Snoop Dogg (real name: Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr., born on October 20, 1972 in Long Beach, California) is a rapper and actor. Snoop is best known as a famous MC in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of producer Dr. Dre’s most notable protégés. He made his debut on the album The Chronic and was a huge reason why the album was so popular. Snoop Dogg then released his first album, Doggystyle to much critical and public acclaim. His mother nicknamed him “Snoopy” as a child, and he took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg when he began recordin... (+) expand

Snoop Dogg (real name: Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr., born on October 20, 1972 in Long Beach, California) is a rapper and actor. Snoop is best known as a famous MC in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of producer Dr. Dre’s most notable protégés. He made his debut on the album The Chronic and was a huge reason why the album was so popular. Snoop Dogg then released his first album, Doggystyle to much critical and public acclaim. His mother nicknamed him “Snoopy” as a child, and he took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg when he began recording. He changed his name to Snoop Dogg in 1996, when he left his original record label, Death Row Records, and signed with No Limit Records.

He has been affiliated the Crips, a U.S. street gang. Several of his cousins, including Rbx, Nate Dogg, Daz Dillinger, and Warren G are also hip hop artists and often collaborate with Snoop. 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. Driven by this success, Snoop directed Snoop Dogg’s Hustlaz: Diary of a Pimp in 2002 (this time using the nickname “Snoop Scorsese”).

As a rapper, he is perhaps best known for his “lazy drawl” — a slurred, distinctively calm, laid-back, and rhythmically-complex lyrical delivery. His lyrics have often been criticized for their glorification of misogyny, violence and gangsterism; however, he is often credited for accurately portraying street slang and attitudes. (-) collapse