Published: 4/16/2022
Updated: 10/20/2022

Snoop Dogg’s longstanding legacy in the culture is incredible: he is a “one of one.” The California-bred rapper born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. has remained relevant since the beginning of his career. He rose to fame after Dr. Dre enlisted him on the single “Deep Cover” and later his album The Chronic. Both the single and album were released in 1992.

Snoop eventually ventured out on his own path and released his debut album, Doggystyle (1993). It had great success as it took over the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and the Popular chart.

Doggystyle was only the beginning. Snoop has 19 studio albums. He later left Death Row Records in 1998 and signed to No Limit Records and released three albums: Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told (1998), No Limit Top Dogg (1999), and Tha Last Meal (2000). After he released those three albums, he went to Priority/Capitol/EMI Records and dropped Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss (2002). Over the years he was signed to the aforementioned labels as well as Geffen Records, that produced R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, and Ego Trippin’.

Snoop Dogg wasn’t always just “Snoop Dogg.” Throughout his career, he actually changed his name to Snoop Lion when he converted to a Rastafarian. He eventually went back to his original stage name in 2015 after he released his reggae album Reincarnated (2013).

Where Is Snoop Dogg Now?

Snoop Dogg is now the owner Death Row Records, the first label to put him on. The acquisition of the label happened in 2022. Also that same year, he took the stage with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and surprise guest 50 Cent at the LVI Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Outside of music, Snoop has been the host of several baking shows with Martha Stewart and hosted American Song Contest with Kelly Clarkson. Whether it is new music, a competition show on television, or the world’s biggest stage, Snoop is always front and center in our culture.

Take a look at 10 of the West Coast rapper’s best songs:

• 10. “Lodi Dodi” ft. Nancy Fletcher ‘Doggystyle’ (1993)

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  Snoop puts his own West Coast twist on Doug E Fresh’s classic “La Di Da Di”, which featured Slick Rick. The 1993 track "Lodi Dodi" is on the California rapper's debut album 'Doggystyle.' The song also features a guest appearance from vocalist Nancy Fletcher. Many have covered “La Di Da Di,” but Snoop's version of the New York classic is arguably one of the best covers in hip-hop history.

• 9. “Murder Was The Case” ‘Doggystyle’ (1993)

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  The name of this track seemed to mirror Snoop's life at the time. Before releasing "Murder Was The Case," the 'Doggystyle' artist was charged with the murder of a gang member named Philip Woldemariam. Snoop didn't pull the trigger but he was driving the Jeep when his bodyguard McKinley Lee pulled up on Woldemariam and shot him. Lee and Snoop were both charged with murder and freed on bail on Death Row's bill. In 1996, both Lee and Snoop were found not guilty. The line "murder was the case" comes from a Snoop Dogg verse on the Dr. Dre song "Lil' Ghetto Boy," which was released on Dre's debut solo album 'The Chronic' about a year earlier. 

• 8. “Young, Wild, and Free” and Wiz Khalifa ft. Bruno Mars ‘Mac & Devin Go to High School’ (2011)

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  Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa co-starred in the film 'Mac & Devin Go to High School' also decided to make a song after their "Black & Yellow" collaboration. Snoop told MTV News how the song came together: "[Bruno Mars] sent me the music and I played the music for Wiz and he loved it and we came together," he said. "That's what we do: We make good music. If you've got a great idea, which was started by Bruno, and me and Wiz, we take it to the next level, gave it back to Bruno. He tightened up the edges, and now it's a complete situation." "Young, Wild, and Free" was nominated for "Best Rap Song" at the 55th Grammy Awards. The song is currently six-times platinum status with the RIAA. 

• 7. “Beautiful” ft. Pharrell Williams and Charlie Wilson ‘Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss’ (2002)

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  "Beautiful" served as the second single on Snoop Dog's 2002 album 'Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss.' The song features superstar producer and rapper Pharrell Williams and R&B legend Charlie Wilson. The song peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Billboard Hip-Hop/R&B chart. "Beautiful" was nominated for two Grammys "Best Rap Song" and "Best Rap Song Collaboration" at the 46th Grammy Awards.

