death row

Snoop Dogg Says Dionne Warwick “Out-Gangstered” Him 

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Snoop Dogg is as gangster as it gets. But the West Coast legend claims another musical legend may be more gangster than he is. In a new clip from her upcoming CNN documentary, Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over, the soul legend revealed that she reprimanded Snoop and crew about their scandalous lyrics in the 90s. 

“I think what it was was that they needed to hear me,” she recalled. “I said, ‘You guys are all going to grow up and have families. You’re going to have children. Going to have little girls. And one day, that little girl is going to look at you and say, “Daddy, did you really say that? Is that really you?” What are you going to say?’ I think it got through to them.”

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 15: Singer Dionne Warwick performs onstage at City National Grove of Anaheim on December 15, 2022 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Read More: Snoop Dogg Acquires Death Row Records

Snoop says he and his Death Row members were “shook” by Warwick’s words. “We were kind of, like, scared and shook up,” he told CNN. “We’re powerful right now, but she’s been powerful forever: thirtysome years in the game, in the big home with a lot of money and success.” 

Despite the initial shock, 51-year old rapper took heed to Ms. Dionne’s words. “She was checking me at a time when I thought we couldn’t be checked. We were the most gangsta as you could be, but that day at Dionne Warwick’s house, I believe we got out-gangstered that day,” Snoop shared.

Moving forward, the “Drop It Like It’s Hot” star made a point to be more positive in his music. 

“I made it a point to put out records of joy — me uplifting everybody and nobody dying and everybody living,” he said. “Dionne, I hope I became the jewel that you saw when I was the little, dirty rock that was in your house. I hope I’m making you proud.”

Check out Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over, January 1 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on CNN. 

Snoop Dogg Says Death Row Broke His Spirit & Tried To Kill Him

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Well before he was hosting Puppy Bowls with Martha Stewart, Snoop Dogg helped propel Death Row into hip-hop’s premium label. However, his time on Death Row wasn’t necessarily the smoothest. Between cross-country feuds and Suge Knight’s hostility, Snoop’s leap to No Limit in the late 90s was a crucial move that undoubtedly saved his career and his life.

During his recent appearance on 85 South Show, Snoop Dogg reflected on working with Master P following a tumultuous time at Death Row. Snoop said that Master P ran the program differently compared to Suge Knight, who owned everything that the Doggystyle rapper had.

“They was soldiers, for real. Organized. Structured,” he explained. “Them n***as didn’t play, and P was serious about his business…”

Snoop Dogg and Master P during Super Bowl XXXVI - Jam Sports All Star Celebrity Basketball Game Hosted by <a href=Jermaine Dupri at University of New Orleans Human Performance Ctr. in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage)” class=”wp-image-612277″ srcset=”https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-117668237.jpg 2187w, https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-117668237.jpg?resize=197,300 197w, https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-117668237.jpg?resize=768,1170 768w, https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-117668237.jpg?resize=672,1024 672w, https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-117668237.jpg?resize=1008,1536 1008w, https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-117668237.jpg?resize=1344,2048 1344w, https://editor.urbanlinx.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/GettyImages-117668237.jpg?resize=984,1500 984w” sizes=”(max-width: 2187px) 100vw, 2187px” />
Snoop Dogg and Master P during Super Bowl XXXVI – Jam Sports All Star Celebrity Basketball Game Hosted by Jermaine Dupri at University of New Orleans Human Performance Ctr. in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage)

Snoop explained Master P showed him a different side of music industry during his early time with the label. However, C-Murder and Soulja Slim were still bringing him to the projects, despite Master P telling them not to.

“I’m violating but then I’m listening then I’m watching how they not listening then I said, ‘I’m not going to be a bad student. I’ma stop doing what they doing,’” Snoop said.

Though P put Snoop to work, he also provided opportunities to own property and get his money up. Snoop said that P told him he’d get paid for every album he appeared on until eventually, he brought the West Coast rapper to a gated community to purchase a house of his own and a car from the dealership. Snoop revealed it was the first time owning anything under his own name.

