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‘Letter to the President’: Snoop Dogg tells the history of Hip Hop, Rap and Politics

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Ronald Reagan, that evil fuck President who willfully destroyed working class communities to give tax breaks to the rich. Reagan was happy to do it so long as it was African-Americans that bore the brunt.

Reaganomics left half the Black population on welfare. Reagan had no conscience about it. He had a money lust which hit hardest on those who were weakest and least able to fend for themselves.

Stopping poverty wasn’t on Reagan’s tick list. Rather it was cut corners and take, take, take from the poor - which stooped as low as having the tomato base on pizzas reclassified as fruit to ensure he could slash the cost of school dinners. He even tried to do the same with tomato ketchup but failed.

Reagan’s policy was simple - if you were poor: fuck you. If you were sick: fuck you. If you were dying of cancer: fuck you and get a goddamn job.

For young African-Americans in the 1980s, it seemed the hard-earned achievements of the sixties’ Civil Rights movement had been too easily betrayed and forgotten. And when crack cocaine hit the inner cities, it seemed any hope of a future was gone.

Against this background arose a culture of music that was to redefine Black America. Hip-Hop and Rap reflected the poverty, despair and violence of life in the ghettoes. It also railed angrily against the indifference and cynical exploitation by successive Presidents, whose only interest was to help themselves and help the rich.

Letter to the President is a fascinating over-view of the rise of Hip-Hop and Rap, and their importance in bringing a community together against a common enemy. Narrated by Snoop Dogg, and with contributions form Quincy Jones, KRS-One, David Banner, 50 Cent, Chuck D, Ghostface Killah, Nelson George, Sonia Sanchez, and Dick Gregory.
 

 

Posted by Paul Gallagher
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08.06.2012
08:38 pm
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Snoop Dogg’s new smokable book ‘Rolling Words’

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A truly fantastic idea by San Francisco agency Pereira & O’Dell to promote Snoop Dogg’s Kingsize Slim Rolling Papers: Rolling Words. Rolling Words is a book made entirely out of hemp where each page is a rolling paper with Snoop Dogg’s lyrics and witticisms written on them (in non-toxic ink of course). Also, the spine of the book has a match striking surface so you can smoke up on the run.

Folks attending Coachella this year will get to sample Snoop’s creation.

Via The Dieline and Nerdcore

Posted by Tara McGinley
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04.05.2012
12:40 pm
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Real Gangstas Don’t Rap, They Boogie: Snoop Dogg’s surprising ‘Tekno Euro’  mixtape

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Snoop portrait by Rodney Pike
 
Now here’s a turn up for the books: last weekend Snoop Dogg dropped a new mixtape via his Soundcloud page called “01 Tekno Euro Mixx”. That Snoop would put together a mix of European techno is in itself surprising—if he did actually mix it himself, and the lackadaisical style makes it seem plausible—but the real surprise here is, in fact, that the mix contains no European techno at all.

What we get instead is a mix of deep house, nu-disco and boogie/disco edits. Artists and remixers featured include Todd Terje, Prins Thomas, Guy Monk, Miguel Migs, 6th Borough Project, Tensake, Crazy P and Michael Jackson (there is no official tracklisting yet.) None of which have much in common with the likes of Benni Benassi or David Guetta, and even less with Dr Dre or Timbaland.

While I wouldn’t have pegged Snoop as a Body & Soul-head, there is a common theme. Back in the late 90s and early 00s, when I was playing a lot of this kind of stuff (hit me up for some mixes, Snoop!), me and my dj friends liked to refer to this type of music as “stoner house”. That did away with slightly tired prefixes “deep” and “disco” while encapsulating the music in simple, understandable terms. This is house music at its most horizontal, yet it remains functional and deeply funky. Snoop gets it, and actually this mix ain’t half bad. Light one up, lie back and boogie:
 

  01 TEKNO EURO MIXX by Snoop Dogg
 
Thanks to Soundcloud commenter Alex Constantin for the title.

Posted by Niall O'Conghaile
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03.21.2012
09:26 pm
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Snoop Dogg on ‘The Price Is Right’
01.02.2012
06:01 pm
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If I’m ever a contestant on The Price Is Right—you never know, it could happen—I want Snoop Dogg as my personal cheerleader. The man knows the price of his Town House Crackers and repeats “You’re gonna get it” like it’s no one’s business.

The episode aired today as part of The Price Is Right celebrity week.
 

