Who is Cordozar Calvin Broadus, Jr.?,[2] The Rap world knows him by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), he is a Grammy Award-nominated American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as an MC in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of producer Dr. Dre's most notable protégés.

Snoop Dogg was born October 20, 1971. His mother nicknamed him "Snoopy" as a child because of the way he dressed and because of his love of the cartoon Peanuts. When he began recording, he took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg. He shortened his name to Snoop Dogg in 1998 when he left his original record label Death Row Records and signed with No Limit Records.[1] He popularized the catch phrase suffix "-izzle," a slang term developed by Oakland, California rap group 3X Krazy in the mid-1990s and used by Bay Area rapper E-40.[3]

Dr. Dre began working with Snoop Dogg, first on the theme song of the feature film Deep Cover, and then on Dr. Dre's debut solo album The Chronic with the other members of his former starting group, Tha Dogg Pound. Snoop Dogg's contribution to The Chronic was considerable; the rapper's rhymes were as present as Dr. Dre's. The huge success of Snoop Dogg's debut Doggystyle was partially due to this intense exposure.[1]
In 1993, during a stop in Columbus, Ohio on "The Chronic" tour, he discovered a six year old rapper and dubbed him Bow Wow.

While recording Doggystyle with Dr. Dre in August 1993, Snoop Dogg was arrested in connection with the death of Phillip Woldermarian, a member of a rival gang who was shot and killed in a gang fight. Dubbed The Snoop Doggy Dogg Trial at the time. Snoop Dogg was defended by David Kenner, with his bodyguard McKinley Lee, while Sean Abrams (accompanying member in the jeep) was defended by Johnnie Cochran.[4] Both Snoop Dogg and McKinley Lee were acquitted; Lee was acquitted on grounds of self-defense, but Snoop Dogg remained entangled in the legal battles around the case for three years.[5] His video "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted"

with the late Tupac Shakur chronicled the difficulties each rapper was dealing with as a result of their unrelated but concurrent criminal prosecutions.

To fuel the ascendance of West Coast "g-funk" rap, the singles "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" and "Gin and Juice"

reached the top ten most-played songs in the United States, and the album stayed on the Billboard charts for several months.[1] Gangsta rap became the center of arguments for censorship and labeling, with Snoop Dogg often used as an example of violent and misogynistic musicians.[6] Doggystyle, much like The Chronic, featured a host of rappers signed to or affiliated with the Death Row label including Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Nate Dogg and others.
A short film about Snoop Dogg's murder trial called Murder Was the Case, was released in 1994, along with an accompanying soundtrack. However, by the time Snoop Dogg's second album, Tha Doggfather, was released in November 1996, the price of living (or sometimes just imitating) the "gangsta" life had become very evident. Among the many notable rap industry deaths and convictions were the death of Snoop Dogg's friend and label-mate Tupac Shakur

and the racketeering indictment of Death Row co-founder Suge Knight. Dr. Dre

had left Death Row earlier in 1996 due to a contract dispute, so Snoop Dogg co-produced Tha Doggfather

with Daz Dillinger

and DJ Pooh.

This album featured a distinct change of style as compared to Doggystyle. While the album sold reasonably well, it was not as successful, and it was widely believed that its quality suffered from Dr. Dre's lack of involvement. However, Tha Doggfather had a somewhat softer approach to the G-funk style. The immediate aftermath of Dr. Dre's withdrawal from Death Row Records, realizing that he was subject to an iron clad time-based contract (i.e., that Death Row practically owned anything he produced for a number of years), Snoop Dogg refused to produce any more tracks for Suge Knight,

other than the insulting "Fuck Death Row", until his contract expired.[7]
Later that year he released the album Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$, on Capitol Records which featured the hit singles and videos "From tha Chuuuch to da Palace"

and "Beautiful"

featuring guest vocals by Pharrell.

In 2004, Snoop signed to Geffen Records/Star Trak Entertainment both of which are distributed through Interscope Records; Star Trak is headed by the Neptunes, who produced several tracks for Snoop's 2004 release R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece. "Drop It Like It's Hot"

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(featuring Pharrell), the first single released from the album, was a hit and became Snoop Dogg's first single to reach number one. His third release was "Signs",

featuring Justin Timberlake

& Charlie Wilson,

which entered the UK chart at #2. This was his highest entry ever in the UK chart. The album sold very well, and most of its singles were heavily played on radio and television.

Snoop Dogg's appeared on two tracks from Ice Cube's

2006 album Laugh Now, Cry Later,

including the single "Go to Church", and on several tracks on Tha Dogg Pound's Cali Iz Active the same year. Also, his latest song, "Real Talk", was leaked over the Internet in the summer of 2006 and a video was later released on the Internet. "Real Talk"

is a dedication to Tookie Williams and a diss to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Two other singles on which Snoop made a guest performance were "Keep Bouncing"

by Too Short

(also with will.i.am

of the Black Eyed Peas) and "Gangsta Walk"

by Coolio.

Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, Snoop's album for 2006, debuted on the Billboard 200 at #5.[8] The album, and the second single "That's That Shit"

featuring R. Kelly were well-received by critics. In the album, he collaborated in a video with E-40 and other West Coast rappers for his single "Candy (Drippin' Like Water)".
In July 2007, Snoop Dogg also made history by becoming the first artist to release a track as a ringtone prior to its release as a single, "It's the D.O.G.". On July 7 2007 Snoop Dogg performed at the German leg of Live Earth in Hamburg.[9]

Snoop Dogg has recently ventured into singing for Bollywood with his first ever rap for an Indian movie Singh Is Kinng;

the title of the song is also Singh is Kinng. The album featuring the song was released on June 8, 2008 on Junglee Music Records.[10]
In February 2009, Snoop Dogg had left Geffen Records (Interscope-Geffen-A&M) his recording home for over 10 years. At press time, Snoop has declined on divulge his next possible label home.[11]
February 10, 2009 – MTV and rapper, icon, record producer, entrepreneur and actor, Snoop Dogg today announced a first-of-its kind global deal that will bring the entertainers’ personality to television in a new variety talk show, “Dogg After Dark,”

and his music to fans with a new album release and into the best-selling music video game Rock Band®.[12]

In 1993, Snoop appeared as a guest on The Arsenio Hall Show.

In 1998, Snoop had a cameo appearance in the film Half Baked

as the "Scavenger Smoker."
In 2000, Snoop (as "Michael J. Corleone") directed Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle, a pornographic film produced by Hustler. This film, combining hip-hop with X-rated material, was a huge success and won "Top Selling Release of the Year" at the 2002 AVN Awards.[13] Driven by this success, Snoop directed Snoop Dogg's Hustlaz: Diary of a Pimp

in 2002 (this time using the nickname "Snoop Scorsese").
In 2001, Snoop lent his voice to the animated show "King of the Hill".

His character was a white pimp named Alabaster Jones
In 2002, Snoop hosted, starred in, and produced his own MTV sketch comedy show entitled Doggy Fizzle Televizzle.

Snoop was filmed for a brief cameo appearance in the television movie It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002),

but his performance was omitted from the final cut of the movie.[14]
In 2003, Snoop had a cameo appearance in the film Old School

as himself. Snoop also performed Sad But True

at MTV Icon 2003, where Metallica was chosen as the band to be tributed.
On November 8th, 2004, Snoop Dogg was seen starring in the episode Two of a Kind of NBC's series Las Vegas.

In 2004, Snoop appeared on the Showtime series The L Word

as the character "Slim Daddy", a combination of Slim Shady and Puff Daddy. He also notably played the drug dealer-turned-informant character of Huggy Bear, in the 2004 remake film of the 1970s TV-series of the same name, Starsky & Hutch.

He appeared as himself in an episode of the Showtime series "Weeds," and made an appearance on the hit TV shows Entourage

and Monk,

for which he recorded a version of the theme, in July 2007.

Snoop founded his own production company, Snoopadelic Films, in 2005. Their debut film was Boss'n Up,

a film inspired by R&G starring Lil Jon

and Trina.[15]

Perhaps in conjunction with his entry into the x-rated world, Snoop claimed in a 2006 interview with Rolling Stone magazine that unlike other hip hop artists who've superficially adopted the pimp persona, he was an actual professional pimp in 2003 and 2004, saying "That shit was my natural calling and once I got involved with it, it became fun. It was like shootin' layups for me. I was makin' 'em every time." He goes on to say that upon the advice on some of the other pimps he knew, he eventually gave up pimping to spend more time with his family.[16]
In December 2007, his reality show Snoop Dogg's Father Hood

premiered on the E! channel.[17] Snoop Dogg joined the NBA's Entertainment League.[18]

On March 30, 2008 he appeared at WrestleMania XXIV as a Master of Ceremonies for a tag team match between Maria and Ashley Massaro

as they took on Beth Phoenix

and Melina.

[19]

On May 8 and May 9, 2008, Snoop appeared as himself on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, with a new opening theme recorded by the artist presented for both episodes. In the episodes, Snoop performs at the bachelorette party for character Adriana Cramer,

and credits Bo Buchanan

with helping him get his start in show business.

1990s - Snoop Dog was arrested for possession of cocaine. Over the next three years he spent time in and out of prison.
July 1993 - Snoop was stopped for a traffic violation and a firearm was found by police while conducting a search of his car. In February 1997 he plead guilty to one count of being an ex-felon in possession of a handgun and was ordered to record three public service announcements, pay a $1,000 fine, and serve three years probation.

