647 words. Looks at Snoop's early days with Dr Dre and Death Row Records.
From http://Mrshowbiz.com (now defunct)
From MrShowBiz.com (now defunct) Calvin Broadus (Snoop Doggy Dogg) was born on October 20 1972 in Long Beach, California. Snoop acquired his nickname because of his resemblance to that popular Peanuts character Snoopy the Dog. His father said that Snoop "had a lot of hair on his head as a baby and looked like a little dog." His parents split up when he was still a boy; he lived with his mother and two half-brothers, and spent his free time rapping with a friend, Warren Griffin, who would later find fame as rapper Warren G. In school Snoop was a good student and athlete, and was actually recruited by several basketball teams. He fell in with the La Crips Gang and not long after graduation was arrested for possession of cocaine. Snoop claims that fellow inmates told him "to get his life together" as he had talent. After this Snoop devoted himself to rap. Snoop got his first break in rap when his friend Warren G, cousin of Dr. Dre, introduced Snoop to Dre and had Dre listen to some of his demo tapes. Snoop and Dre then rapped together on a song for the Deep Cover soundtrack. The songs 'Nothing but a G Thing' and and 'Dre Day' were top 10 hits in the spring of 1993 from The Chronic album. Snoop then began working on a solo album Doggystyle in the August of that year. Just before the release of the album Snoop was arrested arrested in connection to the death of Phillip Woldermarian. After the MTV music awards in September Snoop turned himself in claiming it was self defense. Doggystyle was released in early 1994 and entered the charts at number 1. Some claim that as Snoop was arrested for murder it gave him 'street cred' thereby, making what he rapped about real. The album eventually sold over 5 million copiesDoggystyle is on most peoples list of best albums of all time. Snoop, who had previously met with Tupac got Suge to bail Tupac out of jail. In 1995 Tupac joined Deathrow. He made a guest appearance on Tupac's album 'All Eyez on Me' on the song '2 of Amerikaz most wanted' which also had a video dissing Biggie and Puffy. Tupac's album went 9 times platinum that year and with several soundtrack releases and several multiplatinum artists Deathrow was at the top of the rap industry. But by the end of the year Dr. Dre left Deathrow, Tupac was sadly murdered, and Suge was indicted on racketeering charges. This caused a major decline of not only Deathrow but of gangster rap itself, and Snoops second album 'Tha Doggfather' managed to sell only 2 million copies. In January 1998 Snoop left the row and signed with Master P of No Limit Records. He took a lot of criticism from fans who said that he had fallen off, gone soft and turned his back on Deathrow. Snoop replied: "I definitely feel my life is in danger if I stay in Death Row Records ... Everybody in the industry knows that Snoop Dogg was a part of making Death Row, so if he don't want to be there no more, let him go." He soon dropped the album 'Da Game is to be Sold, not to be told' on No Limit records which was greeted by mixed reviews, but debuted at no. 1. Although a decent album it wasn't the Gangster style rap or the quality of album that Doggystyle was. Snoop replied with a West Coast style album containing several songs produced by Dr. Dre accompanied by appearances by former Deathrow artists like Kurupt, Daz and Nate Dogg. The album sold well, producing the hit single 'B Please' f/ Xzibit. Snoop has now left No Limit after a final album titled 'The Last Meal' and has started a new label Dogghouse Records, which has artists, such as Doggies Angels.
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