It wasn't until the latter half of the '90s, when he changed labels from Death Row to No Limit, that Snoop Doggy Dogg shortened his name to "Snoop Dogg." Snoop was something of a phenomenon when he arrived on the scene in '92, an ultra laidback, weed-toking Crip steeped in the traditions of George Clinton, a perfect foil for the hardened delivery and slick production of G-funk shaman Dr. Dre.
From his early collabs with Dr. Dre to his timeless 1993 debut album Doggystyle to his widely panned 1996 sophomore album Tha Doggfather, revisit the work of the one they called Snoop Doggy Dogg.
Dr. Dre - "Deep Cover" feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg
The title track from the soundtrack of the 1992 mafia film "Deep Cover." Music journalist Peter Shapiro described Snoop's flow on the song as "shockingly original."
If you ever wondered where that Big Pun and Fat Joe "Twinz" beat came from... Yup. Dr. Dre made it.
Dr. Dre - "Nuthin' But A G Thang" feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg
Dr. Dre has taken a number of proteges under his wing over the years, many of whom would go on to be massively successful. He was sure to get Snoop, his first, a pair of crucial placements on his seminal 1992 album The Chronic, eleven months before the release of Doggystyle.
Dr. Dre - "Fuck Wit Dre Day" feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg
Another The Chronic single, "Fuck Wit Dre Day" was a diss track directed at Dr. Dre's former N.W.A. partner Eazy-E. The beat samples Parliament's "Knee Deep," as does another Dr. Dre/Snoop collab...
"Who Am I? (What's My Name?)"
Snoop wisely selected "Who Am I? (What's My Name)" as Doggystyle's lead single. 20 years later, it's still a crucial turn-up muzik capable of transforming any limp-dick party into the drunken bash of the year.
"Gin & Juice"
Another party anthem, "Gin & Juice" perhaps cuts to the core of what it means to be faded more succinctly than "Who Am I?" The lyrics on the hook, yes, but also in that iconic withering G-funk synth deployed by Dr. Dre.
"Tha Shiznit"
One of the great things about Doggystyle is that Dr. Dre maintains a coherent sound palette while injecting the occasional note of surprise. To wit: "Tha Shiznit," another of the album's immaculate cuts, sticks to the formula for the most part but manages to stick in a buttery flute riff reminiscent of Isaac Hayes' blaxploitation days.
Snoop was discovered on the quality of his early 213 demos with Nate Dogg and Warren G, and he reunites the squad on one of Doggystyle's most enduring cuts.
You're back now at the jack off hour, this is DJ Eaaaaaazy Dick!! (The jack off hour is at midnight according to DJ Sal T Nutts.)
"Murder Was The Case"
Originally a Doggystyle track, "Murder Was the Case" went on to inspire a spin-off compilation album and a short film of the same name. If you haven't heard the album, do yourself a favor and check it out. In particular, check out Dr. Dre and Ice Cube's "Natural Born Killaz," easily one of the rawest hip hip songs of all time.
Tha Dogg Pound - "New York, New York" feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg
Snoop appeared on several songs on Tha Dogg Pound's debut album Dogg Food. The single "New York, New York" is a sarcastic dig at NYC, a city that "ain't what it seems." Snoop handles hook duties. Hard to imagine a song like this coming out in 2016.
"Doggfather"
Snoop Dogg's 1996 album Tha Doggfather was an unmitigated disaster. The biggest problem was the complete absence of production from Dr. Dre. "Doggfather" is one of the album's few redeeming tracks, and its video depicts a bizarre and low-key lit interpolation of "Casablanca."
Snoop Doggy Dogg forever.
