Snoop Dogg's 'Snoopiest' TV Moments

Gangsta rap legend started out with Snoop Dogg, Warren G

(NEWSER) - West Coast gangsta rap star Nate Dogg has died at the age of 41, reports his hometown newspaper, the Long Beach Press-Telegram . The cause of death is not yet known, but the rapper—real name Nathaniel D. Hale—had battled health problems in recent years and suffered strokes in 2007 and 2008. The ex-Marine started out as part of rap trio 213, joining Snoop Dogg—no relation—and Warren G. He released three solo albums but was best known for his collaborations with other rappers, including Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur. More»

Task force investigating new leads, say sources

(NEWSER) - Thirteen years later, the murders of rappers Notorious BIG and Tupac Shakur remain two of the music industry’s highest-profile unsolved mysteries—but that could soon change. Police “reinvigorated” the Notorious BIG murder case months ago, sources tell CNN , and they are actively looking into leads and new information related to the 1997 crime. The task force investigating the case includes the LAPD, FBI, and the LA County DA’s office. More»

He's back in studio, comparing himself to legends

(NEWSER) - Famously egotistical rapper Kanye West is back in the studio—and comparing himself to Kobe Bryant and Maya Angelou in a typical-for-him, all-caps blog post . Unlike many rappers, he promises he won’t get worse with age, because “true poets get better,” he writes. There’s just one problem: “First of all Kanye, you’re a rapper. You’re not a poet,” writes Joe Anello on College News . More»

From condoms and KFC to Cuban cigars and Hennessy

(NEWSER) - Drawing on the Smoking Gun ’s collection of concert riders, Sam Greenspan of 11points.com offers a list of the 11 craziest demands made by rappers:

• DMX: Three boxes of condoms and a gallon of Hennessy—that’s anywhere from $300 to $800 worth of cognac.
• Public Enemy: Kosher food—odd, because “Public Enemy is famously associated with anti-Semitism”—and a bucket of KFC.

Rap Genius breaks down Jay-Z, Ghostface Killah, and more

(NEWSER) - Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ song “Empire State of Mind” is everywhere, even at the World Series. But do you know what the lyrics mean? If not, Rap Genius (formerly Rap Exegesis) can clue you in the way it educated Nick Antosca of the Huffington Post. Some of the explanations the site offers:

• Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind”: “Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whipping pastry” refers first to cooking up crack, second to fellow rapper Rev. Run’s daughters and their clothing line.