The epitome of 90s ‘gangsta’ rap, Snoop Dogg carved out a distinctive niche for himself on the early rap scene and ultimately has become one of the genre’s most successful artists and businessmen. Born Calvin Broadus on October 20, 1972 in Long Beach, California, Snoop got his nickname from his mother who thought he resembled the Peanuts cartoon character
Snoopy. The rapper turned to music when he was in high school to escape a life of crime and was first discovered by
Dr. Dre of NWA fame. Snoop rapped with Dr. Dre on the latter’s solo debut The Chronic and, with s
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uch crossover Top Ten hits as "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" and "Dre Day," quickly became just as famous as his mentor, setting the stage for his own debut album Doggystyle in 1993. 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 continued troubles with the law and his violent and sexist lyrics.
The successor to Doggystyle, Doggfather did not do as well as Snoop’s debut and the artist decided that it was time to move away from his inflammatory gangsta roots and repackage himself to appeal to a broader audience. 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 a new label, 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. By this time, Snoop had become more than just a rapper; he was a cultural phenomenon. Successive albums on different labels did nothing to slow Snoop down as an autobiography followed and he soon made the jump to the silver screen appearing in several high profile movies. Snoop’s output has hardly diminished in the new millennium and he has already accomplished what many rap artists never even dream of achieving. The sheer resiliency of his 20-year hustle has made hip hop's own "
King of All Media” and a musical God to his many fans.
