• Design [Original Design] – Brian Burrows (3)
• Interviewee [Uncredited] – Cherok, Funky DL, Sharitha Knight, Snoop Doggy Dogg
• Liner Notes [Text And Book By] – L. K. Eley
• Photography By [Photos Supplied By] – LFI, Pictoral Press, Rex Features

FROM: https://www.biography.com/musician/snoop-dogg

Who Is Snoop Dogg?

West Coast rap legend Snoop Dogg has come a long way since being discovered by Dr. Dre in the early 1990s. As impressive as he was when guesting on Dre’s The Chronic in 1992, few could have guessed he’d go on to global fame, tens of millions of record sales and a career in movies and TV.

Early Life

Chart-topping hip-hop artist Snoop Dogg was born Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr. in Long Beach, California, on October 20, 1971. His nickname came from his mother because she thought he looked like Snoopy from the Peanuts cartoon. The musically inclined youngster played piano and sang at his local Baptist church, before starting rap in sixth grade.

After graduating high school, Snoop was arrested several times for drug possession and spent time in prison. He was also associated with the Rollin’ 20 Crips Gang. He started making music as a way out of his troubles and recorded early demos with his cousin Nate Dogg and friend Warren G as 213.

A track on one of these came to the attention of Dr. Dre, who invited Snoop — then rapping under the name Snoop Doggy Dogg — to audition. From there they collaborated on a song called "Deep Cover" for the soundtrack of a film of the same name; and Snoop became the key rapper on Dre’s hugely successful first solo album, The Chronic, in 1992.