“This was the first time shit was in my name. Everything was in Suge Knight’s name,” he said.

Karlous Miller noted how Snoop was humble to have gone from a Death Row star to starting from the ground up on No Limit. “That was real humble of you just to — ’cause you was already Snoop Dogg,” Miller said.

“But I wasn’t,” Snoop responded. “My spirit wasn’t that. See that’s what you gotta understand. N***as broke my spirit. Thet broke me, man. They broke my spirit. Look, Doggystyle, workin’ on Doggfather, win my murder case, Dre leaves, Tupac get killed, Suge going to jail, Death Row want to kill me. That’s all in the same year.”

Check the full interview below.

Snoop Dogg Says 2Pac Inspired His “Pimp” Style

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Snoop Dogg is easily one of the most identifiable figures in hip-hop, and pop culture as a whole, but perhaps, that wouldn’t have happened without 2Pac.

During a recent appearance on The 85 South Comedy Show, Snoop Dogg explained that he was never comfortable with embracing a flamboyant fashion sense until 2Pac pushed him towards it. He recalled still dressing in khakis and Chucks after the success of Doggystyle. However, ‘Pac said that he needed to elevate his style to appeal to a wider audience.

“[2Pac] like, ‘Me and you finna have a meeting… We stepping our game up. We gotta change your look, Snoop Dogg. You a pimp, n***a. Bitches love you. You fly. You gotta start showing your fly side,” Snoop recalled. “‘I’ma get you suited up.’ ‘I’ma call this n***a Dion Scott, get your suits fitted, get your hair laid, get your nails done. Put some pimpin’ on screen, n***a.’”

Rappers Snoop Doggy Dogg (left) and Tupac Shakur flash gang signs while attending the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall. (Photo by Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

The result of the pep talk inspired the look in 2Pac and Snoop’s “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted” music video in 1996, which certainly marked a shift in Snoop’s career. However, Snoop explained that he wasn’t necessarily comfortable with making the stylistic shift at first.

“Just look at how I’m standing next to cuh when I’m wearing it. I’m trying to figure it out! I’m like, ‘Do I look right? I hope I don’t look sweet ’cause these pants tight as a muthafucka!’” Snoop Dogg continued, explaining that ‘Pac had him in “all this Italian that” that he “couldn’t even spell or pronounce.”

“Once I got comfortable with it, then it was like, ‘OK, this n***a’s teaching me how to be a star.’ Like, levels and layers,” Snoop continued. “‘We know you gangsta, dawg, but can you go higher than that? What if a n***a call you to be in a movie where they want you to be a lawyer? What if a n***a wants you to be a detective?’”

Check out the full interview below.

Snoop Dogg Is Gearing Up For His ‘A Death Row Summer’ Album With His New Single ‘Touch Away’

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Snoop Dogg American Song Contest 2022
Getty Image

2022 has been good for the West Coast OG, Snoop Dogg. The legendary rapper performed alongside Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar at Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California and purchased the Death Row imprint all in February. Now the 50-year-old is preparing for his 20th studio album A Death Row Summer.

The multi-hyphenate took to Instagram on Tuesday (May 17) to make the announcement. Snoop hasn’t shared a specific date, but he does say it is “coming soon.” For now, he left listeners with a new single “Touch Away” featuring October London.

A Death Row Summer will be the label’s second 2022 release. Snoop is excited about Death Row’s direction, stating in a press release, “I am thrilled and appreciative of the opportunity to acquire the iconic and culturally significant Death Row Records brand, which has immense untapped future value. It feels good to have ownership of the label I was part of at the beginning of my career and as one of the founding members.”

One can only imagine what Snoop has in store and whether he will call back to some of his previous collaborators or introduce newer acts.

Check out “Touch Away” featuring October London here.

Dr. Dre is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.