• 6. “Nuthin but a “G” Thang” Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg ‘The Chronic’ (1992)

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  On Dre's first solo album 'The Chronic' after leaving N.W.A., the superstar producer tapped in Snoop Dogg for the iconic classic "Nuthin but a 'G' Thang." This was first single from 'The Chronic,' which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Nuthin but a 'G' Thang" was nominated for "Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group" at the 36th Grammy Awards.

• 5. “Deep Cover” Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg ‘Deep Cover Soundtrack’ (1992)

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  This was Dr. Dre's debut solo release after the breakup of his group N.W.A. This was also Snoop Dogg's first released song (he was known at the time as Snoop Doggy Dogg) and his first appearance in a music video. The track is also referred to as "187" which is California slang for murder. The song was part of the 'Deep Cover' soundtrack which stars Laurence Fishburne as a cop who goes undercover to infiltrate a drug cartel. The song debuted at No. 46 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Billboard Rap chart. 

• 4. “Who Am I? (What’s My Name)” ‘Doggystyle’ (1993)

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  In "Who Am I? (What's My Name)" Snoop Dogg introduces himself in his first single as a lead artist. When the song was released in 1993, the West Coast rapper was up on murder charges but was found innocent with the help of the late high-profile attorney Johnnie Cochran. The song was produced by frequent collaborator Dr. Dre who samples and uses interpolations from George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" in its chorus and throughout the track. "Who Am I? (What's My Name)" is certified gold by the RIAA.

• 3. “Still D.R.E.” Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg ‘Still D.R.E.’ (1999)

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  "Still D.R.E." is a hip-hop classic and one of Dr. Dre's best-produced and most memorable beats. Snoop Dogg raps on this track with Dre (which was written by Jay-Z). Hov flew to L.A. and wrote the song in 30 minutes. He told Lebron James and Maverick Carter on their HBO show 'The Shop' that he wrote the rhymes as if he were them. "You gotta have like somewhat of a reverence for them, the music they were making," he said. "'The Chronic' and all of that. In order for me to really nail the essence of Dre and Snoop, it had to be like a studied reverence of what they were doing." "Still D.R.E." peaked at No. 93 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2000. In the week after Dr. Dre's and Snoop Dogg's Super Bowl performance, it re-entered the chart at No. 23. The song was nominated for "Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group" at the 42nd Grammy Awards.

• 2. “Drop It Like It’s Hot” ft. Pharrell Williams, ‘R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece’ (2004)

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  "Drop It Like It's Hot" is one of Snoop's most memorable classics. Pharrell Williams is featured in the first verse of the song along with his Neptunes partner Chad Hugo who produced the track. The track is a club anthem about dropping your butt down onto the dance floor. The song earned two Grammy nominations for "Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group" and "Best Rap Song" at the 47th Grammy Awards. "Drop It Like It's Hot" is certified gold status by the RIAA.

• 1. “Gin and Juice” ‘Doggystyle’ (1993)

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  You can't think of Snoop Dogg and not think about his '93 classic hit "Gin and Juice." "Gin and Juice" is featured on Snoop's debut album 'Doggystyle' which was produced by Dr. Dre. "Gin And Juice" was Snoop Dogg's second single, but the rapper had gotten a headstart and began establishing himself as an artist by featuring in several songs on Dr. Dre's 'The Chronic.' Snoop talked about the origin of the song per HipHopHero: "Gin and juice was the choice of drink for a young playa. 1991, 1992, you didn't really have a lot of money, you go get that gin. When it came time to make the record, 'Doggystyle', that was my thing: Every day I would come to the studio with my bottle of gin and juice in it, and Dre would have a big-a-- milk jug full of gin and juice. We were in the studio one day and someone was singing that Slave song, 'Watching You.' We flipped it into 'Rollin' down the street, smokin indo, sippin' on gin and juice,' and made it happen from there." The song was nominated for "Best Rap Song" at the 37th Grammy Awards. 

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