Snoop Dogg

Calvin Cordozar Broadus, known as Snoop Dogg, is one of the greatest artists of our time. Born on October 20, 1971, in Long Beach, California, he owes his nickname to his mother, who gave it to him in tribute to his resemblance to Snoopy, the little dog from the cartoon Peanuts, which the artist loved to watch as a child.

A West Coast rapper discovered by Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg is now one of the most prominent artists in the hip-hop scene. He has a 25-year career behind him. His debut album Doggystyle, released in 1993, was produced by Dr. Dre. It shot straight to the top of the hip-hop charts, selling over 800,000 copies.

“I think Dr. Dre gave Snoop Dogg a sound that would resonate with hip-hop fans for generations to come. That’s what made Snoop Dogg an icon,” said B-Real, the rapper from Cypress Hill.

Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur

At the premiere of the film Poetic Justice in 1993, the two rappers met and became friends following a rap battle. Snoop Dogg revealed that they had “aggressively taunted each other” and that to break the ice, “they went out to smoke a blunt together.” It was with him that Snoop Dogg smoked the first joint of his life . They became friends and collaborators, and both were part of Dr. Dre’s label. But the young Tupac Shakur, the target of a shooting in Las Vegas, died of cardiac arrest in September 1996.

On April 7, to pay tribute to him, Snoop Dogg gave 2Pac his spot on the famous wall of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in New York. He gave a speech in which he described him as “the greatest rapper of all time.”

Snoop Dogg then made a comeback in 1998 and became one of hip-hop’s biggest stars. He released albums that were phenomenally successful, featuring must-hear tracks such as Drop It Like It’s Hot (featuring Pharrell Williams), Vato, and Signs (featuring Justin Timberlake). At the same time, he made several appearances in film and on television. He appeared notably in movies such as Soul Plane and Starsky & Hutch, as well as in the series Weeds.

Snoop Dogg in the series Weeds, a Season 2 episode in which he plays himself and tries Nancy Botwin’s famous weed.

 Snoop Dogg becomes "Snoop Lion"

 During his last trip to Jamaica, Snoop Dogg claims to have had a spiritual revelation. He decided to swap the “Dogg” in his stage name for “Lion.” A Rastafarian priest gave him the nickname Snoop Lion when he arrived in Jamaica. It comes from the lion on the Ethiopian flag, a very important symbol for Rastafarians. His album Reincarnated In 2013, he released an album that marked a radical turning point in his life: a 100% reggae album with electronic influences. He collaborated notably with Diplo and Major Lazer.

The Cannabis Encyclopedia: "Merry Jane.com"

Snoop Dogg is also known for being one of the artists who regularly uses cannabis. He doesn’t hide this fact; on the contrary, he takes great interest in it. Furthermore, he is actively involved in the cannabis market in the United States, where he is a major investor.

In October 2015, he launched its platform dedicated to cannabis news : MerryJane.com

A month later, Snoop Dogg released “ Leafs by Snoop "his first cannabis brand, which he announced in November 2015 in Denver, Colorado. Leafs By Snoop offers several products bearing his likeness, including chocolate, peanut butter, and candies infused with cannabis oil."

 His new album, "Neva Left," has just been released

On Friday, May 19, 2017, Snoop Dogg released his fifteenth album, titled *em*Neva Left*/em*, an album that traces his entire career. He also wants to return to his roots, his “Doggystyle” era: that’s why the album cover features a photo of him from 1992, at age 20, standing in front of the Route 187 sign in California.

The singer told his fans about the album: “What I had in mind for this new album was to capture all the different phases of the Snoop Dogg you’ve come to know over the past twenty-five years. I wanted to release an album with tracks that represent the hip-hop generation I come from, to let people know that I’m still here and that I’m still doing what I do.”

In this album, the track Lavender is a direct attack on U.S. President Donald Trump. In fact, during the the production of this music video last March, the president is depicted with a clown's face under the name Ronald Klump. The video has been viewed more than 9 million times.

The production on this new album features tracks with Rick Ross and Kaytranada. It’s an album that offers a great retrospective of his career and proves that he is undoubtedly the godfather of West Coast hip-hop.

Casa Verde Capital and its cannabis investments

Snoop Dogg is also an active investor in the legal cannabis industry. He co-founded Casa Verde Capital, an investment fund specializing in cannabis businesses, which invests in dozens of companies ranging from dispensaries to cultivation technologies to consumer brands.

He is also launching Leafs by Snoop, one of the first celebrity-backed cannabis brands in Colorado, and is collaborating with numerous brands in the industry. His influence on the legal cannabis market is significant, both as an investor and as a cultural ambassador.

The 2024 Paris Olympics

In 2024, Snoop Dogg was named NBC’s special correspondent for the Paris Olympics, a role that brought him unexpected global success.

His offbeat commentary, his presence in the stands, and his interactions with the athletes have made him one of the most-followed personalities of the Olympics, generating tens of millions of views on social media and introducing Snoop Dogg to a new international audience.