Calvin Broadus, better known as Snoop Dogg, is a renowned American rapper known for his distinctive style that blends gangster rap and reggae. Born on October 20, 1971 in Long Beach, California, Snoop was raised by his mother, Beverly Broadus, after his father, a war veteran and singer, left the family. He was nicknamed “Snoopy” by his mother due to his resemblance to the dog from the cartoon “Peanuts.” As a child, Snoop developed his musical skills by singing and playing the piano in his local Baptist church, and by the age of 12, he was already rapping.

After a series of arrests for drug possession and allegations of gang involvement, Snoop decided to focus on his music career. He formed the group 213 with his cousins and friend Warren G, and caught the attention of Dr. Dre, who was impressed by Snoop’s talent and signed him to his record label, Death Row Records. In 1993, Snoop released his debut album “Doggystyle,” which became a major commercial success, reaching the No. 1 spot on the Billboard hip hop and Top 200 charts. The album, however, faced criticism for its violent and sexist lyrics.

Snoop went on to release several more successful albums, including “Tha Doggfather” in 1996, “Da Game is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told” in 1998, and “Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$” in 2002. He also started his own label, Dogg House Records, and toured with major artists such as Eminem, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube. Despite his success, Snoop has faced numerous legal issues, including accusations of sexual assault, drug and weapon possession, and murder. In 2012, he changed his stage name to Snoop Lion after a spiritual awakening during a trip to Jamaica.

Snoop has also made appearances in television shows and movies, such as “Starsky & Hutch,” “The L Word,” and “Weeds,” and had his own reality TV show, “Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood,” which documented his family life with his wife Shante and three children.