Calvin Broadus aka Snoop Dogg or Snoop Doggy Dogg was born October 20 1972, in Long Beach, California. Snoop Doggy Dogg's commercial rise in 1993 was acutely timed, riding a surge in hardcore rap's popularity, and smashing previous records in any genre. Doggystyle was the most eagerly anticipated album in rap history, and the first debut album to enter the Billboard chart at number 1. With advance orders of over one and a half million, media speculators were predicting its importance long before a release date. As was de rigueur for gangsta rappers, Broadus' criminal past cast a long, somewhat romanticized shadow over his achievements. He was busted for drugs after leaving high school in Long Beach, and spent three years in and out of jail. He first appeared in 1991 when helping out Dr. Dre on a track called "Deep Cover", from the movie of the same title. Dogg was also ubiquitous on Dr. Dre's 1992 breakthrough, The Chronic, particularly on the hit single "Nuthin" But A "G' Thang", which he wrote and on which he co-rapped. After presenting a gong to En Vogue in September 1993 at the MTV video awards, Dogg surrendered himself to police custody after the show, on murder charges. This was over his alleged involvement in a driveby shooting. Inevitably, as news spread of Dogg's involvement, interest in his vinyl product accelerated, and this played no small part in the eventual sales of his debut album. Critics noted how closely Doggystyle was modelled on George Clinton's Atomic Dog project. Many also attacked the abusive imagery of women Dogg employed, particularly on the lurid "Ain't No Fun". His justification: "I'm not prejudiced in my rap, I just kick the rhymes". If the US press were hostile to him they were no match for the sensationalism of the English tabloids. During touring commitments to support the album and single, "Gin And Juice", he made the front page of the Daily Star with the headline: "Kick This Evil Bastard Out!". It was vaguely reminiscent of the spleen vented at the Sex Pistols in their heyday, and doubtless a good sign. He was asked to leave his hotel in Milestone, Kensington on arrival. A more serious impediment to his career was the trial on charges of accessory to the murder of Phillip Woldermariam, shot by his bodyguard McKinley Lee. The trial was underway in November 1995 and attracted a great deal of media attention, due in part to Dogg's defence attorney being Johnnie Cochran, O.J. Simpson's successful defender. During the trial the rapper's bail was set at $1 million. The verdict on 20 February 1996 acquitted Dogg and McKinley Lee of both murder charges and the manslaughter cases were dropped in April. The trial had not overtly damaged his record sales, with his debut topping seven million copies worldwide, and the follow-up Tha Doggfather entering the US album chart at number 1, although it ultimately failed to match the commercial success of Doggystyle. A subsequent falling out with the ailing Death Row Records saw Dogg transferring to Master P's highly successful gangsta label, No Limit Records. Now known as Snoop Dogg, he released Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told in August 1998. Repeating the success of his first two albums, it debuted at US number 1. "Still A G Thang" climbed to number 19 the following month. Snoop Dogg released another new set, No Limit Top Dogg, in May 1999, although he was held off the top of the charts this time by Latino heart throb Ricky Martin. The following year Snoop tried on the role of corporate mentor for size, adding guest raps and acting as executive producer on the debut album by his protégés Tha Eastsidaz. In December he released Tha Last Meal, his final album for No Limit.
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