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.
Friends
Snoop Dogg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Friends, how many of us have them
Friends, how many of us have them
Friends, how many of us have them
Every since I could remember
I had friends I could depend on
Clothes to lend 'em
My life got a little strange
And the rules of the game seem to change
Trust, honesty and devotion
And money, money, money is the poison potion
There's no way that I can even say
That this game has been good to me
Or even bad to me it had to be
Cause tragically the way this shit
Cracked off for Doggy Dogg was magically
And now I'm gettin' everything I'm supposed to get
But my friendship with niggas always ends up as bulshit
I listen to my momma though
She always tried to prepare me
Byt how could she do what I
I mean I'm do or die
But my life on the streets
That shit is suicide
So to cope I got a dogg and a locc
And keep my heat close in case these jokes go for broke
I'm mashin' with the click 2-1-3 that is
They my homeboys ever since kids-
Real friends to the end
Hangin' out with my homies and I'm feelin' just fine
I've been ponderin' lately
A lot of different things on my mind
It seems lately my friends list
Done took a slight decline
And if you wanna know the truth man, man
Them wasn't no friends of mine
You jackin' me up, you takin' my cash
All my life L-B-C, for my city I mash
All those OGs and BGs and wannabies and L-O-Cs
The only friends I got is my 2-1-3s
That's my nigga Snoop D Woop and my nigga N-A-T-E
I can't forget about my nigga H to the Deezy
Pressure and strikes
Don't wann take no lives
But these jaws, cracks and hood cracks
Will make you break bizacks
"Whussup homie, can I borrow some cash?"
Last week I agve you 500, so kiss my ass
I got a baby to feed
A familly to see through
And shake busta snitches tweekin' like you
Homies and friends that's what they for
Stayin' tight and money right
And bustin' with a 44
Hangin' out with my homies and I'm feelin' just fine
I've been ponderin' lately
A lot of different things on my mind
It seems lately my friends list
Done took a slight decline
And if you wanna know the truth man, man
Them wasn't no friends of mine
Hangin' out with my homies and I'm feelin' just fine
I've been ponderin' lately
A lot of different things on my mind
It seems lately my friends list
Done took a slight decline
And if you wanna know the truth man, man
Them wasn't no friends of mine
The song "Friends" by Snoop Dogg is a heartfelt reflection on the nature of trust, honesty and friendship, in the context of the temptations and dangers of street culture. The repeated refrain of "Friends, how many of us have them" highlights the importance of true friendship in the midst of superficial relationships based on money and power. Snoop reflects on how his life as a rapper has led him to encounter many people who claim to be his friends, but who are really just using him for his fame and wealth. He laments how money has become a "poison potion" in many of these relationships, corrupting the true bonds of trust and loyalty that should exist between friends.
Despite the challenges of this lifestyle, Snoop finds solace in the strong bonds of friendship he has cultivated with his "2-1-3" crew, including Nate Dogg and H to the Deezy. He asserts that real friends are the ones who stick by you through thick and thin, who help you when you're in trouble, and who never ask for more than what you can give. In the end, Snoop's message is one of hope and resilience, suggesting that even in a world of backstabbers and opportunists, true friendship can still be found if you know where to look.
Line by Line Meaning
Friends, how many of us have them
Questioning the loyalty of those we refer to as 'friends'.
