turned-informant character of Huggy Bear, in the 2004 remake film of the 1970s TV-series of the same name, Starsky & Hutch. He appeared as himself in an episode of the Showtime series "Weeds," and made an appearance on the hit TV shows Entourage and Monk, for which he recorded a version of the theme, in July 2007.

Master of Ceremonies Snoop Dogg at WrestleMania XXIV with Ashley Massaro and tag team partner Maria

Snoop founded his own production company, Snoopadelic Films, in 2005. Their debut film was Boss'n Up, a film inspired by R&G starring Lil Jon and Trina.^[21]

Perhaps in conjunction with his entry into the x-rated world, Snoop claimed in a 2006 interview with Rolling Stone magazine that unlike other hip hop artists who've superficially adopted the pimp persona, he was an actual professional pimp in 2003 and 2004, saying "That shit was my natural calling and once I got involved with it, it became fun. It was like shootin' layups for me. I was makin' 'em every time." He goes on to say that upon the advice on some of the other pimps he knew, he eventually gave up pimping to spend more time with his family.^[22]

In December 2007, his reality show Snoop Dogg's Father Hood premiered on the E! channel.^[23] Snoop Dogg joined the NBA's Entertainment League.^[24]

On March 30, 2008 he appeared at WrestleMania XXIV as a Master of Ceremonies for a tag team match between Maria and Ashley Massaro as they took on Beth Phoenix and Melina.^[25]

On May 8 and May 9, 2008, Snoop appeared as himself on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, with a new opening theme recorded by the artist presented for both episodes. In the episodes, Snoop performs at the bachelorette party for character Adriana Cramer, and credits Bo Buchanan with helping him get his start in show business.^{[citation needed]}

In 2009, Snoop Dogg appeared in Sacha Baron Cohen's Movie Bruno as himself performing a rap addition to the song Dove Of Peace

On June 26, 2009 Snoop Dogg appeared on the Tonight Show with Conan O' Brien.^{[citation needed]}

Snoop Dogg took the place of guitarist Munky in the Korn music video for Twisted Transistor.^{[citation needed]}

On October 19, 2009 Snoop Dogg was the guest host for WWE Monday Night RAW.

Personal

Broadus's father left the family when Broadus was three months old. Snoop married his high school sweetheart, Shante Taylor, on June 12, 1997. On May 21, 2004, he filed for divorce from Shante, citing irreconcilable differences.^[26] The couple renewed their wedding vows on January 12, 2008.^[27] R&B singer Brandy is his first cousin.^[28] In 2002, the rapper announced he was giving up marijuana, one of his image trademarks, for good ^[29], though this did not last long.

Snoop is an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan, which is mainly due to his affiliation to the 'Rollin 20's Crips' who also sport the Pittsburgh jersey as their neighborhood emblem,^[30] and is often seen wearing Pittsburgh Steelers apparel in his music videos. One of his sons had played for a Pittsburgh Steelers team for kids.^{[citation needed]} Snoop has mentioned that his love for the Steelers began in the 1970s during the team's dynasty years while watching the team with his grandfather growing up in L.A.^[31] In the 2005 offseason, Snoop mentioned that he wanted to be an NFL head coach, "probably for the Steelers".^[32] The following year, he was in attendance for the Steelers' victory in Super Bowl XL and later in Super Bowl XLIII. He was also somewhat a fan of the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys, often wearing a #5 jersey, and has been seen in Raiders training camps.^[33] He did his own free style rap based on his similarities with Tony Romo.^[34]^[35] He has also shown some affection for the New England Patriots, as he has been seen performing at the Gillette Stadium and picked the Patriots as the favorite to win Super Bowl XXXIX against the Eagles.^[36]^[37] On August 6, 2009, Snoop visited the training camp of the Baltimore Ravens at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland.^[38] He was invited by Ray Lewis the day after his concert at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.

A certified football coach, Snoop Dogg has been head coach for his son's youth football teams and the John A. Rowland High School team.^[39]^[40]

Snoop Dogg has shown he is an avid hockey fan by sporting a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey (with the name and number 'GIN AND JUICE' 94 on the back) and a jersey of the now-defunct Springfield (MA) Indians of the American Hockey League in his 1994 music video, "Gin And Juice".^[41] Also the E! show,Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood, featured Snoop Dogg and his family receiving lessons on playing hockey from the Anaheim Ducks, then returning to the Honda Center to cheer on the Ducks against the Vancouver Canucks in the episode, “Snow in da Hood”.^[42]

In August 2008, Snoop Dogg announced the launch of a new streetwear line called Rich & Infamous, via a partnership with Robert Thorne Co. The line, which is aimed toward males ages 18 to 35, was unveiled during the Magic tradeshow in Las Vegas.^[43]

