Snoop Dogg is a name that appears regularly in any rappers list about their favourites of all time, but who makes Snoop’s? Thankfully he has provided the answers, and it doesn’t disappoint.
The rapper is an originator of the G-Funk sound that dominated airwaves throughout the 1990s and beyond, and his place in the development of hip-hop can’t be underplayed. Snoop Dogg is about the only man able to make a jingle for fast food delivery service JustEat a bonafide anthem that plays up to his character’s playful side and, somehow, still maintain his credibility.
Aside from all the cartoonish elements to his image, Snoop is one of the most influential figures in hip-hop history, and no one should ever underestimate his mercurial talent. Last year, he provided a glimpse into his record collection when he shared his ten favourite rappers, and the list relies heavily on fellow originators.
He shared his list following a controversial appearance on The Breakfast Club, where he tore into Eminem on the beloved radio show. “Eminem, the great White hope,” he said. “White rappers had zero respect in rap. Let’s keep that one thou-wow. None. [Dr. Dre] has probably put Eminem in the position to where he could be one of the top 10 rappers ever.
“I don’t think so, but the game feels like he’s top 10 lyricists and all that that comes with it. But, that’s just because he’s with Dr. Dre and Dr. Dre helped him find the best Eminem that he could find,” Snoop added.
Eminem then famously retaliated to Snoop’s taunt on his track, ‘Zeus’, when he rapped: “As far as squashing beef I’m used to people knocking me, But just not in my camp / And diplomatic as I’m tryin’ to be / Last thing I need is Snoop doggin’ me / Man, Dogg, you was like a damn god to me / Meh, not really (haha) / I had dog backwards.”
After Snoop publicly revealed that Eminem didn’t make his top ten, he then decided to share the rappers who made his exclusive list. LL Cool J is one name that features, and Snoop is forever grateful for what he has done for the genre. Cool J’s 1986 debut, Radio, remains one of the most important pieces of work in hip-hop history. The record helped the genre shift away from being a novelty, throwaway area of music and his intricate lyricism about inner-city life was both hard-hitting and poetic.
In a post wishing him a happy birthday in 2020, Snoop posted on IG: “Happy c day to my O.G. LL Cool J, one of the rappers I studied and learned line for line bar for bar style attitude and class on the mic. L. L. Cool. J. is hard as hell.”
Ice Cube is a West Coast icon of hip-hop, who like Snoop Dogg, has created this comedic image around him thanks to his films, which makes you forget what a violent talent he is behind the mic. Snoop also has a love for Ice T, another underappreciated figure who did more for hip-hop than he gets credit for.
Check out the full list, below.
Snoop Dogg’s 10 favourite rappers:
- Slick Rick
- Ice Cube
- LL Cool J
- KRS1
- Rakim
- Run (Run DMC)
- DMC (Run DMC)
- Big Daddy Kane
- Ice T
- Too Short
