Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, et Too $hort

There are more than a few artists around that it’s basically impossible to say anything new about. They have been so scrutinised, so celebrated and so criticised that most of what one can say about them has already been said before. This is very much the case with Snoop Dogg, one of the cast iron legends of Hip-Hop and one of the key influences that make it what it is today, both as a cultural phenomenon, and as (arguably) the dominant force of pop music in the world.

After his rapping caught the attention of Hip-Hop godhead Dr. Dre, the legendary producer gave the up and coming Snoop the exposure of a lifetime by featuring him heavily on his 1992 album “The Chronic”. The California, US native capitalised by releasing the following years “Doggystyle” and promptly became one of the world’s most successful, famous, controversial, and downright feared musicians overnight. Since then his image has softened slightly, he’s more likely to be seen in adverts for Hot Pockets than on trial for murder (as he was in 1996), but he’s diversified to a thrilling degree as a musician.

Not content with giving the world the best G-Funk it’s ever going to get with “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?” and “Gin and Juice”, he’s also given it some of its best straight up hip hop with the Pharrell Williams assisted “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and is still unafraid to tread his own path. His most recent reinvention, with a new name (Snoop Lion) and a new reggae sound on the album “Reincarnated”, sees him still going from strength to strength 22 years into his career. With a back catalogue like his, and a bright future to match, you can’t go wrong with the Doggfather himself, Snoop Dogg.

Born in South Central, Los Angeles on 15 June 1969, Ice Cube began writing raps in high school. In 1984, het met a 19-year-old Dr. Dre, and together they released a single “My Posse” under the alias CIA. The two then teamed up with fellow rappers Easy-E, MC Ren and DJ Yella as the group NWA (Niggaz Wit Attitude) and together they released “Straight Outta Compton” in 1988. However, due to creative issues, he left the group and by 1989 was pursuing his solo career. His debut album, “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted” was released in 1990 and despite claims of misogyny and racism, was extremely successful. The follow-up record was even more controversial; however his most critically acclaimed album was his 1992 “The Predator.”

Having had so much success as a solo artist, Ice Cube still continued to work with other artists. 1994 saw him reunited with former NWA member, Dr. Dre, and together they recorded and relased “Natural Born Killaz,” and 1996 was the formation of Westside Connection, a collaboration with Mack 10 and WC.

The late 90s found Ice Cube concentrating on his acting career such as “Barber Shop” and “All About The Benjamins,” but he still found time to work on music. He was still collaborating with other artists like his appearance on Lil Jon & The East Side Boys’ “Real Nigga Roll Call,” and in 2003 The Westside Connection reunited for their sophomore album “Gangsta Nation.”

His most recent music musings with a new single release on 10 February 2014 “Sic Them Youngins On ‘Em.”

Since 1982, Too $hort actively produced and released LPs such as ‘Don’t Stop Rappin’, ‘Players’ and ‘Raw, Uncut and X-Rated’, before gaining widespread recognition and an RIAA Gold certification, along with a chart-spot of no. 50 in the US R&B listings, with ‘Born to Mack’. Too $hort’s initial success continued as the explicit rapper achieved numerous accolades throughout the 1990s. The albums ‘Get in Where You Fit In’, ‘Cocktails’ and ‘Gettin’ It (Album Number Ten)’ all peaked at the top of the US R&B charts and received an RIAA Platinum rating, whilst also charting in the top 10 of the US Albums chart. Between 1996-2000, Too $hort achieved five top 10 positions in the US Rap chart with singles such as ‘More Freaky Tales’ and ‘2 Bitches’.

Too $hort continued to release records through the 2000s and 2010s; most notably, his album ‘Blow the Whistle’ peaked at no. 14 on the US Billboard 200. He encountered great success when featuring on tracks with other music artists too; for instance, he rapped on Kelis’s ‘Bossy’ in 2006 which peaked at no. 16 on the US Singles Chart, and he partook on Chris Brown’s ‘Loyal’ which peaked at number nine in 2014.

Too $hort is often compared to E-40, Ant Banks and Mistah F.A.B, and the Californian-born lyricist performed at prestigious settings such as iTunes Festival and Coachella. Too $hort’s talents have also lead him further afield; he played the role of Lew-Loc in the film Menace II Society and voiced the character Fillyacup on the animated sitcom The Siccness Network between 2000-2001, whilst he has also been a mentor at Youth Uprising, an organization serving at-risk youths.

As such a mainstay in the hip-hop scene, Too $hort worked alongside artists such as Twista, Snoop Dogg and Jagged Edge, and is regarded as a true pioneer of the West Coast movement.