Snoop Dogg
One of the most famous rappers on the planet was born in Long Beach, California. His father - Vernell Varnado, a Vietnam War veteran, singer, musician and postman - left his family when his son was only three months old. The baby's mother - Beverly Tate - very soon married Calvin Cordozar Broadus and named her son after him (with the prefix "junior").
When Kelvin was still young, his grandparents nicknamed him Snoopy after a cartoon dog (for his physical resemblance). Translated from English, snoop means "a man prying his nose into other things."
Since childhood, Snoop sang in the church choir, played the piano. In the 6th grade, he started composing and performing rap. When Snoop was a teenager, he often had problems with the law, and in high school, the future rapper began selling cocaine, for which he served six months in prison.
After school, Snoop Dogg formed 213 with his brothers Nate Dogg and Lil '½ Dead and friend Warren G. A demo recording of one of Snoop Dogg's freestylers fell into the hands of the legendary Dr. Dre. He immediately invited the guy to audition, offered a contract and sent him to "study" with the rapper NWA, who taught the young man to write "carts".
Then still Calvin Cordozar, a young rapper took on the pseudonym Snoop Doggy Dogg. Under this name, in 1992, he recorded the soundtrack for the crime thriller Deep Cover, and also participated in the recording of the first solo album, Dr. Dre "The Chronic".
In 1993 Snoop Dogg released his first album "Doggystyle", which became one of the most anticipated releases of the year. More than 1.5 million pre-orders were made prior to the record's release. "Doggystyle" collected a mountain of positive reviews from music critics, the singles from the album instantly took off to the first places of all the US charts.
Snoop Dogg made "gangsta rap" one of the most popular musical styles in America. In the summer of 1995, he founded his own recording studio, Doggy Style Records.
Over the years of his career, the rapper has worked under different pseudonyms (Snoop Doggy Dogg, Bigg Snoop Dogg, Niggaracci, Snoop DO Double G, Da Bigg Boss Dogg). His permanent stage name - Snoop Dogg - appeared in 1998.
In parallel with his musical career, Snoop Dogg works in film and television. In 2000, he directed and starred in the pornographic film Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle, and in 2002 the film Snoop Dogg's Hustlaz: Diary of a Pimp was released. He has also launched several television shows, and in 2005 founded his own film company, Snoopadelic Films.
In addition to television, music and film activities, Snoop Dogg does many other things. For example, he is the coach of the Pomona Steelers youth soccer team, in which his son plays. The rapper makes at least $ 15 million annually selling clothes, shoes, games, food, drinks, toys, porn films, headphones, and sports equipment bearing his name and image.
Snoop Dogg had problems with the law more than once (for possession and use of marijuana, possession of weapons). In 1996, he was arrested during an MTV ceremony: the rapper was suspected of murdering outlaw Philip Voldemarium. Soon all charges were dropped from Snoop Dogg: it turned out that Philip was killed by the rapper's bodyguard in self-defense.
In 1997, Snoop Dogg married his high school friend Shant Taylor. In 2004, the couple divorced due to "irreconcilable differences", but in January 2008 they got married again. They have sons Cord and Cordell and a daughter, Cory.
