Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr., known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, and most recently, Snoop Lion, is an American rapper, songwriter and actor. Snoop Dogg’s music career began in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre. Today, Snoop Dogg has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.
Snoop Dogg’s first album Doggystyle was released in 1993 with Death Row Records. The debut album sold nearly a million copies in the first week of its release. By 1994, Doggystyle was certified 4x platinum. Doggystyle reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, as well as Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. In 1996, Snoop Dogg released his second album, The Doggfather which also made the No. 1 spot on the same charts. The Doggfather was certified double platinum by the next year. Once Snoop Dogg parted with Death Row Records, he signed with No Limit Records where he produced his next three albums: Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told (1998), No Limit Top Dogg (1999) and Tha Last Meal (2000). After parting with his second label, he joined the Priority/Capitol/EMI Records team in 2002, where he released only one album Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss. His next three albums were released with Geffen Records: R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece; The Blue Carpet Treatment; and Ego Trippin’. In 2009, Snoop Dogg was hired by EMI as the Chairman of a reactivated Priority Records. His albums Malice n’ Wonderland (2009), and Doggumentary (2011) were released on Priority Records. In 2012, after a trip to Jamaica, Snoop Dogg announced his conversion to the Rastafari Movement and a name change to ‘Snoop Lion.’ By 2013, the first album as Snoop Lion, Reincarnated, was released. He also released a documentary on his experience in Jamaica.
In Kool Moe Dee’s book, “There’s A God on the Mic,“ Snoop Dogg is ranked at No. 33. Dee quotes Snoop Dogg has “an ultra-smooth, laidback delivery, and flavor-filled melodic rhyming.” Dee describes Snoop’s use of diction in his raps by stating, “he keeps it real simple…he simplifies it and he’s effective in his simplicity.” Dee also refers to Snoop as “one of the smoothest, funkiest flow-ers in the game.” Rapper, The D.O.C, who’s collaborated with Snoop, praises Snoop Dogg’s ability to spit rhymes, “Snoop’s [rap] was a one take willy, but his shit was all freestyle. He hadn’t written nothing down. He just came in and started busting. The song was ‘Tha Shiznit’—that was all freestyle. He started busting and when we got to the break, Dre cut the machine off, did the chorus and told Snoop to come back in. He did that throughout the record. That’s when Snoop was in the zone then.”
See Snoop Dogg’s freestyling skills and attend the show! Tickets: $35 + service fee.
Snoop Dogg at Emo’s Austin
Tuesday, March 11
Doors: 8PM
All ages