Snoop Dogg has issued a new warning: Don't dare to compare his lyrics — or any other MC's — to syndicated radio host Don Imus' recent racially inflammatory comments about the black women on the Rutgers University women's basketball team. Imus called them "nappy-headed ho's," among other insults.
Admittedly, Snoop and some of his peers have called women "b----es" and "ho's" in their lyrics, but as the Dogg put it Tuesday afternoon (April 10), there is no parallel to what Imus said.
"It's a completely different scenario," said Snoop, barking over the phone from a hotel room in L.A. "[Rappers] are not talking about no collegiate basketball girls who have made it to the next level in education and sports. We're talking about ho's that's in the 'hood that ain't doing sh--, that's trying to get a n---a for his money. These are two separate things. First of all, we ain't no old-ass white men that sit up on MSNBC [which announced Wednesday it would drop its simulcast of Imus' radio show] going hard on black girls. We are rappers that have these songs coming from our minds and our souls that are relevant to what we feel. I will not let them mutha----as say we in the same league as him."
Snoop did say, though, that the media needs to treat Imus as it treats some MCs (or football players, even).
"Kick him off the air forever," he said. "Ban him like they did [Adam] 'Pacman' Jones. They kicked him out the [National Football] League for the whole season [for numerous violations of the NFL's personal-conduct policy, including multiple arrests], but this punk gets to get on the air and call black women 'nappy-headed ho's.' "
At the time of this interview, Snoop's arraignment on felony charges (possession of a firearm and sale or transportation of marijuana) was looming, but on Wednesday afternoon (April 11), he pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced to five years' probation and 800 hours of community service; a three-year prison sentence was suspended. "Snoop accepts full responsibility for these matters," his attorney, Donald Etra, said in a statement. "He understands that, while he has every reason to seek security and protection, he cannot have a gun in his own vehicle, and he must only employ licensed security personnel. By the same token, although Snoop possesses a medical marijuana certificate, he recognizes, he cannot possess more marijuana than permitted by that law." The charges stem from Snoop's October arrest at the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California (see "Snoop Dogg Arrested For Drug, Gun Possession At Airport").
Amid all this, he's promoting a new album as well: a compilation called Snoop Dogg Presents: The Big Squeeze that is geared toward giving some shine to upcoming artists as well as seasoned vets. It's due April 24 on Koch.
"I produced the whole album," the Dogg explained. "I'm trying to give some light to these West Coast artists out here. Some of them are rivals, so I brought them all together so they could move forward. I call it The Big Squeeze because I'm finnin' to squeeze the game by the neck. It's a parade of the artists that I felt was my starters. As opposed to grabbing everybody from the West Coast, I grabbed the ones I thought were best at the time.
"We'll be dropping The [Big] Squeeze 2 in like three months just to make sure it's more and more talent that's coming," he added. "As opposed to calling in Pharrell and Timbaland and Scott Storch, all my high-powered friends, I said, 'Let me do it on my own and show them that if I'm willing to make the sacrifice, maybe they will too.' ... I just wanted to give them a shot. Do a record with them, people know they official ... then they got me whenever they need me. If they wanna do a [record] deal with me, then come on. If not, then they on their own. I'm not trying to lock anybody down."
You may even get to see some of these artists on the stage with Snoop soon. He and Diddy are bringing their tour to the U.S. after a run of several weeks across the world (see "Snoop Dogg Barred From Entering U.K., Cancels Dates With Diddy"). The West Coast King is also focusing on an adults-only cartoon movie to accompany his album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment.
The Big Squeeze track list, according to Snoop Dogg's reps:
1. "The Big Squeeze Intro" - Snoop Dogg
2. "Killaz" - Warzone, Westurn Union and Snoop Dogg
3. "We Came to Bang Out" - Dogg Pound, Soopafly and Snoop Dogg
4. "Shackled Up" - Warzone
5. "We Go Hard" - Katt Williams, Soopafly, Kurupt and Snoop Dogg
6. "Hat 2 Da Bac" - Westurn Union and Snoop Dogg
7. "Pop Pop Bang!" - Kurupt, Kam and Snoop Dogg
8. "31 Flavaz" - Kurupt and Snoop Dogg
9. "All About Damani" - Damani and Snoop Dogg
10. "Like Rock Stars" - Bad Lucc, Damani, JT the Bigga Figga, Chuck and Snoop Dogg
11. "Spend Some Time" - Ricky Harris, Chuck, Kurupt, Soopafly and Snoop Dogg
12. "F---in' Is Good for U" - Damani, JT the Bigga Figga, Kurupt, Soopafly and Snoop Dogg
13. "Get Your Body Moving" - MC Eiht, Kam, Chuck
14. "Get Closer" - Azure and Snoop Dogg
15. "Can U Get Away?" - Goldie Loc, Ray J and Snoop Dogg
16. "U In Trouble" - Kurupt and Snoop Dogg
17. "Lean on Me" - JT the Bigga Figga
18. "Let's Get This Party Started" - Azure and Snoop Dogg
19. "Be Thankful" - Terrace Martin, J. Black
Admittedly, Snoop and some of his peers have called women "b----es" and "ho's" in their lyrics, but as the Dogg put it Tuesday afternoon (April 10), there is no parallel to what Imus said.