 
Previously on Dangerous Minds:

Snoop Dogg: A Portrait in Pot by Jason Mecier
 
(via Rolling Stone and BF)

Posted by Tara McGinley
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01.02.2012
06:01 pm
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Snoop Dogg: A Portrait in Pot by Jason Mecier


 
Snoop Dogg portrait made from marijuana, hash and joints by artist Jason Mecier. That’s $1,500 worth of THC on the canvas.

This will be on display and featured in the new book La Luz de Jesus 25, as part of the 25th Anniversary of La Luz de Jesus Gallery.

November 4–27
Opening receptions: November 4 & 5, 8–11 PM
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA. 90027

Posted by Tara McGinley
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10.09.2011
09:45 pm
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Hip-Hop star Nate Dogg has died
03.16.2011
04:20 pm
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Hip-hop star Nate Dogg, real name Nathaniel Hale, has died, aged 41. No details have as yet been released as to how the singer died, but it was reported that he has suffered strokes in 2007 and 2008.

The Long Beach Telegram was first to report Nate’s death, said:

Attorney Mark Geragos said Nate Dogg, whose real name was Nathaniel D. Hale, died Tuesday of complications from multiple strokes.

Nate Dogg wasn’t a rapper, but he was an integral figure in the genre: His deep voice wasn’t particularly melodic, but its tone - at times menacing, at times playful, yet always charming - provided just the just the right touch on hits including Warren G’s “Regulate,” 50 Cent’s “21 Questions,” Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” and countless others.

While Nate Dogg provided hooks for rappers from coast to coast, the Long Beach native is best known for his contributions to the West Coast soundtrack provided by the likes of Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, the Dogg Pound and more. Nate Dogg was even part of a supergroup” featuring Snoop Dogg and Warren G, called 213.

According to popeater:

Just last week, Warren G tweeted that Nate Dogg was receiving treatment. “For those that dont know awhile back nate had 2 strokes he is in therapy thanks again for your support,” he tweeted. Watch some of Nate Dogg’s videos after the jump.

Snoop Dogg seemed to confirm the sad news over Twitter, writing, “We lost a true legend n hip hop n rnb. One of my best friends n a brother to me since 1986 when I was a sophomore at poly high where we met.”

“RIP NATE DOGG,” he added.

While TMZ reports:

Nate’s death was unexpected ... since he was making significant progress in his recovery from the most recent stroke he suffered in 2008.

According to McGrew ... Nate was “95% recovered from the first stroke in 2007” ... when the second stroke occurred in 2008 ... leaving Nate partially paralyzed and causing partial memory loss.

But McGrew says Nate had “cognitively fully recovered”—meaning he got his memory back and was fully alert and aware all the way up to his final days.

McGrew just released a statement on behalf of himself and Nate’s family ... saying, “We appreciate the enormous outpouring of response from all over the world. We greatly appreciate that and thank everyone for their prayers and support.”

 

 

 

Posted by Paul Gallagher
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03.16.2011
04:20 pm
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Snoop Dogg Does It TomTom Style
12.11.2009
01:36 pm
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Who wouldn’t want Snoop Dogg telling you to “show up left…so fly?”

Snoop Dogg has voiced a new VoiceSkin for TomTom GPS driving navigation systems.  The rapper can be heard giving directions and driving instructions on the application, which is available to download from Voiceskins now.  Snoop Dogg has added his own witticisms to the instructions, which include him saying “Keep left ahead, and you’ll be bona fide” and “turn around when possible and keep it ‘G’, ya d-i-g?”  As well as providing directions, Snoop Dogg has also recorded a ‘Points Of Interest’ file for the TomTom, containing the locations of places of special significance for the rapper, plus his favourite Los Angeles haunts.

 
(via NME)

Posted by Bradley Novicoff
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12.11.2009
01:36 pm
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Snoop Dogg Loves Britcom “Keeping Up Appearances”
09.26.2009
01:33 pm
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Apparently Snoop Dogg just loves nineties Brit sitcom “Keeping Up Appearances.” Snoop says, “They still run the show on BBC America so I think Mrs Bucket must have some sort of cult following in the US.

I still watch the show to this day and it makes me laugh so hard. She has to be one of the funniest people on TV.”

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Brit of a Confession for Snoop Dogg

We all have our Hyacinth Bucket moments

 

Posted by Tara McGinley
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09.26.2009
01:33 pm
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