In 2009, it was revealed that Snoop Dogg was a member of the Nation of Islam. On March 1, 2009, he made an appearance at the Nation of Islam's annual Saviours Day convention, where he praised controversial minister Louis Farrakhan. Snoop claimed to be a member of the Nation of Islam, but declined to give the date on which he joined. He also donated $1,000 to the organization.^[44]^[45]^[46]

Legal issues

While recording Doggystyle in August 1993, Snoop Dogg was arrested in connection with the death of Phillip Woldemariam, a member of a rival gang who was shot and killed by Snoop's bodyguard, McKinley Lee; Snoop was charged with murder along with Lee as he was driving the vehicle from which the shooting had commenced. Snoop was defended by Johnnie Cochran, with his bodyguard McKinley Lee.^[47] Both Snoop and Lee were acquitted; Lee was acquitted on grounds of self-defense, but Snoop Dogg remained entangled in the legal battles around the case for three years.^[48] In July 1993, Snoop was stopped for a traffic violation and a firearm was found by police while conducting a search of his car. In February 1997, he pled guilty to one count of being an ex-felon in possession of a handgun and was ordered to record three public service announcements, pay a $1,000 fine, and serve three years' probation.^[49] Twice, in May 1998 and October 2001, Snoop Dogg was fined and arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession.^[50] For the 2001 incident, in 2002 he pleaded no contest to the charge and was fined a total of $398.30 and a suspended 30-day jail sentence.^[51]

Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, and The Game were sued for assaulting a fan on stage at a May 2005 concert at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington. The accuser, Richard Monroe, Jr., claimed he was beaten by the artists' entourage while mounting the stage.^[52] He alleged that he reacted to an "open invite" to come on stage. Before he could, Snoop’s bodyguards grabbed him and he was beaten unconscious by crewmembers, including the rapper and producer Soopafly; Snoop and The Game were included in the suit for not intervening. The lawsuit focuses on a pecuniary claim of $22 million in punitive and compensatory damages, battery, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.^[53] The concerned parties appeared in court in April 2009.

On April 26, 2006, Snoop Dogg and members of his entourage were arrested after being turned away from British Airways' first class lounge at Heathrow Airport. Snoop and his party were not allowed to enter the lounge because some of the entourage were flying first class, other members in economy class. After the group was escorted outside, they vandalized a duty-free shop by throwing whiskey bottles. Seven police officers were injured in the midst of the disturbance. After a night in prison, Snoop and the other men were released on bail on April 27, but he was unable to perform at the Premier Foods People's Concert in Johannesburg on the same day. As part of his bail conditions, he had to return to the police station in May. The group has been banned by British Airways for "the foreseeable future."^[54]^[55] When Snoop Dogg appeared at a London police station on May 11, he was cautioned for affray under Section 4 of the Public Order Act for use of threatening words or behavior.^[56] On May 15, the Home Office decided that Snoop Dogg should be denied entry to the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future due to the incident at Heathrow as well as his previous convictions in the United States for drugs and firearms offenses.^[57]^[58] Snoop Dogg's visa card was rejected by local authorities on March 24, 2007 because of the Heathrow incident.^[59] A concert at London's Wembley Arena on March 27 went ahead with Diddy (with whom he toured Europe) and the rest of the show. However the decision affected four more British performances in Cardiff, Manchester, Nottingham and Glasgow^[60] and Budapest (due to rescheduling).^[61]

On September 27, 2006, Snoop Dogg was detained at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California by airport security, after airport screeners found a collapsible police baton in Snoop's carry-on bag. The baton was confiscated but Snoop was allowed to board the flight. He has been charged with various weapons violations stemming from this incident. Donald Etra, Snoop's lawyer, told deputies the baton was a prop for a musical sketch. Snoop was sentenced to three years' probation and 160 hours of community service starting on September 20, 2007.^[62]

Snoop Dogg was arrested again on October 26, 2006 at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California while parked in a passenger loading zone. Approached by airport security for a traffic infraction, he was found in possession of marijuana and a firearm, according to a police statement. He was transported to Burbank Police Department Jail, booked, and released on $35,000 bond. He faced firearm and drug possession charges on December 12 at Burbank Superior Court.^[63] He was again arrested on November 29, 2006, after performing on The Tonight Show, for possession of marijuana and a firearm.^[64]

Snoop was arrested again on March 12, 2007 in Stockholm, Sweden after performing in a concert with P. Diddy in Stockholm's Globe Arena after he and a female companion reportedly "reeked" of marijuana. They were released four hours later after providing a urine sample. Pending results on urine will determine whether charges will be pressed. However the rapper denied all charges.^[65]^[66]

