Biography of Snoop Dogg
Rap's reigning superstar, Snoop Doggy Dogg made his debut on Dr. Dre's The Chronic. His laconic, low-volume rap style struck a nerve with hip-hop audiences and his debut release, Doggystyle, became the first album ever by a new artist to make its initial entry onto the pop albums chart at number one. The album had sold over four million copies by the midpoint of 1994, and also generated plenty of controversy for its sexist and homophobic tendencies and explicit language. The record did shine the spotlight on some neglected acts and music from the '70s, notably The Dramatics, who appeared in one of Dogg's videos and backed him on one single. ~ Ron Wynn
Biography of Dr. Dre
Current superstar rapper and producer Dr. Dre made his debut as part of the World Class Wrecking Cru in Los Angeles during the '80s. But it was as part of N.W.A., along with Eazy-E, Ice Cube and others, that Dr. Dre would emerge as a superstar. The 1993 album The Chronic stamped him as the new king of gangsta-rap. ~ Ron Wynn
Biography of RBX
A cousin of Snoop Doggy Dogg, RBX ("Reality Born Unknown") got his start as a member of Dr. Dre's Death Row Records stable, contributing to both Dre's The Chronic and Snoop Doggy Dogg's Doggy Style. An in-house controversy ensued when the release of RBX's solo project, RBX Files, was delayed indefinitely by Dre. RBX claimed that it was simple unfairness on Dre's part, also charging that he had not been paid for his work on the aforementioned albums, and appealed to Death Row CEO Suge Knight to intervene. His album was eventually released in 1995, and the first single, "A.W.O.L.," ripped both Dre and Snoop for RBX's troubles. However, most of his subject matter concentrates on positive messages reflecting his Islamic faith. By 1996, RBX had reconciled with Dre and appeared on his The Aftermath album; still, nothing much was heard from RBX for a time, save for his contribution to the Fakin' the Funk soundtrack. Finally, in 1999, RBX resurfaced with a new album titled No Mercy No Remorse. ~ Steve Huey
