Biography: Snoop Dogg

Name: Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr.

Birthday: October 20, 1971

Birthplace: Long Beach, CA

Nicknames

• Snoop Doggy Dogg
• Dogg Father

Snoop Dogg's Early Life

Nicknamed "Snoop" by his mother because of his appearance, Snoop often found himself at loggerheads with the law, as a child. He spent a good portion of his post-high school graduation time in and out of jail. Music became his ultimate escape route from a criminal lifestyle. Snoop started by creating homemade hip-hop tapes along with Warren G, and Nate Dogg (the trio is known as 213).

Snoop Meets Dre

Legend has it that Warren G, who happens to be the step-brother of N.W.A. co-founder Dr. Dre, passed Snoop's tape to the good doctor. Dre was sold and began collaborating with Snoop Dogg. Snoop's first official ticket to fame was the soundtrack to the movie "Deep Cover." Following his stellar performance on the theme song, Snoop was solicited to work with Dr. Dre on the former's G-Funk opus, The Chronic. The Chronic was successful due, in part, to Snoop's charming presence on the mic.

Doggystyle

Dr. Dre compensated Snoop's Chronic contributions on the fledgling rapper's own debut, Doggystyle. Both CD's became hip-hop essentials, attained multiple platinum status, and stamped gangsta rap on the national map.

"Murder Was The Case That They Gave Me"

In the middle of recordings for Doggystyle, Snoop was charged with being a murder accomplice in the death of Phillip Woldermarian. Snoop was allegedly in the vehicle when his bodyguard, McKinley Lee, shot and killed Woldermarian for stalking the rapper. Both Snoop and his bodyguard were acquitted on grounds of self-defense.

The Dogg Father

Snoop may have beaten the murder rap, but his own rap career took some pounding of its own. Although Doggystyle became the first debut album to enter the charts at #1 and eventually sold over 4 million units, The Doggfather failed to produce any substantial hit and sales stalled at two million.

No Limit Top Dogg

Snoop eventually left Death Row for Master P's No Limit Records. While at No Limit, he dropped albums with the frequency of ABBA. Da Game Is To Be Sold Not To Be Told was his first project on P's label. He quickly followed it up with 3 more albums, but none reached the critical acclaim of Doggystyle. Snoop was undeterred. He dabbled in an array of mainstream movies including "Bones" and "Soul Plane." In 2005, Snoop dropped R&G: Rhythm & Gangsta, one of his most successful albums in years.

Reincarnated as Snoop Lion

In 2012, Snoop Dogg changed his stage moniker to Snoop Lion. He followed up the rechristening with a new reggae album, Reincarnated.

In 2014, he returned to his original stage name, Snoop Dogg, and teamed up with Pharrell Williams on his 13th album, BUSH.

Snoop Dogg Says

"I don't regret anything I've ever said or done. Everything is done for a reason - I'm just a child of God doing what He wants me to do. I say what I say, but before I was here it was being said, and when I leave it is going to continue to be said, so don't blame me, don't hate me, hate the game." (September 1999, interview with Dimitri Erlich)

Snoop Dogg's Discography

• 1993: Doggystyle
• 1996: Tha Doggfather
• 1998: Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told
• 1999: No Limit Top Dogg
• 2000: Tha Last Meal
• 2002: Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss
• 2004: R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece
• 2006: Tha Blue Carpet Treatment
• 2008: Ego Trippin'
• 2009: Malice n Wonderland
• 2011: Doggumentary
• 2013: Reincarnated
• 2015: BUSH