News: Snoop Dogg to Promote Hip-Hop Unity

The past two months have been problematic for Snoop Dogg. Last week, he pleaded guilty on two felony counts of gun possession, stemming from an incident at Bob Hope Airport in October 2006. Last month he was scheduled to perform with Diddy on the British leg of their One Love Peace Tour but was denied a visa to the UK due to his arrest in April 2006 for allegedly starting a brawl at Heathrow Airport in the UK.

With all of the bad press stemming from Snoop’s police contact, many have overlooked the rapper’s positive contributions. In 2004, the Doggfather formed the Snoop Youth Football League. In 2005 he organized the Western Conference, an event with a goal to bring together West Coast artists in order to promote unity and end petty beefs.

Now, Snoop is looking to expand his mission of West Coast solidarity with his new compilation on KOCH Records, The Big Squeeze. The album features the Top Dog on 12 tracks alongside Tha Dogg Pound, Warzone, Western Union and JT Tha Bigga Figga. Snoop also made 16 of the beats on the album, introducing his production moniker, Niggaracchi. Just home from his One Love Peace Tour, Snoop talks with XXLMag.com about The Big Squeeze, his work as a producer and the controversy surrounding his ban from the UK.

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