Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr., is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. As one of producer Dr. Dre�s most distinguished prot�g�s, Snoop Dogg is best known for his laid-back, slurred, and rhythmically-complex lyrical delivery. To date, Snoop Dogg has sold over 17.6 million copies. In his early years, as a member of a local Crips gang in Long Beach, Snoop Dogg was in and out of jail. In his desire to make something of himself, he began making homemade rap tapes with his cousin Nate Dogg and best friend Warren G, stepbrother of Dr. Dre. Snoop Dogg would eventually collaborate with Dr. Dre on his debut-solo album, The Chronic. Snoop Dogg�s contributions to the album garnered him much exposure and undoubtedly helped propel his debut album, Doggystyle, to enter U.S. music charts at #1. The album is noted as being the first debut album ever to top the charts. Snoop Dogg�s second album, Tha Doggfather, released in November 1996, did not achieve the same commercial success as his debut album, partly due to the fading of gangsta rap�s popularity, which stemmed from the death of Snoop�s friend, Tupak Shakur and the racketeering indictment of Death Row co-founder Suge Knight. Since then, Snoop Dogg released several more albums, including Da Game Is to Be Sold Not to Be Told, No Limit Top Dogg, The Last Meal, Paid the Cost to Be da Bo$$, R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta) The Masterpiece, all of which have gone platinum (over 1 million units sold). Snoop Dogg�s next album, The Blue Carpet Treatment, is scheduled to be released in 2006. Snoop Dogg Ringtones
