Snoop's debut album, Doggystyle, produced by Dr. Dre and released in 1993 by Death Row Records, debuted at number one on both the Billboard 200 and Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Selling almost a million copies in the first week of its release, Doggystyle became certified 4× platinum in 1994 and spawned several hit singles, including "What's My Name?" and "Gin & Juice". In 1994 Snoop released a soundtrack on Death Row Records for the short film Murder Was the Case, starring himself. His second album, Tha Doggfather (1996), also debuted at number one on both charts, with "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" as the lead single. The album was certified double platinum in 1997.
After leaving Death Row Records, Snoop signed with No Limit Records, where he recorded his next three albums, Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told (1998), No Limit Top Dogg (1999), and Tha Last Meal (2000). Snoop then signed with Priority/Capitol/EMI Records in 2002, where he released Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss. He then signed with Geffen Records in 2004 for his next three albums, R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, and Ego Trippin'. Malice 'n Wonderland (2009), and Doggumentary (2011) were released on Priority. Snoop Dogg has starred in motion pictures and hosted several television shows, including Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood, and Dogg After Dark. He also coaches a youth football league and a high school football team. In September 2009 Snoop was hired by EMI as the chairman of reactivated Priority Records.
In 2012, after a trip to Jamaica, Snoop announced a conversion to Rastafarianism and a new alias, Snoop Lion. As Snoop Lion he released a reggae album, Reincarnated, and a documentary film of the same name, about his Jamaican experience, in early 2013. His 13th studio album, Bush, was released in May 2015 and marked a return of the Snoop Dogg name. His 14th solo studio album, Coolaid, was released in July 2016. Snoop has 17 Grammy nominations without a win.
In 2018, he released his first gospel album, Bible of Love.
Kool Moe Dee ranks Snoop at No. 33 in his book There's a God on the Mic, and says he has "an ultra-smooth, laidback delivery" and "flavor-filled melodic rhyming". Peter Shapiro describes Snoop's delivery as a "molasses drawl" and AllMusic notes his "drawled, laconic rhyming" style. Kool Moe Dee refers to Snoop's use of vocabulary, saying he "keeps it real simple...he simplifies it and he's effective in his simplicity".
Snoop is known to freestyle some of his lyrics on the spot for some songs – in the book How to Rap, Lady of Rage says, "Snoop Dogg, when I worked with him earlier in his career, that's how created his stuff... he would freestyle, he wasn't a writer then, he was a freestyler," and The D.O.C. states, "Snoop's [rap] was a one take willy, but his shit was all freestyle. He hadn't written nothing down. He just came in and started busting. The song was "Tha Shiznit"—that was all freestyle. He started busting and when we got to the break, Dre cut the machine off, did the chorus and told Snoop to come back in. He did that throughout the record. That's when Snoop was in the zone then."
Peter Shapiro says that Snoop debuted on "Deep Cover" with a "shockingly original flow – which sounded like a Slick Rick born in South Carolina instead of South London" and adds that he "showed where his style came from by covering Slick Rick's 'La Di Da Di'". Referring to Snoop's flow, Kool Moe Dee calls him "one of the smoothest, funkiest flow-ers in the game". How to Rap also notes that Snoop is known to use syncopation in his flow to give it a laidback quality, as well as 'linking with rhythm' in his compound rhymes, using alliteration, and employing a "sparse" flow with good use of pauses.
Snoop re-popularized the use of -izzle speak, particularly in the pop and hip-hop music industry.
Snoop Dogg is a lifelong fan of professional wrestling. On March 30, 2008, Snoop Dogg appeared at WrestleMania XXIV as a Master of Ceremonies for a tag team match between Maria and Ashley Massaro as they took on Beth Phoenix and Melina. On a March 23, 2015 episode of Raw, Snoop Dogg appeared in a segment with Hulk Hogan and Curtis Axel. At WrestleMania 32, he accompanied his cousin Sasha Banks to the ring for her match, rapping over her theme music. He was also inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016.
Broadus made a special guest appearance in All Elite Wrestling on the January 6, 2021, episode of AEW Dynamite, titled New Year's Smash. During this appearance, Snoop appeared in the corner of Cody Rhodes during Rhodes's match with Matt Sydal. He later gave Serpentico a Frog Splash, with Rhodes then delivering a three-count.
Snoop Dogg would join The Miz to host both nights of WrestleMania 39. During Night 1, he accompanied Rey Mysterio in a lowrider during his entrance, paying tribute to the late Eddie Guerrero. On Night 2, he introduced Shane McMahon to face The Miz in another spontaneous match. McMahon would sustain a quad injury during the match prompting Snoop Dogg to improvise and finish the match himself, ultimately defeating Miz. Snoop Dogg's improvisational acts were lauded by wrestlers and executives, including WWE chief content officer Triple H.