"It's a completely different scenario," said Snoop, barking over the phone from a hotel room in L.A. "[Rappers] are not talking about no collegiate basketball girls who have made it to the next level in education and sports. We're talking about ho's that's in the 'hood that ain't doing sh--, that's trying to get a n---a for his money. These are two separate things. First of all, we ain't no old-ass white men that sit up on MSNBC [which announced Wednesday it would drop its simulcast of Imus' radio show] going hard on black girls. We are rappers that have these songs coming from our minds and our souls that are relevant to what we feel. I will not let them mutha----as say we in the same league as him."
Snoop did say, though, that the media needs to treat Imus as it treats some MCs (or football players, even).
"Kick him off the air forever," he said. "Ban him like they did [Adam] 'Pacman' Jones. They kicked him out the [National Football] League for the whole season [for numerous violations of the NFL's personal-conduct policy, including multiple arrests], but this punk gets to get on the air and call black women 'nappy-headed ho's.' "
At the time of this interview, Snoop's arraignment on felony charges (possession of a firearm and sale or transportation of marijuana) was looming, but on Wednesday afternoon (April 11), he pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced to five years' probation and 800 hours of community service; a three-year prison sentence was suspended. "Snoop accepts full responsibility for these matters," his attorney, Donald Etra, said in a statement. "He understands that, while he has every reason to seek security and protection, he cannot have a gun in his own vehicle, and he must only employ licensed security personnel. By the same token, although Snoop possesses a medical marijuana certificate, he recognizes, he cannot possess more marijuana than permitted by that law." The charges stem from Snoop's October arrest at the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California (see "Snoop Dogg Arrested For Drug, Gun Possession At Airport").
Amid all this, he's promoting a new album as well: a compilation called Snoop Dogg Presents: The Big Squeeze that is geared toward giving some shine to upcoming artists as well as seasoned vets. It's due April 24 on Koch.
"I produced the whole album," the Dogg explained. "I'm trying to give some light to these West Coast artists out here. Some of them are rivals, so I brought them all together so they could move forward. I call it The Big Squeeze because I'm finnin' to squeeze the game by the neck. It's a parade of the artists that I felt was my starters. As opposed to grabbing everybody from the West Coast, I grabbed the ones I thought were best at the time.
"We'll be dropping The [Big] Squeeze 2 in like three months just to make sure it's more and more talent that's coming," he added. "As opposed to calling in Pharrell and Timbaland and Scott Storch, all my high-powered friends, I said, 'Let me do it on my own and show them that if I'm willing to make the sacrifice, maybe they will too.' ... I just wanted to give them a shot. Do a record with them, people know they official ... then they got me whenever they need me. If they wanna do a [record] deal with me, then come on. If not, then they on their own. I'm not trying to lock anybody down."
You may even get to see some of these artists on the stage with Snoop soon. He and Diddy are bringing their tour to the U.S. after a run of several weeks across the world (see "Snoop Dogg Barred From Entering U.K., Cancels Dates With Diddy"). The West Coast King is also focusing on an adults-only cartoon movie to accompany his album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment.
The Big Squeeze track list, according to Snoop Dogg's reps:
1. "The Big Squeeze Intro" - Snoop Dogg
2. "Killaz" - Warzone, Westurn Union and Snoop Dogg
3. "We Came to Bang Out" - Dogg Pound, Soopafly and Snoop Dogg
4. "Shackled Up" - Warzone
5. "We Go Hard" - Katt Williams, Soopafly, Kurupt and Snoop Dogg
6. "Hat 2 Da Bac" - Westurn Union and Snoop Dogg
7. "Pop Pop Bang!" - Kurupt, Kam and Snoop Dogg
8. "31 Flavaz" - Kurupt and Snoop Dogg
9. "All About Damani" - Damani and Snoop Dogg
10. "Like Rock Stars" - Bad Lucc, Damani, JT the Bigga Figga, Chuck and Snoop Dogg
11. "Spend Some Time" - Ricky Harris, Chuck, Kurupt, Soopafly and Snoop Dogg
12. "F---in' Is Good for U" - Damani, JT the Bigga Figga, Kurupt, Soopafly and Snoop Dogg
13. "Get Your Body Moving" - MC Eiht, Kam, Chuck
14. "Get Closer" - Azure and Snoop Dogg
15. "Can U Get Away?" - Goldie Loc, Ray J and Snoop Dogg
16. "U In Trouble" - Kurupt and Snoop Dogg
17. "Lean on Me" - JT the Bigga Figga
18. "Let's Get This Party Started" - Azure and Snoop Dogg
19. "Be Thankful" - Terrace Martin, J. Black
