Snoop Dogg has acquired Death Row Records, the label that launched his career.
The US rapper, famous for his laid-back persona, said the moment was “extremely meaningful” and he looked forward to building the label’s “next chapter”.
It comes days before Snoop is due to perform at the Super Bowl LVI half-time show in Los Angeles, alongside Dr Dre, Eminem, Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar.
Snoop Dogg, real name Calvin Broadus Jr, was born in Long Beach, California, and shot to fame following the release of his 1993 debut album, Doggystyle.
The album, released on the Death Row Records label, featured singles including Gin & Juice, Murder Was The Case and Doggy Dogg World.
“I am thrilled and appreciative of the opportunity to acquire the iconic and culturally significant Death Row Records brand, which has immense untapped future value,” the rapper said in a statement.
“It feels good to have ownership of the label I was part of at the beginning of my career and as one of the founding members.
“This is an extremely meaningful moment for me. I’m looking forward to building the next chapter of Death Row Records.”
He later posted an image on his own Instagram with the caption “Bacc on Death Row”.
Before his career success, a teenage Snoop spent time in prison for a drug offence before one of his early mixtapes impressed NWA co-founder Dre, who invited him to an audition.
Doggystyle’s release catapulted him to mainstream fame, selling millions of copies around the world and he released his second – Tha Doggfather – in 1996.
But the rapper became embroiled in a row with Death Row Records about the terms of his contract and the alleged withholding of royalty payments and he left the label in 1998.
Despite this, the next decade brought more triumphs with the success of albums Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Boss, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment and Ego Trippin’.
Further albums include Bible Of Love, I Wanna Thank Me, and From Tha Streets 2 Tha Suites.
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