Snoop Dogg Explains Why He Let Cordae Pen His Lyrics: "I Started Off Writing For Dr. Dre"

The Rap icon went on to use Whitney Houston as an example of why this is beneficial to artists.

BYErika Marie
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For decades, Snoop Dogg has been a leader in Hip Hop who has embraced new talent. There have been complaints about "Old Head" rappers who distance themselves from the new generation of emcees carving out their Rap lane, but for Snoop, he opts to work with—and deliver game to—artists on the rise. The business mogul shared his BODR album that hosted a bevy of features from artists both young and old, and in a chat with the Rap Radar Podcast, Snoop discussed his decision to have Cordae write for him.

Brian "B.Dot" Miller told Snoop that he was surprised about Cordae being behind the pen, especially in a culture that values writing ones own rhymes. "I started off writing," said the rapper.


"I started off writing for Dr. Dre, so what would I be if I didn’t allow somebody to write for me? You know, sometimes you gotta put yourself in the frame of letting somebody else depict a better picture for you 'cause you can’t see everything.”

“I'll use this as an example: I feel like Whitney Houston’s best record was The Bodyguard, when the other people came in and gave her records that weren’t hers, where she could just sit back and just sing," he added. "And they embodied what they thought she should be, and that’s to the point in my career where I’m at now, where I’ve written so many hit records, to where it’s not about what I can write sometimes, it’s about what I can’t see that somebody else can write for me.”

Should more rappers adopt this mindset? Check out the clip below.

A post shared by Elliott Wilson (@elliottwilsongoat)


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About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.