August 1993 - Snoop was charged for being an accomplice to the murder of Phillip Woldermarian. In February 1996, with the help of attorney Jonnie Cochran,

Snoop was found not guilty of all charges but voluntary manslaughter, on which the jury deadlocked.
May 1998 - Snoop Doggy Dogg was arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession. He was fined of $100, plus a $170 penalty assessment fee and a $100 payment to the Victim's Restitution Fund, for a total cost of $370.
October 2001 - Snoop was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, after his tour bus was stopped and searched in Ohio. In May 2002 he pleaded no contest to the charge and was fined a total of $398.30 and a suspended 30-day jail sentence.
On April 26, 2006, Snoop Dogg and members of his entourage were arrested after being turned away from British Airways' first class lounge at Heathrow Airport. Snoop and his party were not allowed to enter the lounge because some of the entourage were flying first class, other members in economy class. After the group was escorted outside, they vandalized a duty-free shop by throwing whiskey bottles. Seven police officers were injured in the midst of the disturbance. After a night in prison, Snoop Dogg and the other men were released on bail on April 27, but he was unable to perform at the Premier Foods People's Concert in Johannesburg on the same day. As part of his bail conditions, he had to return to the police station in May. The group has been banned by British Airways for "the foreseeable future."[20][21]
On May 11, when Snoop Dogg appeared at a London police station, he was cautioned for affray under Section 4 of the Public Order Act for use of threatening words or behavior [22]. On May 15, the Home Office decided that Snoop Dogg should be denied entry to the UK for the foreseeable future due to the incident at Heathrow as well as his previous convictions in the United States for drugs and firearms offenses.[23][24]

Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, and The Game

have been sued for assaulting a fan on stage at a May 2005 Auburn concert at the White River Amphitheatre. The accuser claims he was beaten by the artists' entourage while he was running up to touch Snoop. He alleges that he reacted to an "open invite" to come on stage. Before he could, Snoop’s bodyguards grabbed him and he was beaten unconscious by crew people, including the rapper and producer Soopafly. Snoop and The Game were included in the suit for not intervening to hold the fight. The lawsuit focuses on a pecuniary claim of $22 million in punitive and compensatory damages, battery, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.[25]

On September 27, 2006, Snoop Dogg was detained at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California by airport security, after airport screeners found a collapsible police baton in Snoop's carry-on bag. The baton was confiscated but Snoop was allowed to board the flight. He has been charged with various weapons violations stemming from this incident. When arrested, he told deputies the baton was a prop for a movie. Bail was set at $150,000, which Snoop has paid.
Snoop Dogg was arrested again on October 26, 2006 at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California while parked in a passenger loading zone. Approached by airport security for a traffic infraction, he was found in possession of marijuana and a firearm, according to a police statement. He was transported to Burbank Police Department Jail, booked, and released on $35,000 bond. He faced firearm and drug possession charges on December 12 at Burbank Superior Court.[26]
He was again arrested on November 29, 2006, after performing on The Tonight Show, for possession of marijuana and a firearm.[27]
Snoop Dogg

was arrested again on March 12, 2007 at 1:25 a.m CET after performing in a concert with P.Diddy in Stockholm's Globe Arena, Sweden. Snoop Dogg was arrested along with a woman after the pair reportedly "reeked" of marijuana. They were arrested and released 4 hours later after providing a urine sample. Pending results on urine will determine whether charges will be pressed. However the rapper denied all charges.[28][29][30]
Snoop Dogg's visa card was rejected by local authorities on March 24, 2007 because of the Heathrow incident [31]. A concert at London's Wembley Arena on March 27 went ahead with Diddy (with whom he toured Europe) and the rest of the show. However the decision affected four more British performances in Cardiff, Manchester, Nottingham and Glasgow [32] and Budapest (due to rescheduling).[33]

On April 12, 2007, Snoop Dogg was sentenced to five years of probation for gun and drug charges. He is expected to continue touring with supporting act Sam "OG" Biglari through the rest of 2008.
On April 26, 2007, the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship banned him from entering the country on character grounds, citing his prior criminal convictions. He had been scheduled to appear at the MTV Australia Video Music Awards on April 29, 2007.[34] The ban was not lifted and Snoop Dogg was not able to attend. MTV Australia currently has a petition going to get him Australian citizenship.[35]

On September 12, 2008, Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship lifted the ban and had granted him visa to tour Australia. DIAC said "In making this decision, the department weighed his criminal convictions against his previous behaviour while in Australia, recent conduct – including charity work – and any likely risk to the Australian community ... We took into account all relevant factors and, on balance, the department decided to grant the visa."[36]
Snoop Dogg's many legal issues forced San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom