Look up Brian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Brian is a male given name of Irish and Breton origin,^[1] as well as a surname of Occitan origin.^[2] It is common in the English-speaking world. It is possible that the name is derived from an Old Celtic word meaning "high" or "noble".^[1] For example the element bre means "hill"; which could be transferred to mean "eminence" or "exalted one".^[2] The name is quite popular in Ireland, on account of Brian Boru, a 10th century king of Ireland. The name was also quite popular in East Anglia during the Middle Ages. This is because the name was introduced to England by Bretons following the Norman Conquest.^[1] Bretons also settled in Ireland along with the Normans in the 12th century, and 'their' name was mingled with the 'Irish' version.^[2] Also, in the north-west of England, the 'Irish' name was introduced by Scandinavian settlers from Ireland. Within the Gaelic speaking areas of Scotland, the name was at first only used by professional families of Irish origin.^[1] It was the fourth most popular male name in the United Kingdom in 1934, but a sharp decline followed over the remainder of the 20th century and by 1994 it had fallen out of the top 100.^[3]

The surname Brian is sometimes an English and Irish variant spelling of the surname Bryan. The English and French surname Brian is sometimes derived from the personal Celtic personal name shown above. The surname Brian can also sometimes be a French surname; derived from the Old Occitan word brian, meaning "maggot" and used as a nickname.^[2]

Variants of the name include Briant, Brien, Bran, Brion, Bryan, Bryant, Brjánn (in Icelandic) and Bryon.^[4]

Selected people with this name[link]

• Brian (mythology), Celtic mythological figure

Surname

• Donald Brian (1877-1948), Canadian-American actor, dancer, and singer
• Havergal Brian (1876–1972), British classical composer
• Mary Brian (1906–2002), American actress and movie star

Given name

• Brian Alderson (1950–1997), Scottish footballer
• Brian Bell (musician) (born 1968), member of American rock group Weezer
• Brian Blessed (born 1937), English actor
• Brian Boitano (born 1963), American figure skater
• Brian Boru (941-1014), Irish king who overthrew the centuries-long domination of the Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill
• Brian Clough (1935–2004), British football manager
• Brian Cowen (born 1960), former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of the Republic of Ireland
• Brian de la Puente (born 1985), NFL football player
• Brian De Palma (born 1940), American film director
• Brian Eno (born 1948), English electronic musician, music theorist and record producer
• Brian Epstein (1934–1967), English businessperson, manager of The Beatles
• Brian Horwitz (nickamed "The Rabbi"; born 1982), American major league baseball outfielder
• Brian Johnson (born 1947), member and lead vocalist of the hard rock band AC/DC
• Brian Johnston (1912–1994), British cricket commentator
• Brian Jones (1942–1969), founding member, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist in the English rock group The Rolling Stones
• Brian Joo (born 1981), American-born Korean singer, former member of the R&B duo Fly to the Sky
• Brian Jossie (born 1977), American professional wrestler performing under the ring name of Abraham Washington
• Brian Joubert (born 1984), French figure skater and 2007 World Champion
• Brian Lara (born 1969), former West Indian cricketer
• Brian Laudrup (born 1969), former Danish international soccer player
• Brian Littrell (born 1975), member of the boy band, The Backstreet Boys
• Brian May (born 1947), famous guitarist from the band, Queen
• Brian McKnight (born 1969), R&B singer
• Brian Molko (born 1972), lead vocalist of the band Placebo
• Brian Moore (disambiguation)
• Brian Moorman (born 1976), American football player for the Buffalo Bills
• Brian Mulroney (born 1939), former Canadian prime minister (1984–1993)
• Brian O'Driscoll (born 1979), Irish rugby player
• Brian Paddick (born 1958), British politician
• Brian Peaker (born 1959), Canadian rower
• Brian Piccolo (1943–1970), American football player for the Chicago Bears and subject of TV movie Brian's Song
• Brian Retterer (born 1972), American swimmer
• Brian Smith (disambiguation)
• Brian Urlacher (born 1978), American football player for the Chicago Bears
• Brian Viloria (born 1980), American boxer
• Brian Warner (born 1969), American singer, better known by his stage name Marilyn Manson
• Brian Westbrook (born 1979), American football player for the Philadelphia Eagles
• Brian Wilson (born 1942), member of American music group, The Beach Boys
• Brian Wilson (baseball) (born 1982), pitcher for the San Francisco Giants

Fictional characters

• Brian Griffin on Family Guy, voiced by Seth MacFarlane
• Brian Kinney on Queer as Folk (US), played by Gale Harold

Media titles[link]

Some films and television shows which contain the name Brian include:

• Brian's Song (1971, 2001)
• Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
• What About Brian, television series that began in 2006
• Burying Brian, mini New Zealand TV series

See also[link]

• All pages beginning with "Brian"
• Brian (disambiguation)
• Bryan (given name)
• List of Irish-language given names

References[link]

This page or section lists people that share the same given name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.

This page or section lists people with the surname Brian. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.

Brian McKnight
Background information
Born	(1969-06-05) June 5, 1969 (age 43)
Origin	Buffalo, New York, United States
Genres	R&B, soul, quiet storm
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, Producer
Instruments	Vocals, Piano, Keyboards, Guitar, Bass guitar, Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Trombone, Tuba, Percussion
Years active	1988–present
Labels	Mercury (1988–1997) Motown (1998–2005) Warner Bros. (2006–2008) E1 Music (2009-Present)
Website	bmcknight.com

Brian McKnight (born June 5, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, producer, and R&B musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who plays eight instruments including piano, guitar, bass guitar, percussion, trombone, tuba, flugelhorn and trumpet.^[1]. McKnight is perhaps most recognized for his strong falsetto range, and is widely regarded as one of the strongest talents in the adult urban contemporary R&B genre, although his recent efforts have received mixed reviews.

McKnight's work has earned him 16 Grammy Awards nominations, but currently holds the record for having won none.

Biography[link]

1969-1986: Early life and career beginnings[link]

McKnight was born in Buffalo, New York. His musical career began in childhood when he became a member of his church choir and a band leader for his high school, Sweet Home High School.^[2].

1987-1997: Mercury Records[link]

In 1987, McKnight's older brother, Claude McKnight III, and his band, Take 6, signed a record deal with Warner Brothers. This encouraged McKnight to shop his own demo tapes and by the age of 19, he'd signed his first recording deal with Mercury Records subsidiary, Wing Records.^[2] In 1992, Brian McKnight was released, and his self-titled debut peaked at fifty-eight in the Billboard 200 chart, which primarily featured the ballad (and top twenty single) "One Last Cry". It was followed by two more albums for Mercury, 1995's I Remember You and 1997's Anytime. Anytime, McKnight's final album with Mercury, sold over two million copies and was nominated for a Grammy. The video for "Anytime", directed by Darren Grant, was nominated for Best Male Video at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards.

In 1997, McKnight recorded "Remember the Magic" for Disney World's 25th anniversary.

1997-2003: Motown Records[link]

McKnight signed with Motown in 1998 and released the Christmas album Bethlehem. In 1999, McKnight released Back at One, his most successful album at date, which eventually went on to sell over 3 million copies.

2004-2012: Warner Brothers and Television/Radio Career[link]

In 2004, McKnight co-wrote with Australian Soul artist Guy Sebastian the song "Wait", off Sebastian's Beautiful Life album.

In October 2007, McKnight made his Broadway debut in the show Chicago.

From 2006 to 2010 he hosted a radio show, The Brian McKnight Morning Show with Pat Prescott on KTWV The Wave in Los Angeles, CA. The show was briefly simulcast on KHJZ-FM, Smooth Jazz 95.7 The Wave in Houston, TX from 6AM-9AM CST.

On January 26, 2009, McKnight hosted "The Brian McKnight Show" from 7PM-Midnight on 98.7 KISS FM in New York City.

In 2009, he appeared in the second season of Celebrity Apprentice.^[3] Each celebrity played to raise money for the charity of his or her choice; McKnight elected to play for Youthville USA.

From September 2009 to May 2010, McKnight hosted ^[4] The Brian McKnight Show, a late night talk show billed as a combination of talk and variety, aired in syndication. The show was cancelled on May 29, 2010 after one season.

On March 31, 2011 McKnight sang the National Anthem for MLB Opening Day in Cincinnati, Ohio with his sons Brian, Jr. and Niko. He had previously sung the National Anthem for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland, Ohio, Game 6 of the 2002 World Series in Anaheim, California, near his Los Angeles home, and the 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Detroit. McKnight has also made numerous other "National Anthem" appearances throughout his career.

On April 23, 2012 McKnight posted to youtube "If You're Ready To Learn", which has been characterized by Billboard as a "filthy jam." Billboard selected this lyric from the work to quote: "Let me show you how your p---y works/Since you didn't bring it to me first." ^[5] Other media outlets such as MTV and the Toronto Sun have also written about McKnight's recent, more adult-orientated efforts.^[6][7]

Artistry[link]

McKnight's vocal style draws from Stevie Wonder (particularly in his use of melisma), Michael Sembello, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, and his own brother, Take 6 co-founder Claude V. McKnight. Soul singer James Ingram also strongly influenced McKnight. His music production sensibilities, including his penchant for piano based pop ballads, method of background vocal recording and melismatic voice inflections all draw from Ingram. McKnight also has the uncanny ability to mimic the timbre and style of other singers such as Nat King Cole, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Prince.

Throughout his career, McKnight has collaborated with a variety of musicians including Mariah Carey, Sin Bandera, Mase, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Marcus Cole, Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake, Nelly, Vanessa Williams, Ivete Sangalo, Kirk Franklin, For Real, Canibus, Quincy Jones, Boyz II Men, Christina Aguilera, Regine Velasquez, Shoshana Bean, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Rascal Flatts, Willie Nelson, Talib Kweli, MJG (of the Southern Rap duo Eightball & MJG), Josh Groban (on his 2007 #1 Christmas album Noel Schajris), and CeCe Peniston.

In 1992, he released his self-titled debut album, Brian McKnight, which peaked at fifty-eight in the Billboard 200 chart and features the Billboard Hot 100 top twenty hit single "One Last Cry".

McKnight's work has earned him 16 Grammy Awards nominations but holds the record for having won none.

Personal life[link]

McKnight is divorced and has three sons: Brian Jr., Niko and Clyde. McKnight currently lives in Los Angeles, California.^[8]

Religion[link]

Brian McKnight was previously a Seventh-day Adventist. He grew up attending Emmanuel Temple. He also attended Oakwood University, a Seventh-day Adventist university, in Huntsville, Alabama from 1987-1989. McKnight explains, concerning his musical beginnings in the church^{[citation needed]}:

"I'm the fifth generation of Seventh Day Adventists and the youngest of four brothers. When I was still very small, we formed a gospel quartet. Our models were the great gospel groups, the Swan Silvertones and Mighty Clouds of Joy. The McKnight brothers were serious singers. The reputation went out: these boys could shout. My big brothers—Claude (a part of the gospel group Take 6), Freddie and Michael—man, they were my heroes. Each was a leader in his own right. Outside church, they listened to jazz. Church music thrilled me, but jazz stimulated me."^{[citation needed]}

Discography[link]

Studio

• Brian McKnight (1992)
• I Remember You (1995)
• Anytime (1997)
• Bethlehem (1998)
• Back at One (1999)
• Superhero (2001)
• U Turn (2003)
• Gemini (2005)
• Ten (2006)
• Evolution of a Man (2009)
• Just Me (2011)

Compilation

• From There to Here: 1989-2002 (2002)
• Gold (2007)
• 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection – The Best of Brian McKnight (2007)
• Ultimate Collection (2009)
• Icon: Love Songs (2011)

Awards and nominations[link]

• American Music Awards

• • 1999, Favorite R&B/Soul Album: Anytime (Nominated)

2010

• BET Awards
  • 2007, BET J Cool Like Dat: (Nominated)

• Grammy Awards
  • 2005, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "What We Do Here" (Nominated)
  • 2004, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda" (Nominated)
  • 2003, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "All the Way" w/ Kenny G (Nominated)
  • 2002, Outstanding Song Written for a Motion Picture of Television Series: "Win" from Men of Honor (Nominated)
  • 2002, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: "Still" (Nominated)
  • 2002, Best Pop Collaboration w/ Vocals: "My Kind of Girl" w/ Justin Timberlake (Nominated)
  • 2002, Best R&B Song: "Love of My Life" (Nominated)
  • 2002, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "Love of My Life" (Nominated)
  • 2001, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: "6, 8, 12" (Nominated)
  • 2001, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "Stay or Let It Go" (Nominated)
  • 2001, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Coming Back Home" w/ Bebe Winans & Joe (singer) (Nominated)
  • 2000, Best R&B Album: Back at One (Nominated)
  • 2000, Best Short-Form Music Video: "Back at One" (Nominated)
  • 1999, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance: "The Only One For Me" (Nominated)
  • 1999, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: "Anytime" (Nominated)
  • 1994, Best Pop Collaboration w/ Vocals: "Love Is" w/ Vanessa L. Williams (Nominated)

McKnight holds a Grammy Awards record having received 16 nominations without a win.

• Image Awards
  • 2002, Outstanding Male Artist: Superhero (Nominated)
  • 2001, Outstanding Male Artist: "Stay or Let It Go" (Nominated)
  • 2000, Outstanding Male Artist: "Back at One" (Winner)

• MTV Video Music Awards
  • 2000, Best R&B Video: "Back at One" (Nominated)
  • 1998, Best R&B Video: "Anytime" (Nominated)

• Soul Train Awards
  • 2002, Best R&B/Soul Male Single: "Love of My Life" (Nominated)
  • 2000, Best R&B/Soul Single Male: "Back at One" (Nominated)
  • 2000, Best R&B/Soul Male Album: Back at One (Nominated)
  • 1999, Best R&B/Soul Male Album: "Anytime" (Winner)

References[link]

• Music.Yahoo.com

External links[link]

• Brian McKnight official website
• Brian McKnight entertainment website
• Brian McKnight's Biography from VH1
• Brian McKnight's Profile from VIBE
• Brian McKnight Fans Website
• Blogs.OrlandoSentinel.com
• Brian McKnight JUST ME 2011 World Tour

Brian Williams
Williams at the 2011 Time 100 gala
Born	Brian Douglas Williams (1959-05-05) May 5, 1959 (age 53) Ridgewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Education	Brookdale Community College George Washington University The Catholic University of America
Occupation	News Anchor and Managing Editor of NBC Nightly News
Years active	1981–present
Notable credit(s)	NBC News reporter (1993–2004) NBC Nightly News weekend anchor (1993–1999) NBC Nightly News anchor (2004–present)
Salary	$10 million annually[1]
Spouse	Jane Gillan Stoddard Williams[2]
Website
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3667173/

Brian Douglas Williams (born May 5, 1959) is the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, the evening news program of the NBC television network, a position he assumed in 2004.^[2] Williams was listed among Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2007,^[3] and in 2010, a prominent media observer dubbed him "the Walter Cronkite of the 21st century."^[4]

Early life[link]

Williams was reared in a middle-class Irish Catholic home.^[5] His father, Gordon L. Williams, was an executive vice president of the National Retail Merchants Association, in New York.^[6] During childhood, his family moved from his birthplace, Ridgewood, New Jersey,^[7] to Elmira, New York. He lived in Elmira for ten years before moving to Middletown, New Jersey, when he was in junior high school.^[8]

He graduated from Mater Dei High School, a Roman Catholic high school in the New Monmouth section of Middletown.^[9] While in high school, he was a volunteer firefighter for three years at the Middletown Township Fire Department. His first job was as a busboy at Perkins Pancake House.^[10]

After high school Wiliams attended Brookdale Community College, after which he transferred to The Catholic University of America, and then The George Washington University.^[11] He did not graduate, and instead interned with the administration of President Jimmy Carter. He now calls leaving college one of his "great regrets".^[12] Brian Williams completed a total of 18 college credits."^[13]

Early career[link]

After working in the lobbying arm of the National Association of Broadcasters, Williams began his broadcasting career at KOAM-TV in Joplin, Missouri in 1981.^[14] A year later he moved back to Washington, D.C. and worked at WTTG as general assignment reporter. Williams joined NBC News from WCBS-TV in New York in 1993 and became the network's chief White House correspondent in 1994. In 1996, Williams began anchoring The News with Brian Williams on MSNBC and rebroadcast on CNBC.

[edit] Nightly News

Williams became anchor of NBC Nightly News on December 2, 2004, and his first year in that post was marked by coverage of two disasters: the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. NBC personnel felt that the program became his program (rather than predecessor Tom Brokaw's) with his coverage of the tsunami,^[15] and his reporting on Katrina, including from inside the New Orleans Superdome, was given praise by industry observers.^[16] His work helped earn NBC a Peabody Award,^[17] the Peabody committee concluding that Williams and the Nightly News staff "exemplified the highest levels of journalistic excellence in reporting on Hurricane Katrina."^[18]

Nightly News fell behind ABC's World News in the first half of 2007. Nightly News regained the lead later in the year^[19] and expanded it beginning in the fall of 2008.^[20] Williams was compared by Jon Friedman of Marketwatch to Walter Cronkite.^[4]

When Williams succeeded Tom Brokaw as anchor of NBC Nightly News, his annual salary was reported to be $8 million,^[21] and by October 2006, it had reportedly increased to $10 million.^[1] He occasionally fills in for Lester Holt on weekends when needed.

On Sunday, May 1, 2011, Williams anchored a simulcast between all NBC affiliates and MSNBC covering the death of Osama bin Laden, going on air before 11:30 pm and continuing coverage until at least 2:00 am.

[edit] Rock Center with Brian Williams

On Tuesday, October 4, 2011, it was announced that Williams would be the host of Rock Center with Brian Williams, a newsmagazine program premiering on Monday, October 31, 2011, at 10:00 pm Eastern, replacing the cancelled drama series The Playboy Club.^[22] Named after the nickname of Rockefeller Center, the New York City landmark where NBC Radio City Studios are located, the program would become the first new NBC News program to launch in primetime in nearly two decades.^[23]

Appearances[link]

Williams frequently appears on The Daily Show as a celebrity guest interviewed by Jon Stewart. He appeared on the Weekend Update segment of Saturday Night Live before hosting the program on November 3, 2007.^[24]

Williams regularly appears on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where he slow jams the news of the previous week as Fallon sings and reiterates what Williams says, with The Roots providing the musical backing. He has also made numerous appearances on Late Show with David Letterman despite its being on CBS, a competing network. During an appearance on July 26, 2011, Williams demonstrated a skilled vocal impersonation of TV personality Regis Philbin. Williams has also appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien where he took part in numerous skits and interviews.

Williams also frequently makes guest appearances on NBC's television comedy 30 Rock as a caricatured version of himself. In the episode The Ones, he's seen at home receiving proposition calls meant for Tracy Jordan. In Audition Day, he auditions to be a new TGS cast member. He also is seen once on the show taunting a CNBC news host. In April 2012, on the West Coast installment of the 30 Rock season 6 live show, Williams portrayed a news anchor covering the Apollo 13 story.

Williams appeared on Sesame Street in a 2007 episode, announcing the word of the day, squid, in a special broadcast. Williams appeared on Sesame Street again in a 2008 episode reporting for Sesame Street Nightly News about the Mine-itis outbreak where he becomes a victim of it. He also was the host of the 2009 Annual Sesame Workshop Benefit Gala.

In May 2012, Williams spoke at The George Washington University commencement on the National Mall.

Personal life[link]

He lives in New Canaan, Connecticut, with his wife, Jane Gillan Stoddard Williams, two children, Allison and Douglas Williams, and two dogs.^[26]

NASCAR[link]

Williams is an avid fan of NASCAR in both the local and national levels. He was first exposed to auto racing as a child attending races on dirt tracks all over upstate New York. In 1999, Williams was the studio host of the first NASCAR race ever shown on NBC, the Pennzoil 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Two years later, at NASCAR's awards banquet in New York City, he introduced a videotaped tribute to Dale Earnhardt, who had died at the Daytona 500 some months earlier. Earnhardt and Williams had become close friends.

A 2012 promo for Rock Center with Brian Williams features a baseball motif, with the journalists' jerseys. Williams' jersey, similar to Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost, in honor of his Earnhardt friendship, carried #3.

New York Giants[link]

Brian Williams has shown himself to be a fan of the New York Giants NFL franchise. This became noticeable publicly during the Giants 2011 Super Bowl run during which Williams was noted for not only openly discussing his fandom, but also wearing a New York Giants jersey underneath his sports jacket and over his dress shirt and tie, similar to a sweater.^[27]

Career timeline[link]

• 1981: KOAM-TV
• 1982–1984: WTTG-TV correspondent
• 1985: Panorama Host
• 1985–1987: WCAU-TV New Jersey correspondent
• 1987–1993: WCBS-TV Anchor of weekday noon and weekend night newscasts; reporter
• 1993–1994: NBC News correspondent
• 1994–1996: NBC News White House correspondent
• 1996–2004: The News with Brian Williams anchor
• 2004–present: NBC Nightly News anchor
• 2011–present: Rock Center with Brian Williams host

References[link]

External links[link]

• NBC News Bio
• The Daily Nightly - Brian Williams's blog
• Bio and photo of Brian Williams — Crain's New York Business 40 under 40 — 1998^{[dead link]}
• Video of talk to journalists group - from SAJAforum.org
• Men's Vogue profile of Brian Williams
• Chmiel, David, "His Heart Belongs to Jersey", New Jersey Monthly, June 9, 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
• C-SPAN Q&A interview with Williams, December 26, 2004

Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg performing at the Snoop Dogg Supafest in April 2011.
Background information
Birth name	Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr.
Born	(1971-10-20) October 20, 1971 (age 40)
Origin	Long Beach, California, United States
Genres	Hip hop
Occupations	Rapper
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Death Row, No Limit, Priority, Star Trak, Geffen, Doggystyle
Associated acts	Tha Dogg Pound, Tha Eastsidaz, 213, Dr. Dre, Warren G, Nate Dogg, 2Pac, Pharell, R. Kelly, Ice Cube, Akon, Game, Brandy Norwood, Eminem, Wiz Khalifa
Website	snoopdogg.com

Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. (born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (formerly known as Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school. Shortly after graduation, he was arrested for cocaine possession and spent six months in Wayside County Jail. His music career began in 1992 after his release when he was discovered by Dr. Dre. He collaborated on several tracks on Dre's solo debut, The Chronic and on the titular theme song to the film Deep Cover.

Snoop's debut album Doggystyle, was released in 1993 under Death Row Records making a debut at No.1 on both the Billboard 200 and R&B charts. Selling almost a million copies in the first week of its release, Doggystyle quickly became certified 4× platinum in 1994 and spawned several hit singles, including "What's My Name" and "Gin & Juice". In 1994, Snoop released a soundtrack on Death Row Records for the short film Murder Was The Case, starring himself. In early 1996, Snoop Dogg was cleared of charges over his bodyguard's 1993 murder of Philip Woldemariam. His second album, late 1996's Tha Doggfather, also debuted at No.1 on both charts with "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" as the lead single. The album sold only half as well, being certified double platinum in 1997.

Tha Doggfather was his last release for Death Row before he signed with No Limit Records, where he recorded his next three albums. Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told in 1998, No Limit Top Dogg in 1999 (making it his last album of the 90s), and Tha Last Meal in 2000, which was his last No Limit Records album. Snoop then signed with Priority/Capitol/EMI Records in 2002, where he released his album Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss. Then he signed with Geffen Records in 2004 for his next three albums R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, and Ego Trippin'. Malice 'n Wonderland (2009) and Doggumentary (2011), his most recent release, were on Priority.

In addition to music, Snoop Dogg has starred in motion pictures and hosted several television shows: Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood and Dogg After Dark. He also coaches a youth football league and high school football team. He has run into many legal troubles, some of which caused him to be legally banned from the UK and Australia, although the UK ban was later reversed after a long legal battle.^[1] He is the cousin of Nate Dogg, Daz Dillinger, RBX and Lil' ½ Dead and the cousin of R&B singers Brandy and Ray J. Starting September 2009, Snoop was hired by EMI as the chairman of a reactivated Priority Records.^[2]

Life and career[link]

Early life[link]

Named after his stepfather, Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Sr. (December 10, 1948 – November 9, 1985, Los Angeles), Calvin Broadus was born October 20, 1971 at the Los Altos Hospital in Long Beach, California, the second of three sons of Beverly Broadus (née Tate; born April 27, 1951, McComb, Mississippi).^[3][4][5] His father, Vernall Varnado (born December 13, 1949, Magnolia, Mississippi),^[3] was a Vietnam veteran, singer, and mail carrier who was said to be frequently absent from his life.^[6] Broadus' parents nicknamed him "Snoopy" as a child because of his appearance, but usually addressed him as Calvin at home.^[7][8] His mother and stepfather divorced in 1975. At an early age, Broadus began singing in Golgotha Trinity Baptist Church and playing piano; when he was in sixth grade, he began rapping.^[9][10] He attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, and was convicted for cocaine possession, serving six months at the Wayside County Jail.^[7]

As a teenager, Snoop Dogg frequently ran into trouble with the law. Snoop Dogg was a member of the Rollin' 20 Crips gang in the Eastside of Long Beach,^[11][12] although he stated in 1993 that he never joined a gang.^[9] Shortly after graduating from high school, he was arrested for possession of cocaine.^[7] Snoop Dogg's conviction caused him to be frequently in and out of prison for the first three years after he graduated from high school. Snoop, along with his cousins Nate Dogg and Lil' ½ Dead and friend Warren G, recorded home made tapes as a group called 213, named after the Long Beach area code at the time. One of his early solo freestyles over En Vogue's "Hold On" had made it to a mixtape which was heard by influential producer Dr. Dre, who phoned to invite him to an audition. Former N.W.A member The D.O.C. taught him how to structure his lyrics and separate the thematics into verses, hooks and chorus.^[13]

[edit] 1992–93: Doggystyle

When he began recording, Broadus took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg. Dr. Dre began working with Snoop Dogg, first on the theme song of the 1992 film Deep Cover, and then on Dr. Dre's debut solo album The Chronic with the other members of his former starting group, Tha Dogg Pound. The huge success of Snoop Dogg's debut Doggystyle was partially because of this intense exposure.^[7]

To fuel the ascendance of West Coast G-funk hip hop, the singles "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" and "Gin and Juice" reached the top ten most-played songs in the United States, and the album stayed on the Billboard charts for several months.^[7] Gangsta rap became the center of arguments for censorship and labeling, with Snoop Dogg often used as an example of violent and misogynistic musicians.^[14] Doggystyle, much like The Chronic, featured a host of rappers signed to or affiliated with the Death Row label including Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Nate Dogg and others. Rolling Stone music critic Touré asserted that Snoop had a relatively soft vocal delivery compared to other rappers: "Snoop's vocal style is part of what distinguishes him: where many rappers scream, figuratively and literally, he speaks softly."^[9]

A short film about Snoop Dogg's murder trial called Murder Was The Case, was released in 1994, along with an accompanying soundtrack. On July 6, 1995, Doggy Style Records, Inc., a record label founded by Snoop Dogg, was registered with the California Secretary of State as business entity number C1923139.^[15]

[edit] 1996–97: Tha Doggfather

After Snoop Dogg was acquitted of murder charges on February 20, 1996, he and the mother of his son and their kennel of 20 pit bulls moved into a 5,000-square-foot (460 m²) home in the hills of Claremont, California and by August 1996 Doggy Style Records, a subsidiary of Death Row Records, signed The Gap Band's Charlie Wilson as one of the record label's first artists.^[16]

However, by the time Snoop Dogg's second album, Tha Doggfather, was released in November 1996, the price of living (or sometimes just imitating) the gangsta life had become very evident. Among the many notable hip hop industry deaths and convictions were the death of Snoop Dogg's friend and labelmate 2Pac and the racketeering indictment of Death Row co-founder Suge Knight.^[7] Dr. Dre had left Death Row earlier in 1996 because of a contract dispute, so Snoop Dogg co-produced Tha Doggfather with Daz Dillinger and DJ Pooh.

This album featured a distinct change of style as compared to Doggystyle, and the leadoff single, "Snoop's Upside Ya Head", featured a collaboration with Gap Band frontman Charlie Wilson. While the album sold reasonably well, it was not as successful as its predecessor. However, Tha Doggfather had a somewhat softer approach to the G-funk style. The immediate aftermath of Dr. Dre's withdrawal from Death Row Records, realizing that he was subject to an iron-clad time-based contract (i.e., that Death Row practically owned anything he produced for a number of years), Snoop Dogg refused to produce any more tracks for Suge Knight, other than the insulting "Fuck Death Row", until his contract expired.^[11] In an interview with Neil Strauss in 1998, Snoop Dogg stated that though he had been given lavish gifts by his former label they had withheld royalty payments to the artist.^[17]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic said that after Tha Doggfather, Snoop Dogg began "moving away from his gangsta roots toward a calmer lyrical aesthetic":^[7] for instance, Snoop participated in the 1997 Lollapalooza concert tour, which featured mainly alternative rock music. Troy J. Augusto of Variety noticed that Snoop's set at Lollapalooza attracted "much dancing, and, strangely, even a small mosh pit" in the audience.^[18]

[edit] 1998–2000: No Limit, Top Dogg and Tha Last Meal

Snoop signed with Master P's No Limit Records (distributed by Priority/EMI Records) in 1998 and debuted on the label with Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told that year. His other albums from No Limit were No Limit Top Dogg in 1999 (selling over 1,503,865 copies) and Tha Last Meal in 2000 (selling over 1,000,000).^[7] In 2001, his autobiography, Tha Doggfather, was published.

[edit] 2002: Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$

In 2002 he released the album Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$, on Priority/Capitol/EMI Records, selling over 1,300,000 copies. The album featured the hit singles "From tha Chuuuch to da Palace" and "Beautiful", featuring guest vocals by Pharrell. By this stage in his career, Snoop Dogg had left behind his "gangster" image and embraced a "pimp" image.

[edit] 2004–05: R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece

In 2004, Snoop signed to Geffen Records/Star Trak Entertainment both of which are distributed through Interscope Records; Star Trak is headed by producer duo The Neptunes, which produced several tracks for Snoop's 2004 release R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece. "Drop It Like It's Hot" (featuring Pharrell), the first single released from the album, was a hit and became Snoop Dogg's first single to reach number one. His third release was "Signs", featuring Justin Timberlake and Charlie Wilson, which entered the UK chart at #2. This was his highest entry ever in the UK chart. The album sold 1,724,000 copies in the U.S. alone, and most of its singles were heavily played on radio and television. Snoop Dogg joined Warren G and Nate Dogg to form the group 213 and released album The Hard Way in 2004. Debuting at No.4 on the Billboard 200 and No.1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, it included single "Groupie Luv". Together with fellow rappers Lil' Jon, Xzibit and David Banner, Snoop Dogg appeared in the music video for Korn's "Twisted Transistor".

[edit] 2006: Tha Blue Carpet Treatment

Snoop Dogg's appeared on two tracks from Ice Cube's 2006 album Laugh Now, Cry Later, including the single "Go to Church", and on several tracks on Tha Dogg Pound's Cali Iz Active the same year. Also, his latest song, "Real Talk", was leaked over the Internet in the summer of 2006 and a video was later released on the Internet. "Real Talk" was a dedication to former Crips leader Stanley "Tookie" Williams and a diss to Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor of California. Two other singles on which Snoop made a guest performance were "Keep Bouncing" by Too $hort (also with will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas) and "Gangsta Walk" by Coolio.

Snoop's 2006 album, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, debuted on the Billboard 200 at No.5 and has sold over 850,000 copies. The album and the second single "That's That Shit" featuring R. Kelly were well received by critics. In the album, he collaborated in a video with E-40 and other West Coast rappers for his single "Candy (Drippin' Like Water)".

[edit] 2007–08: Ego Trippin'

In July 2007, Snoop Dogg also made history by becoming the first artist to release a track as a ringtone prior to its release as a single, which was "It's the D.O.G." On July 7, 2007, Snoop Dogg performed at the Live Earth concert, Hamburg.^[19] Snoop Dogg has ventured into singing for Bollywood with his first ever rap for an Indian movie Singh Is Kinng; the title of the song is also "Singh is Kinng". He also appears in the movie as himself.^[20] The album featuring the song was released on June 8, 2008 on Junglee Music Records.^[21] He released his ninth studio album, Ego Trippin' (selling 400,000 copies in the U.S.), along with the first single, "Sexual Eruption". The single peaked at No.7 on the Billboard 100, featuring Snoop using autotune. The album featured production from QDT (Quik-Dogg-Teddy).

[edit] 2009–10: Malice n Wonderland and More Malice

Snoop was appointed an executive position at Priority Records. His tenth studio album, Malice n Wonderland, was released on December 8, 2009. The first single from the album, "Gangsta Luv", featuring The-Dream, peaked at No.35 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album debuted at No.23 on the Billboard 200, selling 61,000 copies its first week, making it his lowest charting album. His third single, "I Wanna Rock", peaked at No.41 on the Billboard Hot 100. Snoop features on the latest Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach. The fourth single from Malice n Wonderland, titled "Pronto", featuring Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, was released on iTunes on December 1, 2009. Snoop re-released the album under the name More Malice.

