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.
Imagine
Snoop Dogg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Snoop Dogg, it is what it is
This record is so motherfuckin' gangsta man
And I think it's time for me and you to just
Turn it down a bit
Come on
Imagine it never happened
Imagine niggas trapped
Imagine it havin' action
Imagine how niggas could be actin'
If you never got this shit crackin
Imagine life's so hard
You can't imagine it's like livin' in city of god
You feel me
Imagine life on the yard
I'm tryin' to get that dollar on some shitty ass job
Imagine Biggie with his son
Imagine Pac gettin' call pop 'bout one
Imagine a mother struggling
Dealing with a system that don't give a fuck about who shot her son
Imagine life you can't win
When you get out of the ghetto and go right to the pen
When you get out to the pen you go right to the jenz
When you put back to the streets you get right back in
Imagine Russell still struggling
No Def Jam it's another nigga hustlin'
And no rocks on them fellas
Just rocks on them fellas
Just try and keep it bubblin'
Imagine niggas just stoped
From the east to the west coast, everybody fucked up
I can't imagine no less
But it don't take imagination
To know niggas been bless with
Hip-Hop
Before we go
Can you imagine?
Picture years, with your mom
Can you imagine?
Hang her picture in the sky
Can you imagine?
Call emergency I've been dreamin' all my life
Could you imagine bein' lit up by some hot shells?
Imagine being tossed around and put in jails
Imagine life when you can't get from under
Imagine niggaz at ya when you done fo'
Remember when they asks ya why ya run for and treat ya like a bitch
When they kick you in your dick and take your shit
We act like we hate to see you gun hoe
But just imagine if the rappin' got the gun no but you already know.
Imagine niggas in the LBC felt just like Snoop Dogg & D-R-E,
And felt just like the niggas in the 2-1-3.
Then imagine us was comin' when you fuckin' with me.
Imagine you was up on top of this shit
Imagine if the bitches could stay off this dick
I mean imagine we said fuck this shit
Imagine if my niggas got together and tow up this bitch, yeah
You can't imagine growin' up in the jail done
Happy just to be alive' watching all your people run
Would you imagine growin' up to sell your 50 million records world wide or fuckin' on somebodies son
Imagine if these niggas never saw a color
Would it be peaceful in them streets where niggas kill each other
All the drunk fool gets pissed on balls
He fuckin' off my niggas, they gone murder us all
Imagine that
Before we go
Can you imagine?
Picture years, with your mom
Can you imagine?
Hang her picture in the sky
Can you imagine?
Call emergency I've been dreamin' all my life
The lyrics of the song Imagine by Snoop Dogg (Feat. Dr. Dre & D'Angelo) envision a world without rap, where gang violence and poverty remain rampant. Snoop Dogg raps about the life struggles of Black Americans and how they have overcome adversity through hip hop. The song urges listeners to imagine a better world and empathize with those who experience hardships.
The lyrics paint a picture of the harsh realities of life in poor communities where violence and crime are common. Snoop Dogg speaks to the experiences of many Black Americans, including Biggie and Tupac's untimely deaths, drug addiction, and incarceration. He encourages listeners to consider the conditions that lead to a life of crime and urges them to work towards change.
The song's chorus emphasizes the power of imagination to help individuals envision a better world. Snoop Dogg calls upon listeners to imagine a more peaceful society, without race-based divisions and crime, where individuals can thrive. The song is an appeal to listeners to reflect on their own lives and the impact they can make on the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Imagine it never happened
Think about a world where rap music was never invented
Imagine no rappin'
Imagine a world without rap music
Imagine niggas trapped
Imagine black people stuck in poverty with no way out
Imagine it havin' action
Imagine the lifestyle portrayed in rap music attracting violence and danger
Imagine how niggas could be actin'
Consider how black people might behave without the influence of rap culture
Imagine life's so hard
Imagine living in extreme poverty and hardship
You can't imagine it's like livin' in city of god
Comparing the struggles of life in poverty to the Brazilian favela depicted in the film 'City of God'
Imagine life on the yard
Imagine being in prison
I'm tryin' to get that dollar on some shitty ass job
Trying to make ends meet on a low-paying job
Imagine Biggie with his son
Consider the life Biggie Smalls could have had if he hadn't been murdered
Imagine Pac gettin' call pop 'bout one
Imagining Tupac Shakur getting a phone call about the death of a loved one
Imagine a mother struggling
Consider the pain and suffering of a mother who has lost a child
Dealing with a system that don't give a fuck about who shot her son
Dealing with a justice system that doesn't care about solving crimes in black neighborhoods
Imagine life you can't win
Feeling like you can never escape poverty and the cycle of violence
