Calvin Cordozar Broadus a.k.a. “Snoop Dogg” was born on October 20, 1971 in Long Beach, California where he was nicknamed Snoopy by his parents because of a striking resemblance to the Peanuts cartoon character. A promising rapper from an early age, he began performing in the 6th grade but was waylaid by brushes with the law in high school. After a stints behind bars for drug possession, he took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg and launched his recording career with the help of hip-hop producer Dr. Dre. His 1993 debut album, Doggystyle, featuring his trademark, laidback vocal phrasings, was well-received and quickly went quadruple platinum. Snoop Dogg is a 17-time Grammy nominee and co-host with Martha Stewart on the hit show Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party. Learn more at Snoop Dogg’s official website