After nearly five years of public feuds and so-so sales, Calvin Broadus, a.k.a. Snoop Dogg, is back in form, thanks largely to regular visits to a doctor named Dre. Snoop and Dr. Dre just snagged a Grammy nomination for their reunion on Dre’s track “The Next Episode.” What’s more, Snoop’s new album, “Tha Last Meal,” which was produced and mixed by his old friend, is resting easy in the top 5. “This is the first album that I’ve been in complete control of, and this is me,’’ says Snoop. “People don’t realize what I’ve been through. It’s not easy to stay focused going through a lot of bulls–t.''
That “bulls–t” was being smack in the middle of hip-hop’s most notorious feud. Snoop’s constant companions, while he was an artist on Death Row Records, were rapper Tupac Shakur and the larger-than-life CEO, Suge Knight. When it all fell apart, Shakur was dead and Knight was in jail on an unrelated parole violation. Snoop landed at No Limit Records and began piecing his career back together. “Because of the mess, Dre and I really couldn’t work together, and that hurt,” says Snoop.
Before long, Dre captured lightning again by signing Eminem, but Snoop continued to flounder. Now he has pulled out of his slump, but alleges he’s still getting harassed by Death Row. A spokesman for the label maintains that the company has no beef with Snoop. But the rapper says there were threats of violence at last year’s Source Awards and on the Chronic 2001 tour. “I do what I have to do to stay safe,’’ says Snoop. “But I gotta live my life. I may drink liquor and get a little high on weed–but I love Jesus. I put my faith in him. No man can take my life who didn’t give it to me.’’ The Doggfather has spoken.
