LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� When it comes to music, there's one person in particular trusts enough to steer the ship without question: hit-making producer Dr. Dre.
Their bond, built over 30 years of brotherhood, began when shaped Snoop's game-changing debut, 鈥淒oggystyle,鈥� a cornerstone of hip-hop history. From young dreamers chasing stardom to legends cementing their legacies, the duo has always moved in sync.
Now, the dynamic pair reunites for Snoop's 鈥淢issionary,鈥� his milestone 20th studio album, which releases Friday. In a music industry where lasting relationships are rare, their bond remains solid.
鈥淲e were just playing on our raw ability, and it worked ... But now you're dealing with professionals who are like perfectionists and skilled at what they do,鈥� Snoop said while smoking a blunt inside his dressing room trailer. The 15-track project features several big-name guest appearances, including , Sting, , , Tom Petty and .
Snoop Dogg and Sting strike a chord
Before the interview, the ultra-smooth entertainer had just wrapped up rehearsals for 鈥淭he Voice鈥� with British musician Sting, delivering a performance that aired this week on NBC. Both hit the stage on the competition series to perform Snoop's album single 鈥淎nother Part of Me,鈥� which was sampled from The Police's 鈥淢essage in a Bottle,鈥� a 1979 song that Sting wrote and sang as lead singer.
Sting quickly approved the sample for 鈥淎nother Part of Me,鈥� getting to know Snoop's personality during the superstar rapper's , despite never meeting him in person. Snoop , captivated audiences as NBC鈥檚 prime-time correspondent, swam with attended a danced with and Jordan Chiles and cheered on alongside the swimmer鈥檚 wife and son.
When Sting first heard the track, he was impressed by Snoop's vocal ability but found himself contemplating how he could contribute to the song.
鈥淗e asked me to sing a verse, which is difficult," said Sting, who met Snoop for the first time on 鈥淭he Voice鈥� set. "It's a different style from the one I normally sing. It's a very, very rapid rap style, which is kind of challenging for me. But I love a challenge. I played the guitar on the track, so I feel very much a part of it. I think it's going to be a hit.鈥�
A versatile businessman with a diverse portfolio
Like Sting, many others across the globe have witnessed Snoop ascend to new heights. Along with being a breakout star at the Paris Games, he's been seen in TV commercials and co-hosting a cooking show with Martha Stewart. He stepped in during a Wrestlemania match and even threw out the first pitch at the Reds-Brewers MLB game before giving his unique play-by-play commentary.
Snoop's daughter, Cori Broadus, has a new reality show about nuptials called 鈥淪noop Dogg's Fatherhood: Cori and Wayne's Story,鈥� a three-part docuseries that debuted last week on E!. Snoop and his son Cordell Broadus have a thriving ice cream brand launched in 2023.
This year, Dr. Dre and Snoop launched two alcohol brands: A canned cocktail, Gin & Juice, and the premium gin, Still G.I.N., which is a play on 鈥淪till D.R.E.,鈥� the hit single from Dr. Dre鈥檚 multiplatinum 鈥�2001鈥� album released in 1999.
鈥淚t's like you don't have to speak. Your work speaks for you now as opposed to you knocking on doors. Now, people are opening doors,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey understand who I am as a person and what my love vessel is and that makes them want to get next to me.鈥�
Snoop returns to the studio with Dr. Dre
Amid Snoop's , he said Dr. Dre felt it was time to head back into the studio to start recording a new album 鈥� a process that began nearly two years ago. They recorded in spurts.
鈥�(Dr. Dre) was watching me in the entertainment world and figuring that my music hand ain't matching my entertainment hand,鈥� Snoop said. 鈥淗e wanted to put music back in the foreground with his production. leadership and guidance on the project."
While recording, Snoop said Dr. Dre musically knew him better than himself at times. He said no other producers 鈥� except for and Battlecat 鈥� have the cachet to critique him like Dr. Dre.
鈥淗e would basically write it for me, tell me how to say it, give me the enunciation and the way I鈥檓 supposed to punctuate it,鈥� Snoop said of Dr. Dre. 鈥淗e鈥檚 like a real (expletive) producer, director. He acts for me and knows what I鈥檓 supposed to do in his body and then he makes me do it in my body. And if it鈥檚 not right, it ain鈥檛 right.鈥�
Snoop credited Dr. Dre's influence for enhancing the track 鈥淣ow or Never,鈥� a deeply sentimental song that left him feeling emotional at times. He described it as a 鈥渢ears of joy鈥� record, dedicated to the memory of recently deceased loved ones, including his younger brother, who died earlier this year.
For Snoop, 鈥淣ow or Never鈥� was a difficult song to record, even though it was his favorite on the album.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really hard to make a track like that 鈥� especially because I鈥檓 always the life of the party," he said. "I鈥檓 always happy, fun, upbeat. So, to have a moment of reflection sometimes makes the mood damp or a little bit light. But it鈥檚 needed. It鈥檚 necessary because it happens in life. It鈥檚 good to speak on it. ... My pen is my mightiest sword. I always write where I live.
Rebuilding Death Row Records with a new vision
Snoop is determined to restore Death Row Records to its former glory. , he faced some skepticism 鈥� even from Dr. Dre and Interscope Records at first before eventually winning them over 鈥� due to the label's troubled reputation. He's on a mission to rewrite its story and steer it toward a brighter legacy 鈥� just like he's done for his career.
Snoop's new album was released in conjunction with his label, Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records and Interscope, which was co-founded by music industry entrepreneur Jimmy Iovine. Death Row has released new apparel, an animated 鈥淒oggystyle鈥� film and entered the gaming industry with a recent collaboration with Fortnite.
鈥淲e're building Death Row into avenues that didn't exist,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e're taking it into places that it never thought it could go.鈥�
Snoop has made tremendous strides since he broke through in the 1990s rap scene as a signed Death Row Records artist, navigating several run-ins with the law along the way. He credits his turning point to his acquittal on murder charges in 1996, a moment that marked a significant shift in his life and career.
鈥淢y mother raised me the right way, but I chose the wrong way,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 had to separate from certain people on Death Row (at the time). ... I could say that those were decisions that I鈥檓 happy I made, even though I may have ruffled feathers and made people look at me like I鈥檓 soft or weak.鈥�
Snoop added: 鈥淣ah, I鈥檓 smart. I鈥檓 thinking. When you grow old, that鈥檚 called wisdom. And when you get old, that鈥檚 because you have wisdom.鈥�
Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press
