“I'm sittin' in the crib dreamin' about Leer jets and coupes/The way Salt shoops and how to sell records like Snoop”-Notorious B.I.G.
November 23, 2013 marked the twentieth anniversary of Snoop Doggy Dogg’s debut album ‘Doggystyle.’ Selling over four million records, ‘Doggystyle’ is his highest selling album and was the foundation that not only put him amongst hip hop’s all-time greats, but a pop culture icon.
After making scene-stealing appearances alongside Dr. Dre on ‘Deep Cover’ and throughout ‘The Chronic’ in 1992 there was much anticipation to Calvin Broadas’s first album. While receiving mixed reviews, ‘Doggystyle’ became both the highest selling debut album of all time and highest selling first week album sales until 50 Cent’s ‘Get Rich or Die Trying’ in 2003 and Eminem’s ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’ (all three as Dr. Dre prodigies). With whiney synths, slapping snares and claps, and George Clinton creating the G-Funk backdrop, Snoop made something that not only transcended nationally; it opened up the door for rap acts who were not from New York to do the same (word to OutKast’s debut that debuted five months later).
When it came to releasing singles, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg created a formula: making gangsta-fied remakes of classic funk records.
‘Who I Am (What’s My Name?)’ lifted George Clinton’s ‘Atomic Dog’ was the first single released October 30, 1993. It reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and No. 1 on the Hot Rap Singles chart.
While ‘Who I Am’ opened the door, it was ‘Gin and Juice’ that has become the classic. Also peaking at No. 8 and No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Hot Rap Singles charts respectively; it was nominated for Best Rap Single in 1995.
Not officially released as a single in the US, ‘Doggy Dogg World’ had the lyrics of ‘If it Ain’t One Thing…It’s Another’ by Richard “Dimples” Fields re-sang charted at No. 19 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Top 40 charts and won Best Rap Video at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards.
After ten solo and five collaborative albums, 30 million records sold, TV Shows, movies, clothing, and being reincarnated from Dogg to Lion; Snoop Dogg has become a household name (I personally feel like he changed lives as Rodney in Baby Boy). Slim with a tilted brim, he has personified cool and lovable by all ranges-all the while being a marijuana smoking and gang sign throwing to this day. Who would’ve thought the guy who interpolated Slave’s ‘Watching You’ to an ode about smoking Indo and sipping gin and juice would become the one rapper even your grandmother likes?
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