Snoop Dogg now has a desk at the Def Jam Recordings’ office in Los Angeles.
The Dogg Father was officially announced as the label’s new Executive Creative and Strategic Consultant on Monday (June 7).
Snoop, born Calvin Brodus Jr., will assume a role “that will allow him to strategically work across the label’s executive team and artist roster. With an immediate focus on A&R and creative development, Snoop Dogg is joining Def Jam as a senior strategic advisor, based in Los Angeles and reporting to Universal Music Group Chairman & CEO Sir Lucian Grainge and Def Jam interim Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Harleston.”
In a video announcement, Snoop Dogg shares that he always desired to be a part of the Def Jam family as an artist, but due to him signing to Suge Knight’s Death Row Records in the early 1990s, that move wasn’t possible for him. However, the opportunity arose decades late and he’s ready to bring some new flavor to the label.
“Now you may wonder, why so late in my career would I wanna work for Def Jam Records?,” Snoops says before answering the question. “Lemme tell you why. As a kid, as a young rapper, Def Jam Records was the holy grail of hip-hop. It was the label where all of the artists communicated, connected, put out great music, great videos, movies and they were always on tour together. They were always doing things together. They were like a family.”
He adds: “When I got the opportunity, my main focus on Def Jam Records was to go and help the artists and give them love, give them wisdom, guidance, understanding and teach them some tricks that I learned in the game to diversify their portfolio. To not just be rappers, not just be artists, but to be superstars, superheroes, so to speak.”
Snoop later asserts that his plan is to go into Def Jam’s extensive catalog to revitalize it and also resurface life stories of artists formerly signed to the label while bringing on new talent as well.
The two-and-a-half-minute long visual includes cameos of Def Jam signees such as Slick Rick, Redman and Method Man, Public Enemy, DMX, LL Cool J, Warren G, Ja Rule, Jay-Z, the Beastie Boys, Foxy Brown and much more.
Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group (UMG), said of the Long Beach, Calif. native joining the Def Jam team: “We’re thrilled that the one and only Snoop Dogg is bringing his deep industry experience, strong relationships, boundless creativity and infectious energy to Def Jam.”
Jeff Harleston, interim CEO, Def Jam and General Counsel, EVP Business and Legal Affairs at UMG also shared a statement on the veteran West Coast rapper’s new position: “I have had the pleasure knowing and working with Snoop Dogg for more than twenty years. Not only does Snoop understand what it takes to be a successful artist, he is one of the most creative, strategic and entrepreneurial people I know. Snoop has a genuine passion for the label and the culture, and we are all excited to have Snoop join the Def Jam Family.”
Back in February of 2020, Paul Rosenberg stepped down from his role as CEO of the label to oversee a joint venture with Universal Music Group and Goliath Records. At the time, reports said that Rosenberg would still work with Def Jam in a consultant capacity. He also still serves as longtime manager for Eminem and president of Em’s Shady Records.
Snoop Dogg, however, isn’t the first hip-hop artist to snag a position at the Def Jam offices within the last year. Last November, Jeezy was announced as the label’s senior advisor to interim chairman and CEO Jeff Harleston.
Snoop has contributed to hip-hop culture’s many facets over the years. He has 16 Grammy nominations, eight RIAA certified platinum albums, two gold albums, six platinum hits, a slew of Billboard-charting records and more.
He also received an Emmy nomination in 2017 for his VH1 show, Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party.
Congrats to the big Snoop Dogg.