Listen to Snoop Dogg on Batanga

Such a distinct niche in hip hop's diverse and expansive history as Focus. His flow is like a Southern breeze on a lazy Sunday afternoon - soothing in its feel, sturdy in its power. We've all witnessed the curly-headed, lyrical phenomenon from 21st Street in Long Beach evolve and fortify into a grown man, now just as concerned with his business as he is with his lyrics - his game as healthy and expanding as his straightened head of hair.

The Doggfather is now bringing his collection of classics to arenas across America as a headliner on Dr. Dre's "Up in Smoke 2000" tour. Snoop will join Tray Deee and Goldie Loc of his newly formed group Tha Eastsidaz, Eminem, Warren G, Xzibit Nate Dogg, Kurupt, Ice Cube, Mack 10, WC, and others on a tentative 39-city, seven-week tour to show audiences across the nation how the West coast rocks.

His set includes joints from his upcoming No Limit/Priority Records album, Tha Last Meal, due in stores this fall and featuring production from Dr. Dre, Battlecat, Meech Wells, Timbaland Jellyroll, Fredwreck and Swizz Beats, and Snoop recently completed shooting his long-awaited New Line cinema produced horror-flick "Bones," set to hit theaters later this year. In perhaps his most rewarding accomplishment, Snoop has started his own label, Records, which offers its artists 100 percent of their publishing rights. "You won't see that in no record label that I've dealt with," says Snoop. "Me giving it to the artist is something special because I feel like if you write your songs and create that atmosphere, you should be compensated for it." artists include Tha Eastsidaz, Kokane, Butch Cassidyand a female rap trio, Doggy's Angels. The label also has a film division entitled Snoopadelic Films, another gratifying achievement considering Snoop's personal love of motion pictures. The company's first release will be "The Eastsidaz," a straight-to-video film featuring himself, Tray Deee and Goldie Loc.

For fans interested in Snoop's long and bumpy path to the present day, Snoop detailed his life story in his autobiography, "Tha Doggfather." Written with Davin Scay,the project required a self-analysis that few people are willing to undertake. "I had to go back to my childhood and the things that made me upset, and made me who Iam," says Snoop. "I also had to expose the bad things about myself that caused me to have that bad reputation when I first came out. But it's all a part of life. I was willing to reveal it and share it with the public."

Between his numerous projects, Snoop manages to squeeze in a weekly radio show at The Beat in Los Angeles that has just picked up national syndication in 14 U.S. markets and counting. His air-shift sizzles with his favorite old-school r&b and hip hop joints, as well as world premiere releases of his own material.

Focus has already accomplished what many rap artists will never achieve. The sheer resiliency of his 28-year hustle has made hip hop's own "King of All Media" currently available in record stores, movie theaters, book stores, syndicated radio, and recently in concert, C-walking across a stage near you. Snoop admits his newfound focus on matters other than rhyming was sparked by Master P taught me," says Snoop. "Now I'm taking what he taught me, putting it to use with my personal knowledge and just trying to be the best artist in the game."

Born Calvin Broadus, October 20, 1971, Long Beach, California