When you get out of the ghetto and go right to the pen
When the only way to escape poverty is through crime and then getting arrested and imprisoned
When you get out to the pen you go right to the jenz
The cycle of prison and then returning to a life of crime upon release
When you put back to the streets you get right back in
Returning to a life of crime upon leaving prison because there are no other opportunities
Imagine Russell still struggling
Imagining Russell Simmons, founder of Def Jam Recordings, still experiencing hardship
No Def Jam it's another nigga hustlin'
A world without Def Jam, another individual taking over the rap music industry
And no rocks on them fellas
Without success in the music industry, no fancy jewelry or possessions
Just try and keep it bubblin'
Struggling to maintain a successful career in rap music without major label support
Imagine niggas just stoped
Imagine a world without rap music or hip-hop culture altogether
From the east to the west coast, everybody fucked up
Poverty and struggle affecting people across the entire United States
I can't imagine no less
This is the reality we currently live in, and it's hard to imagine it being any different
But it don't take imagination
This is the sad truth that doesn't require any imagination to understand
To know niggas been bless with
Despite the struggles, black people have been blessed with the gift of creating hip-hop music
Hip-Hop
The cultural phenomenon of hip-hop music as a symbol of black creativity and resistance
Picture years, with your mom
Remembering good times with your mother
Hang her picture in the sky
Honoring the memory of a deceased loved one
Call emergency I've been dreamin' all my life
Feeling like you've been struggling your whole life without any hope for change
Could you imagine bein' lit up by some hot shells?
Imaginary scenario of being shot and killed
Imagine life when you can't get from under
Feeling trapped in poverty with no way to escape
Imagine niggaz at ya when you done fo'
Being targeted by violent individuals when you're at your most vulnerable
Remember when they asks ya why ya run for and treat ya like a bitch
Experiencing prejudice and discrimination based on your skin color
When they kick you in your dick and take your shit
Being robbed and physically assaulted
We act like we hate to see you gun hoe
Feeling envy or resentment towards those who are aggressive and violent
But just imagine if the rappin' got the gun no but you already know
Thinking about the relationship between hip-hop culture and violence, but knowing that it's a complex issue that can't be fully explained
Imagine niggas in the LBC felt just like Snoop Dogg & D-R-E
Imagining the sense of community and cultural pride that hip-hop music can bring to a neighborhood
And felt just like the niggas in the 2-1-3
Having a shared experience and sense of identity through their location and culture
Then imagine us was comin' when you fuckin' with me
Feeling the power of black unity and strength when people come together
Imagine you was up on top of this shit
Imagining success and being at the top of your game in the music industry
Imagine if the bitches could stay off this dick
Fantasizing about being able to avoid drama and conflict with women
Imagine we said fuck this shit
Feeling fed up with the negative aspects of the music industry and hip-hop culture
Imagine if my niggas got together and tow up this bitch, yeah
Thinking about taking action and rebelling against the system and those who oppress them
Happy just to be alive' watching all your people run
Feeling grateful for survival and watching others flee from danger
Would you imagine growin' up to sell your 50 million records world wide or fuckin' on somebodies son
Reflecting on the possibilities of making it big in the music industry, or engaging in reckless behavior and facing the consequences
Imagine if these niggas never saw a color
Imagining a world without racial prejudice or discrimination
Would it be peaceful in them streets where niggas kill each other
Considering whether people of different races would be able to coexist without violence if they didn't have racial prejudices
All the drunk fool gets pissed on balls
Experiencing the negative effects of alcohol consumption and lowered inhibitions
He fuckin' off my niggas, they gone murder us all
Predicting the violence and danger that can arise due to drunken behavior
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDRE YOUNG, DAWAUN PARKER, CALVIN BROADUS, MARK BATSON, JASON BOYD, TRACY CURRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Matei T
This is by far the most underrated song from the whole genre! Absolutely S-E-N-S-A-T-I-O-N-A-L
iamThandazorh Nkosi
P
DC Riloo
It was put on entourage
William Gibbons
imagine if current rappers were still this good
Anthony Molina
The world doesn't deserve that much good quality
LaSuan Hoskins
William Gibbons damn smh.. I wish
Robotic Scientist
they still are. but diamonds are hard to find :/
Fredrik Marcus VC
Hahaha that ain't ever gone happen without Dre or any of the OGs who created this Game.
Walker Morgan
Easily the most underrated Snoop song!
MB2001
This song is nuts why’ve I never heard it before