Every since I could remember
From the earliest moments of my life
I had friends I could depend on
There were people I trusted and relied on
Clothes to lend 'em
I was generous with sharing my belongings
But as time went by
As I grew older
My life got a little strange
My life became more unpredictable and uncertain
And the rules of the game seem to change
The definition of what it means to be a 'friend' evolved
Trust, honesty and devotion
The values I associated with friendship
And money, money, money is the poison potion
My relationships were affected by the power dynamics of wealth
There's no way that I can even say
It's impossible for me to express
That this game has been good to me
My experiences with friendship have been mixed
Or even bad to me it had to be
There were negative aspects that I had to endure
Cause tragically the way this shit
Unfortunately
Cracked off for Doggy Dogg was magically
My experiences were unique to me
And now I'm gettin' everything I'm supposed to get
I'm achieving success in my career
But my friendship with niggas always ends up as bulshit
My friendships always seem to fall apart
I listen to my momma though
I remember the advice my mother gave me
She always tried to prepare me
She tried to warn me and help me navigate friendships
Byt how could she do what I
However, her experiences were different from mine
I mean I'm do or die
I have to make my own decisions
But my life on the streets
Living in a dangerous environment
That shit is suicide
It can be deadly
So to cope I got a dogg and a locc
I have a dog and a friend from a specific area to protect myself
And keep my heat close in case these jokes go for broke
I carry a weapon in case someone tries to harm me
I'm mashin' with the click 2-1-3 that is
I'm hanging out with my friends from the area code 213
They my homeboys ever since kids-
We've been close since childhood
Real friends to the end
We will remain loyal to each other no matter what
Hangin' out with my homies and I'm feelin' just fine
Enjoying the company of my closest friends
It seems lately my friends list
Recently, I noticed a change in the friends I associate with
Done took a slight decline
I have fewer friends than I used to
And if you wanna know the truth man, man
To be honest
Them wasn't no friends of mine
They were not truly my friends
You jackin' me up, you takin' my cash
People I thought were friends were actually taking advantage of me financially
All my life L-B-C, for my city I mash
I have always represented and stood up for my city
All those OGs and BGs and wannabies and L-O-Cs
I've interacted with a variety of individuals in my community
The only friends I got is my 2-1-3s
The only people I truly consider friends are those from the 213 area code
That's my nigga Snoop D Woop and my nigga N-A-T-E
Those closest to me are Snoop D Woop and Nate
I can't forget about my nigga H to the Deezy
I can't forget about my friend H to the Deezy
Pressure and strikes
Living in a harsh environment
Don't wann take no lives
I don't want to hurt anyone
But these jaws, cracks and hood cracks
The violence and danger around me
Will make you break bizacks
Can break even the strongest person
"Whussup homie, can I borrow some cash?"
People often ask for money
Last week I agve you 500, so kiss my ass
I am not going to give in to constant begging and demands for money
I got a baby to feed
I have responsibilities and commitments to my family
A familly to see through
I have to support and care for my family
And shake busta snitches tweekin' like you
I have to avoid and protect myself from disloyal and untrustworthy people
Homies and friends that's what they for
True friends are there to support each other
Stayin' tight and money right
Remaining loyal and honest, while also being financially responsible
And bustin' with a 44
Being willing to protect oneself and loved ones with a gun
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Gerry Goffin, Michael Masser, Warren III Griffin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eric Matterson
The older you get, the fewer real friends you have. Nothing unusual.
Geoffrey W
not true. even if you included classmates and teammates were you REALLY good friends with ALL of them? You went to sleepovers at EVERY ONE of their houses? ALWAYS at each person's birthday parties? Went on trips with ALL of your teammates and classmates? No. I didn't think so.
Danielle Reid
Ryte a wise woman n man told me friends are few than many when you get older
The 80s Babies 310
Eric Matterson Cold hard Facts it sucks we had to get older to see this.
Lil Vegas
I feel Snoop. I have a circle of four friends. These were people before college and during college. We went from being broke and standing in long lines at Mayflower seafood on $2.99 Tuesday in Winston. Barely able to have anything left after we paid our $500 rent. To all of us having $4000 to $5000 a month mortgages in big homes across the US now and still in our 30’s. That journey we all took together is amazing and special and what’s almost just as amazing. Is how many people weren’t or have not been able to experience what we did and still do. We are talking 15 plus year relationships with a group of 4. Most people got 1 friend longer than 10 years. But I will say this about us. We never ever called one of us fake or posted a cryptic message on social media about each other in our circle cause we didn’t help out with something or do that one important thing when she or he needed it that one time. That’s just a little advice.
K.Felix
My Pops told me when I was kid that I might be lucky to have one friend within my whole life. I’m talking about that real friend.
The 80s Babies 310
Im 33 and I’ve had friends and family members that I knew my whole life that ended up backstabbing me. People who love eachother backstab one another all the time. Loyalty is the upmost you can give anybody. It ain’t easy being loyal!!
boxer wayne
I like what he said about real friendship.....there's no hate and jealousy but love and respect. I am glad I have friends that I grew with when we were 5 years old and we are now 40 year olds and still close as ever🤙
CeeDee91
I used to have a lot of "friends". But I I grew and matured I understood that my real friends are only 2. Yes only 2. They'll be happy for me when I'm happy. They'll be sad when I'm sad. They'll be there when I need them. They can sit and talk about serious subjects. They'll support my decision and stop me when I'm about to make a mistake. For 15 years now they showed me their trust and valued me as a person regardless my flaws. I officially calling them my family. Where from different houses but we are family. I'm giving them back what they gave me for all these 15 years. I have to repay to them.
Jaxx - Inspire Grow Create
Real friends are loyal till the end.