Cordozar Calvin Broadus, Jr. (born October 20, 1972), better known by his
stage name Snoop Dogg (previously
Snoop Doggy 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 developed by
Oakland, California rap group
3X Krazy in the mid-1990s and used by Bay Area rapper
E-40.
[ON LANGUAGE: Izzle]
His mother nicknamed him "
Snoopy" as a child because of the way he dressed and because of his love of the cartoon
Peanuts. When he began recording, he took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg. He shortened his name to Snoop Dogg in 1998 when he left his original record label
Death Row Records and signed with
No Limit Records.
Biography
Death Row Records years (1992-98)
[
], Snoop Dogg, and
Suge Knight during Snoop's tenure at
Death Row Records]] (1996)
Dr. Dre began working with Snoop Dogg, first on the theme song of the
feature 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. Snoop Dogg's contribution to
The Chronic was considerable; the rapper's rhymes were as present as Dr. Dre's. The huge success of Snoop Dogg's debut
Doggystyle was partially due to this intense exposure.
While recording
Doggystyle with Dr. Dre in August 1993, Snoop Dogg was arrested in connection with the death of Phillip Woldermarian, a member of a rival gang who was shot and killed in a gang fight. Dubbed The Snoop Doggy Dogg Trial at the time. Snoop Dogg was defended by David Kenner, with his bodyguard McKinley Lee, while Sean Abrams (accompanying member in the jeep) was defended by
Johnnie Cochran.
Both Snoop Dogg and McKinley 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.
His video "
2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" with
Tupac Shakur chronicled the difficulties each rapper was dealing with as a result of their unrelated but concurrent criminal prosecutions.
The
Doggystyle album was released in November 1993 on
Death Row Records and became the first
debut album ever to enter the charts at #1, helping 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.
became the center of arguments for
censorship and labeling, with Snoop Dogg often used as an example of violent and
misogynistic musicians.
, 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.
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 label-mate Tupac Shakur and the
racketeering indictment of Death Row co-founder Suge Knight. 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. While the album sold reasonably well, it was not as successful, 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, and Snoop Dogg used a less energetic and more charismatic type of rhyming style, which would be more widely incorporated and exercised later on in his career.
In 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.
No Limit (1998-2003)
Upon leaving
Death Row Records Snoop was approached by a number of record labels. He eventually signed a contract with
Master P's
No Limit Records. No Limit was quite popular at the time, as Southern Hip Hop was going through a revival and beginning to dominate the charts in a way which had not been seen since
Florida rap dominated the charts in the early 1990s, thanks to
2 Live Crew and
Luke. Snoop shortened his name from Snoop Doggy Dogg to Snoop Dogg, and received a great deal of criticism for signing to the label.
Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told was the first album Snoop Dogg released at No Limit released in 1998. It received negative reviews, yet still sold well. Snoop put his stamp of the now ubiquitous "Dirty South" sound on this album. Similar to the group focus of Death Row Records, many other No Limit Records artists appeared on the album, and it was produced mostly in-house by Beats By The Pound. Snoop's next effort,
No Limit Top Dogg, released in 1999, would re-unite Snoop with his mentor Dr. Dre for some highlight tracks and see a return to the G-funk style of his Death Row days; it proved to be a success in both ratings and sales, as the album embraced both old and new styles of
West Coast hip hop along with assorted guests from the No Limit roster.
Snoop Dogg followed this up with his last album on No Limit Records 2000's
Tha Last Meal, which built upon the mixture of styles on No Limit. He also collaborated again with his old friends Nate Dogg and Warren G as part of 213. They released an album
The Hard Way in 2004, which featured the single "Groupie Luv", and reached #4 in the U.S.
Billboard 200 album charts.
[Whitmire, Margo. "Now 16" is No. 1 Again. Billboard.com: August 25, 2004.]
Snoop Dogg released an
autobiography in 2001 titled
Tha Doggfather: The Times, Trials, and Hardcore Truths of Snoop Dogg, co-written with Davin Seay..
In 2002, Snoop announced that he was giving up women and
drugs.
Later that year 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.
On May 21, 2004, Snoop Dogg filed for divorce from his wife Shante Broadus, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking joint custody of their three children, Corde, Cordell, and Cori; they have since reconciled.
[Snoop Dogg cancels divorce] At the age of 30, Snoop claimed that he gave up smoking marijuana, although many of his run-ins with the law since have found him in possession of the drug.
Geffen Years (2004-present)
[
Dogg Hawaii.jpg|thumb|right|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's latest music is being featured on West Coast rap albums such as
Laugh Now, Cry Later by
Ice Cube and
Cali Iz Active by Tha Dogg Pound. He is featured on 2 tracks from Cube's album including the single "
Go to Church", and several tracks on
Cali Iz Active. 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" is a dedication to Tookie Williams and a diss to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
His two other new songs are "Keep Bouncing" by Too $hort, Snoop Dogg & will.i.am; and "
Gangsta Walk" by
Coolio & Snoop Dogg.
Snoop Dogg's 2006 release,
Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, did well on its first week, debuting at #5, which has been his highest since 2000's
The Last Meal. 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)", the first Snoop Dogg song to contain elements of the
hyphy sound from E-40.
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
German leg of
Live Earth in
Hamburg[Live Earth on MSN: The Concerts For A Climate In Crisis]
Snoop Dogg had renewed his vows with his longtime wife Shante Broadus.
[HHWorlds.com - Snoop Dogg Renews Wedding Vows With Wife Shante (January 21, 2008)]
Snoop Dogg has announced that he plans to release a "
bluegrass" album which will be a tribute to the late
Johnny Cash. Several radio hosts, the first to know of the announcement, instantly thought of it as a hoax pulled by him to gain attention.
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.