On April 26, 2007, the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship banned him from entering the country on character grounds, citing his prior criminal convictions. He had been scheduled to appear at the MTV Australia Video Music Awards on April 29, 2007.^[67] Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship lifted the ban in September 2008 and had granted him visa to tour Australia. DIAC said "In making this decision, the department weighed his criminal convictions against his previous behaviour while in Australia, recent conduct – including charity work – and any likely risk to the Australian community ... We took into account all relevant factors and, on balance, the department decided to grant the visa."^[68]

Snoop Dogg's many legal issues forced San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom to withdraw his plan to issue a proclamation to the rapper.^[69]

Endorsements

St. Ides
Snoop Dogg 40 Oz Malt liquor
Boost Mobile cell phone
Chrysler 300
Orbit Gum
Cal Worthington's Ford dealership in Long Beach, California
"Snoop Doggs" - foot-long hot dogs manufactured in Massachusetts a joint venture with Platinum One Media ^[70]
"Snoop Dogg Board Company (SDBC)" - skateboards and Luggage fabrication company (with Pentagon Distribution)
"Snooperbowl" and "Snoop Youth Football league" ^[71]
"Chronic Candy" - candy that tastes like marijuana (from Switzerland and is currently banned in some cities of US)
Love Don't Live Here No More, Doggy Tales Vol.1 - love novel (co-written by David E. Talbert, published by Atria and Snoopadelic Films) ISBN 0-7432-7363-X ^[72]
Tha Doggfather : The Times, Trials, And Hardcore Truths Of Snoop Dogg - autobiography (published by William Morrow) Hardcover ISBN 0-688-17158-3, Paperback ISBN 0-06-107607-4 ^[73]
Fear & Respect (project cancelled as of March 1, 2006) - PlayStation 2 video game (developed by Midway Games)
"Doggy Biscuitz" - shoe brand (in partnership with Pony International) ^[74]
"Snoop Dogg Clothing" - streetwear (distributed at Macy's)
"WRFF" - unique design scooters (in cooperation with Salton, Inc.) ^[75]
"Hip Hop Gaming League" - a celebrity online gaming competition (hosted by Global Gaming League) ^[76]
"Snoop Dogg figures" (Vital Toys, SOTA Toys) ^[77]
"Snoop Dogg Boxing" - mobile phone game (Sony Pictures Mobile)
"Snoop Dogg Pet Accessory Line" (in conjunction with Jakks Pacific)^[78]

Discography

Main article: Snoop Dogg discography

Solo	Year
Doggystyle	1993
Tha Doggfather	1996
Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told	1998
No Limit Top Dogg	1999
Tha Last Meal	2000
Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss	2002
R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece	2004
Tha Blue Carpet Treatment	2006
Ego Trippin'	2008
Malice N Wonderland	2009^[79]
With 213	Year
The Hard Way	2004
With Tha Eastsidaz	Year
Snoop Dogg Presents Tha Eastsidaz	2000
Duces 'n Trayz: The Old Fashioned Way	2001
With B-Real	Year
Blaze!	2010

Tours

Blazed & Confused Tour (opening act)
Up In Smoke Tour (opening act)

Filmography

Main article: Snoop Dogg filmography

1994: Murder Was the Case (Platinum)
1998: Caught Up
1998: Half Baked (cameo appearance)
1998: Da Game of Life
1998: Hot Boyz
1998: Ride
1999: Whiteboyz
1999: Urban Menace
2000: Tha Eastsidaz
2000: Up in Smoke Tour
2001: Baby Boy
2001: Training Day
2001: King of the Hill (voice)
2001: Bones
2001: The Wash
2003: Malibu's Most Wanted
2003: Old School
2004: Starsky & Hutch
2004: Soul Plane
2004: Volcano High
2005: Boss'n Up
2005: Racing Stripes (voice)
2006: The Tenants
2006: Weeds: Himself
2006: Hood of Horror
2007: Arthur and the Minimoys (voice)
2007: Monk
- During the opening credits, he covered the title song by Randy Newman It's a Jungle out There.
2007: The Boondocks
2008: Singh Is Kinng (as Himself)
2008: Snoop Dogg's Father Hood (as Himself)
2009: Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder (voice)
2009: Snoop And Jay Are Do Paloma Valley High
2009: Dogg After Dark: Himself
2009: Xavier: Renegade Angel (voice)
2009: Brüno (cameo appearance)
2009:Brothers

Awards

Main article: List of Snoop Dogg awards

Music samples

"Back To The Hood Of Things" (sample)

Short sample of "Back To The Hood Of Things", performed by R. Kelly from his 1993 album 12 Play. Written by Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg, this sample represents a west-coast hip-hip sound.