Calvin “Snoop Dogg” Broadus Jr. is an iconic Hip Hop artist. The 50-year-old entertainment superstar is also a top record executive.
Snoop Dogg currently serves as a creative consultant for Def Jam Recordings. That gig included the D-O-Double-G curating the Snoop Dogg Presents: Algorithm compilation. He also helped sign Benny The Butcher to Def Jam.
DJ Whoo Kid’s connection to Benny The Butcher played a role in the Black Soprano Family member joining the legendary record label. In an exclusive interview with Tidal, Snoop Dogg talked about his part in securing Benny’s signing.
“I’m like, ‘What’s up with you and Def Jam?’ [Benny is] like, ‘Oh man, they lowballed me.’ I said, ‘Lowballed you? They don’t know who you is?'” recalled Snoop. “He’s looking at me like, ‘Damn, you know who I am?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, I know exactly who you is and what you worth. I’m over at Def Jam now. Who was you talking to?'”
Snoop Dogg continued, “[Benny] told me who he was talking to. [I said,] ‘We’re not going to talk to them. I’m going to call the boss. You’re going to tell the boss what you want, and he’s going to give you what you want and you’re going to sign.'”
Snoop Dogg Now Owns Death Row Records, The Label That Launched His Recording Career
In addition to being a consultant for Def Jam, Snoop Dogg is also now the head of Death Row Records. The Doggystyle album creator expressed interest in running the company in November 2021 before officially becoming Death Row’s owner in February 2022.
“To be in control of the brand means that I got all of the pieces that I need to do what I got to do, from the masters to the publishing, to the IP, to the label, to the logo, to everything. It’s all mine,” Snoop told Tidal’s Chief Content Officer, Elliott Wilson.
Snoop added, “2Pac’s masters came back to him last year. But I got a great relationship with his estate, and I’m pretty sure we’re going to be able to work something out… to continue some Death Row 2Pac business now that Snoop Dogg is in control of Death Row. Same with Dr. Dre and The Chronic. I got The Chronic album. I got Doggystyle, Tha Doggfather, Murder Was the Case, Dogg Food, Above the Rim. I got all those records.”