[Economost.com - Bollywood and Hollywood - Close encounters]
On screen
In 1993, Snoop appeared as a guest on
The Arsenio Hall Show.
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.
[AVN Awards Past Winners] 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". his charecter was a white pimp named Alabaster Jones
In 2002, Snoop hosted, starred in, and produced his own MTV
sketch comedy show entitled
Doggy Fizzle Televizzle.
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.
[Snoop Dogg: America's Most Lovable Pimp : Rolling Stone]
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.
[www.mtv.com/news/articles/1514482/20051123/50_cent.jhtml?headlines=true Quick News On 50 Cent, Kanye West, Irv Gotti, Beyonce, Zack De La Rocha, Alice In Chains & More]
On November 8th, 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 "
The 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. In 1998 Snoop had a cameo appearance in the film
Half Baked as the "Scavenger Smoker." 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.
In December 2007, his
reality show Snoop Dogg's Father Hood premiered on the
E! channel.
[Sur E!] Snoop Dogg joined the NBA's
Entertainment League.
[NBA.com - That’s Entertainment]
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.
[WWE: TV Shows > WrestleMania XXIV > Exclusives > WrestleMania XXIV Dogg Days]
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.
In 2008, Snoop made his
Bollywood 'debut' by singing and featuring in a video for the movie
Singh Is Kinng. Wearing a maroon Indian kurta, beige pants and diamond studded turban, the music video shows Snoop Dogg relaxing on a large armchair draped in pink and blue silk. The song reportedly became immediately popular in India and Snoop Dogg has vowed to follow up the success with a tour of the country.
Legal issues
criticism-section
- 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 Dogg 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."
[Rapper Snoop Dogg freed on bail][BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Rap star to leave UK after arrest]
- 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. When arrested, he told deputies the baton was a prop for a movie. Bail was set at $150,000, which Snoop has paid.
- 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.
[CNN Law Center retrieved on October 27, 2006]
- On April 12, 2007, Snoop Dogg was sentenced to five years of probation for gun and drug charges. He is expected to continue touring with supporting act Sam "OG" Biglari through the rest of 2008.
- On September 12, 2008, Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship lifted the ban 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."
[Snoop Dogg granted visa to tour Australia - [[Herald Sun], September 12, 2008]]
- Controversy arose when Snoop Dogg was seen accepting a blunt during the finale of TRL.
Discography
Filmography
Awards
Personal
Broadus's father left the family when Broadus was 3 months old. He married his high school sweetheart, Shante Taylor Broadus, on June 12, 1997. They have three children, Corde (b. 1994), Cordell (b. 1997), and Cori (b. 2000). On May 21, 2004, he filed for divorce from Shante, citing irreconcilable differences. However, they laterwhen reconciled and he withdrew the papers. The couple renewed their wedding vows on January 12, 2008
[[1]].
Snoop is a
Pittsburgh Steelers fan
[ESPN - Another great improviser: Snoop Dogg on Romo - NFL], and is often seen wearing Pittsburgh Steelers apparel in his music videos. 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. In the 2005 offseason, Snoop mentioned that he wanted to be an NFL head coach, "probably for the Steelers".
[ESPN.com: Page 2 : Steelers Snoop around] The following year, he was in attendance for the Steelers' victory in
Super Bowl XL. He was also somewhat of a fan of the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys, often wearing a #5 jersey, and has been seen in Raiders training camps.
[ [2]]. He did his own free style rap based on his similarities with Tony Romo.
[ [ www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEJsVXXFxpM]].
[ [3]]. Snoop is also a fan of the
Anaheim Ducks NHL hockey team, where he is frequently seen at games.
Snoop Dogg is a certified football coach and has been head coach for his son's youth football teams.
[USATODAY.com - Snoop Dogg coaches son's football team] Snoop can be spotted at John A. Rowland High School in Rowland Heights coaching the football team.
[- Snoop Dogg Uses Fame to Lure Young Football Players]
In August 2008, Snoop Dogg announced the launch of a new streetwear line called Rich & Infamous, via a partnership with Robert Thorne Co. to launch the line, a Beverly Hills-based brand management firm that built a billion-dollar business out of creating clothing and other licensed merchandise around Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The line, which is aimed toward males aged 18 and 35, was unveiled during the Magic tradeshow in Las Vegas.
[Snoop Dogg Launches New Streetwear Line BallerStatus.com]
Endorsements
- St. Ides
- Snoop Dogg 40 Oz Malt liquor
- Boost Mobile cell phone
- 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
[www.allhiphop.com/Hiphopnews/?ID=5039]
- "Snoop Dogg Board Company (SDBC)" - skateboards and Luggage fabrication company (with Pentagon Distribution)
- "Snooperbowl" and "Snoop Youth Football league"
[Snoop Youth Football League.]
- "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
[System Timed Out (Library of Congress Online Catalog)]
- 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
[Amazon.com: Tha Doggfather: The Times, Trials, And Hardcore Truths Of Snoop Dogg: Snoop Dogg,Davin Seay: Books]
- 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)
[www.pony.com/Doggybiscuitz]
- "Snoop Dogg Clothing" - streetwear (distributed at Macy's)
- "WRFF" - unique design scooters (in cooperation with Salton, Inc.)
[Get your WRFF on]
- "Hip Hop Gaming League" - a celebrity online gaming competition (hosted by Global Gaming League)
[Hip Hop Gaming League 2]
- "Snoop Dogg figures" (Vital Toys, Sota Toys)
[Snoop Dogg on Yahoo! Music]
- "Snoop Dogg Boxing" - mobile phone game (Sony Pictures Mobile)
- "Snoop Dogg Pet Accessory Line" (in conjunction with Jakks Pacific)
[www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=3740 SFGate]
Music samples
