Snoop Dogg once said he thought Drake didn’t have longevity, but in his new interview for 360 With Speedy Morman he’s admitted he couldn’t have been more wrong.
In a 2020 episode of his GGN podcast, Snoop spoke about the beef between Drizzy and Kanye West and admitted he didn’t believe there was much long-term viability for the OVO rapper. “In the beginning, when Drake first came out, I was like, ‘He’s just gonna be here today and gone tomorrow.’ Because I was like, I keep hearing basic shit," he explained at the time, admitting he later learned Aubrey "don't miss."
Speaking with Speedy Morman, Snoop reflected on his previous comments and said he believes Drake is here for the long haul.
“That n***a ain’t going nowhere,” he said at the 26:30 point of the interview above. “What was I thinking? But that’s what we do in hip-hop, we limit. We limit until somebody goes over the limit, and that’s what he did. That’s what hip-hop is to me, he probably took all that shit in when he was hearing all that… Like, ‘Alright, fuck that. I’m finna fuck these n***as up, I’m gonna do some Michael Jackson shit.’ And he did that!”
The Doggfather said Drake has proven his place in the world of hip-hop more than enough by now. “He took that shit,” he said. “Motherfucker ain’t did an interview for his new album yet… Clever. But that’s hip-hop, that’s what we do, we always gotta have somebody to go to the next level. To me, he gives me comfort in saying that, if I ever wanted to leave the game it’s in good hands.” He explained that his predecessors in the genre likely felt the same way about him.
“Sustainability is key, when this game give you an expiration date and you outlive that times two,” he added.
After mentioning his thoughts on the Grammys—explaining that if he ever won an award he’d use it as an ashtray—Snoop spoke about his new album The Algorithm, which is also his first record released through Def Jam. “Algorithm is a project I put together specifically on Def Jam Records to get some new artists, some established artists, and some friends of mine to make a damn good record to end this year off,” he said at the 33:00 mark.
“You got Usher, Mary J. Blige, Fabolous, Dave East, Benny the Butcher, Jadakiss,” he continued. “Imagine all of the favors people owe me, right, and I never used ’em. And then I just said I’m finna make a record… Let me start going down the list, and man… Everybody got busy.” He also said his new track “Murder Music” is an “East Coast hip-hop street record.”
At the 24:00 point, Snoop talked about his role as a creative consultant executive at Def Jam. “I wanted this position, I asked for this,” he explained. “It gives me the ability to consult the artist, get creative with the artist, give out mentorship, wisdom, understanding… Take all of this great shit in me and spread it around. Because I want somebody else to be who I am, or be who they are. So that way I can ride off into the sunset. Until then, I gotta keep my hands on it until I put that position back in play for someone else to come in and fill the void.”
He stressed the importance of providing new artists with guidance, making sure people avoid signing exploitative contracts or getting involved with individuals who could get them in legal trouble just as their career is getting off the ground. “All the things that I can provide, is what I’m exercising and maximizing,” he added.
Watch the full 360 With Speedy Morman interview with Snoop Dogg up top.