California Roll
Snoop Dogg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Get yourself a medical card, yea (in Los Angeles)
Cause that's how California rolls
They do the fingers like red fox (in Los Angeles)
You can make it on a light blue box, yea (in Los Angeles)
Cause that's how California rolls
Say when I pass you that weed and I ask if
Well girl I like the way you roll
Even though you from the ghetto you belong in a home in the mountains
Not talkin' bout the view
I'm talkin' 'bout me and you
So if you wanna go to Melrose
Let's hit Adidas girl we got our own shell toes
And then we'll go to Venice
You roll so good you might as well let me hit it
For like 15 minutes
Girl, you never gon' forget it
And if you wanna go around town
I could show you where all the real hit it
And if you wanna go downtown
You might as well roll with a real nigga
I'm not talkin' 'bout them fools
I'm talkin' 'bout me and you
Baby you could be a movie star, hey (in Los Angeles)
Get yourself a medical card, yea (in Los Angeles)
Cause that's how California rolls
They do the fingers like red fox (in Los Angeles)
You can make it on a light blue box, yea (in Los Angeles)
Cause that's how California rolls
And when I hand you that weed and I ask if you can roll
You say no let me show you around here
Cowgirl wanna roll with a winner
Rodeo with a winner, Rodeo loungin'
Ain't got nothin' to lose
I'm talkin' 'bout me and you
And girl I got a home in that valley
In a rose in that valley
Just tell 'em what my name is
You heard about me, you heard all about me
Mean you heard all the hittas that I'm with gangbangin'
But I ain't talkin' 'bout the news
You know that I'm talkin' 'bout you
Let me show you all around
I could show you where all the real hit it
And if you wanna go downtown
You might as well roll with a real nigga
I'm not talkin' bout them folk
I'm talkin' 'bout me and you
Baby you could be a movie star, hey (in Los Angeles)
Get yourself a medical card, yea (in Los Angeles)
Cause that's how California rolls
They do the fingers like red fox (in Los Angeles)
You can make it on a light blue box, yea (in Los Angeles)
Cause that's how California rolls
In Snoop Dogg's song California Roll, the rapper speaks about the Los Angeles lifestyle, with a particular focus on marijuana use. The opening lines speak about the opportunities available in Los Angeles, stating that one could be a movie star and obtain a medical marijuana card since that's how California rolls. The importance of marijuana in the culture of Los Angeles is clear as the rapper reference the light blue boxes used to store and sell marijuana legally in California. The next verse speaks about sharing weed with a girl from the ghetto and admiring her rolling skills. He speaks of taking her to different parts of Los Angeles, such as Melrose and Venice, to show her the sights. He also mentions wanting to spend time with her in a home in the mountains, away from the urban environment. Snoop Dogg then talks of his home in the valley and how he would like to take her there too.
Overall, the song seems to be a celebration of the laid-back and carefree lifestyle present in Los Angeles, where marijuana use is legal and central to the culture. The rapper is inviting the listener to explore the city with him and enjoy the various experiences it has to offer.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby you could be a movie star, hey (in Los Angeles)
In LA, anyone has the potential to become a celebrity.
Get yourself a medical card, yea (in Los Angeles)
Obtaining a medical marijuana card is a common practice in California.
Cause that's how California rolls
This is just how things are done in California.
They do the fingers like red fox (in Los Angeles)
A reference to a hand gesture popularized by comedian Redd Foxx in the 70s.
You can make it on a light blue box, yea (in Los Angeles)
Even with very little, you can still make it big in LA.
And when I hand you that weed and I ask if you can roll
Asking if someone can roll a joint is a common practice in California.
You say no let me show you around here
Rather than rolling a joint, the singer wants to show them everything California has to offer.
Cowgirl wanna roll with a winner
The artist is a winner and wants to share that with someone else.
Rodeo with a winner, Rodeo loungin'
A reference to Rodeo Drive, a famous shopping district in Beverly Hills.
Ain't got nothin' to lose
The artist is confident and has nothing to lose.
And girl I got a home in that valley
The singer has a home in the San Fernando Valley.
In a rose in that valley
A reference to the Valley's nickname, the San Fernando Valley.
Just tell 'em what my name is
The singer is well-known and wants to be recognized.
You heard about me, you heard all about me
The singer is famous and people have already heard about them.
Let me show you all around
The singer wants to show the other person everything California has to offer.
I'm talkin' 'bout me and you
The artist believes they and the other person would make a great pair.
I could show you where all the real hit it
The artist knows all the hot spots in California.
And if you wanna go downtown
The singer wants to take the other person to downtown LA.
You might as well roll with a real nigga
The singer is a real person and wants to show the other person a good time.
I'm not talkin' bout them folk
The artist is not interested in people who aren't genuine or authentic.
Cause that's how California rolls
This is just how things are done in California.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CALVIN BROADUS, PHARRELL WILLIAMS, JAMES FAUNTLEROY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rahul Rajkhowa
This is such Gold.
Each time Pharell and Snoop work together its Epic and having Stevie in was just magic.
This deserves a lot more views.
Jack Zhu
👍🏼👍🏼
Adolph Lopez
Rahul Rajkhowa loo
Aaron Curry
Absolutely
Aaron Curry
Absolutely fire
Sandhyali Khanikar
axomiya dekhun. Good taste of music.
Trey Songz 100
A voz do Stevie Wonder suavizando a música fica muito legal
KevenTalks
Can we talk about how amazing and timeless this track is?
2Pac
Evergreen it is
Heinz Dampies
Right??? Damn these cats blacked out on this one for real for real.