The Untold Stories of Snoop Dogg | Death Row, Dr. Dre, and Last Moments w/ Tupac | Big Boy Off Air

Snoop Dogg (Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.) discusses his childhood, growing up with a single mother and two brothers on the East Side. He describes a fun childhood in the 70s and 80s, playing outside and being part of the community. However, in the mid-80s, the drug game entered his community, attracting him with fast money. He recounts leaving home at 16 or 17 after his mother kicked him out, sleeping in his car before moving in with Auntie Mary. Living with his aunt, he learned counseling skills by helping her disabled daughter, Tassette, who used to scream constantly but eventually calmed down and became more communicative with his help. He attributes these early experiences to shaping his current ability to counsel people.

Snoop originally aspired to be an athlete, inspired by figures like Magic Johnson and Muhammad Ali, and also admired actors and musicians of the 70s and 80s. He wanted to incorporate all these talents, from sports to comedy and music. He shares a poignant childhood memory of his mother adopting his cousin, Marvin, who was born to parents on PCP. He describes the emotional day Marvin left his white foster family, who didn't know how to care for his hair, to live with Snoop's family. He humorously recalls the jealousy he felt when Marvin received more gifts on their shared birthday. Marvin later ended up in prison, but Snoop respects his mother's decision to adopt him despite the potential problems. He realized his mother's strength when he had his own first child. He also recounts his first introduction to hip hop through 'Count Coolout's Super Rhymes,' a song he learned before 'Rapper's Delight', captivated by its diverse voices and characters.

Snoop admits his first rap was 'whack' and he was a better freestyler than a writer. In junior high, his friend Sean (who later became Domino) wrote songs for their group. During a battle where their written material wasn't working, Snoop started freestyling, keeping them in the fight. He met Nate Dogg in high school, and they bonded over music in science and PE classes, eventually forming a close friendship, despite Nate and Warren G often clashing due to Warren's protective nature over Snoop. Feeling frustrated with the music industry after being told his style wasn't what they were looking for, Snoop threw away all his raps, ready to go back to selling drugs. Warren G, however, retrieved them from the trash, demonstrating his unwavering belief in Snoop's talent. Rather than trying to get signed through Warren G's brother, Dr. Dre, Snoop initially felt he wasn't 'dope enough.' He shares a story of Dre coming over, playing early tracks for Eazy-E's album, and being blown away. Warren G then convinced Dre to let Snoop rap, leading to their collaboration.

Snoop recounts working with Above the Law, who kept him on the bench, making him commute from Long Beach to Inglewood daily, unknowingly through a Blood neighborhood. A pivotal moment came when Dr. Dre called, asking him to come to the studio. He chose Dre over Above the Law, who had also offered him a record deal. His first song with Dre, 'Gangsta's Life,' captivated Dre with its storytelling and personality, despite Snoop's young age. This collaboration created tension with Above the Law, who felt Snoop had stolen their opportunity. Snoop explains that while there was no creative conflict within Death Row (as artists were mostly Crip-affiliated), business operations were Blood-based under Suge Knight. Despite initial disagreements, he formed strong friendships with many Blood members. He recalls the 1993 Soul Train Awards performance with Dr. Dre, arriving in a lowrider, defining the West Coast sound and marking a significant moment in his career. He reminisces about his pride at the Source Music Awards when Suge Knight made his infamous speech, initially supporting Suge as a team player, before realizing the negative implications and the growing East Coast-West Coast tension.

Snoop speaks positively about Suge Knight, calling him a brilliant, smart, and resourceful fixer who helped them navigate legal issues. He praises Suge's ability to handle conflict, contrasting it with their own tendency to accept jail time. He expresses his love for Suge, feeling that the negative portrayal overshadows his greatness. He admits he was more afraid not to be on Death Row due to the threats and animosity that followed. Meeting Tupac at a 'wrap party' for 'Poetic Justice,' Snoop initially thought it was a rap battle. Tupac, aggressive in his rapping style, engaged Snoop in a freestyle session that drew a crowd. Afterward, Tupac introduced Snoop to the 'Philly blunt,' marking Snoop's first experience smoking a blunt. Snoop reveals he was instrumental in convincing Suge to free Tupac from prison, seeing it as strengthening their team, comparing it to LeBron bringing Anthony Davis to his team. He became concerned when Tupac, initially neutral, chose sides in the East Coast-West Coast rivalry, believing it led to unnecessary beefs. He recounts a tense encounter on a private jet after an interview where he praised Biggie and Puffy, which angered Tupac. Snoop felt that Tupac was taking on a 'military' mindset. He details a heated argument between Tupac and Kurupt on the beach, where Nate Dogg had to intervene. He concludes that a week before Tupac's death, they were close, but two days prior, after the Angie Martinez interview (where Snoop expressed admiration for Biggie and Puffy's music), their relationship strained, with Tupac demanding an ounce of weed and refusing to speak to him.

Snoop recounts the tense plane ride back to L.A. after the New York incident, where he refused to leave his security behind, but Suge insisted. Feeling threatened by Pac and his crew, he sat in the back of the plane, knife and fork in hand, ready to defend himself during the five-and-a-half-hour silent flight. Upon landing, Pac gave him a dismissive gesture. Snoop learned about Pac being shot at Warren G's house. He called Suge, who initially downplayed the severity, but upon seeing Pac in the hospital, his mother's demeanor revealed the grim reality. Snoop spoke to an unresponsive Pac, expressing his love and regret. He then went to the bathroom and threw up, feeling overwhelmed. Despite his sadness, he initially believed Pac, whom he considered 'Superman,' would recover. Snoop reflects on the roller coaster of emotions during Pac's last days. He feels he found closure with Pac while he was alive, believing Pac's actions were not always rational due to his circumstances. He acknowledges that at the time, they were both facing legal issues, but Snoop decided to change his path, embracing a 'Godfather' role, rather than remaining on the front line of gang-banging as Tupac did with 'All Eyez on Me.' He emphasizes the importance of family as his reason to live, fight, and do right, noting that Pac lacked that extended family, making Death Row his only family.

Snoop talks about his stage play 'Redemption' and how he has grown, realizing the importance of his wife. He humorously mentions that while he considered divorce, his wife wouldn't sign the papers. He acknowledges that he was tempted by the idea of being single but eventually realized the grass isn't always greener and he's better with her. For his future, he expresses a strong desire to collaborate with Sade, having wanted to do a song with her for years. He ends the interview humorously, acknowledging his current high state and recalling a past interview from fifteen years ago where he was sober, confirming he hasn't stopped smoking since.