[edit] 2011–12: Doggumentary

Snoop collaborated with Katy Perry on the first single from her second mainstream album, "California Gurls", which was released on May 11, 2010. Snoop can also be heard on the track "Flashing" by Dr. Dre and on Curren$y's song "Seat Change". He was also featured on a new single from Australian singer Jessica Mauboy, titled "Get 'em Girls" (released September 2010). Snoop's latest effort was backing American recording artist, Emii, on her second single entitled "Mr. Romeo" (released October 26, 2010 as a follow-up to "Magic"). Snoop also collaborated with American comedy troupe The Lonely Island in their song "Turtleneck & Chain", in their 2011 album Turtleneck & Chain.

Snoop Dogg's newest studio album is Doggumentary. The album went through several tentative titles including Doggystyle 2: Tha Doggumentary and Doggumentary Music: 0020 before being released under the final title Doggumentary during March 2011.^[22] Snoop was featured on Gorillaz' latest album Plastic Beach on a track called: "Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach" with the The Hypnotic Brass, he also completed another track with them entitled "Sumthing Like This Night" which does not appear on Plastic Beach, yet does appear on Doggumentary. He also appears on the latest Tech N9ne album All 6's and 7's (released June 7, 2011) on a track called "Pornographic" which also features E-40 and Krizz Kaliko.

[edit] 2012–present: Reincarnated

On February 4, 2012, Snoop Dogg announced a new documentary alongside his new upcoming studio album entitled Reincarnated.^[23] Snoop Dogg is set to headline the Osheaga Festival in Montreal, Canada this summer. ^[24]

Other ventures[link]

Media appearances[link]

Snoop Dogg has appeared on television and in films throughout his career. In 1998, Snoop had a cameo appearance in the film Half Baked as the "Scavenger Smoker".^[25] In 2000, Snoop (as "Michael J. Corleone") directed Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle, a pornographic film produced by Hustler. The film, combining hip hop with x-rated material, was a huge success and won "Top Selling Release of the Year" at the 2002 AVN Awards.^[26] Snoop then directed Snoop Dogg's Hustlaz: Diary of a Pimp in 2002 (using the nickname "Snoop Scorsese").^[27]

In 2001, Snoop lent his voice to the animated show King of the Hill, in which he played a white pimp named Alabaster Jones.^[28] He played a lead character in the movie The Wash with Dr. Dre. He portrayed a drug dealer in a wheelchair in the film Training Day, featuring Denzel Washington.^[29] In 2001, Snoop starred in the horror film Bones, with him playing a murdered mobster who returns from the dead to exact his revenge against those who murdered him.

In 2002, Snoop hosted, starred in, and produced his own MTV sketch comedy show entitled Doggy Fizzle Televizzle. Snoop was filmed for a brief cameo appearance in the television movie It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002), but his performance was omitted from the final cut of the movie.^[30] On November 8, 2004, Snoop Dogg was starred in the episode "Two of a Kind" of NBC's series Las Vegas.^[31]

In 2004, Snoop appeared on the Showtime series The L Word as the character "Slim Daddy". He also notably played the drug dealer-turned-informant character of Huggy Bear, in the 2004 remake film of the 1970s TV-series of the same name, Starsky & Hutch. He appeared as himself in the episode "MILF Money" of Weeds,^[32] and made an appearance on the TV shows Entourage^[33] and Monk,^[34] for which he recorded a version of the theme, in July 2007.

Snoop Dogg at WrestleMania XXIV at Orlando's Citrus Bowl with Ashley Massaro and tag team partner Maria, March 30, 2008

Snoop founded his own production company, Snoopadelic Films, in 2005. Their debut film was Boss'n Up, a film inspired by Snoop Dogg's album R&G, starring Lil Jon and Trina.^[35]

In December 2007, his reality show Snoop Dogg's Father Hood premiered on the E! channel.^[36] Snoop Dogg joined the NBA's Entertainment League.^[37] On March 30, 2008 he appeared at WrestleMania XXIV as a Master of Ceremonies for a tag team match between Maria and Ashley Massaro as they took on Beth Phoenix and Melina.^[38]

On May 8 and May 9, 2008, Snoop appeared as himself on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live, with a new opening theme recorded by the artist presented for both episodes. In the episodes, Snoop performs at the bachelorette party for character Adriana Cramer, and credits Bo Buchanan with helping him get his start in show business.^[39][40] On February 24, 2010, Snoop Dogg reprised his role, performing his song "I Wanna Rock" from his new album, Malice n Wonderland, as well as once again performing a special remixed, vocal rendition of the show's opening theme.^[41] In recent interviews he has explained that, as a child, One Life to Live was one of his favorite shows, and he still regards the show fondly. He has also stated that he has always been a particular fan of Robert S. Woods, who has portrayed the character of Bo Buchanan since 1979.

In 2009, Snoop Dogg appeared in Sacha Baron Cohen's film Brüno as himself performing a rap addition to the song "Dove Of Peace".^[42] On October 19, 2009, Snoop Dogg was the guest host of WWE Raw.

In July 2009, Snoop revealed his desire to appear in the popular soap opera Coronation Street while touring in the UK. However ITV bosses were said to be less keen.^[43]