The Brutal Truth About Success No One Wants to Hear | Snoop Dogg

When that opportunity knocks and you can become something successful in life, you got to push forward. This ain't made for everybody, you know what I'm saying? It's like everybody ain't gonna be a fucking star. Everybody ain't gonna be the shit. Everybody ain't gonna be what you are. Just like when T-Pain came out, T-Pain was the shit. Then everybody took his autotune and went with it. Now where's T-Pain?

His music career began in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre of N.W.A. He has since sold over 35 million albums worldwide. In 2012, after a trip to Jamaica, he announced conversion to the Rastafari movement and a new alias, Snoop Lion. He's Snoop Dogg, and here's my take on his top 10 rules for success. Rule number 1 is my personal favorite, and make sure to stick around all the way to the end for some special bonus clips. Also, as Snoop Dogg is talking, if he says something that really means something to you, please leave it in the comments and put quotes around it so other people can be inspired as well.

Enjoy! I just, I just go back to the time when I was young and I didn't know what I wanted to do in life. And once I finally grabbed a hold to what I wanted to do, which was this music thing, and I loved every minute of it despite me not being able to make money or have a career, I had to believe in myself. And I want to say that to the youngsters out there that's watching, you know, believe in anything that you believe in, but have the most belief in it yourself. Whether it's being a doctor, a lawyer, or a chemist, or whatever it is, you have to believe yourself. And then once you believe, the dream will come true, and then people will believe in you. That's what dreams are what it's made of. You have to believe in it, and then a dream can come to life. The advice that I would give all of the rappers in the game is to be original. Mm. That's one thing about, you know, when I came out, originality was a must. You had to sound like you, you had to be you, you had to have your own everything. And I just feel like it's a lot of, you know, mimicking going on because it's a fad, and everybody feels like what's hot, we're gonna do what's hot. We're gonna rap the same way, we're gonna rap over the same beats. Mm-hmm. As opposed to being different and dynamic the way it was supposed to be. That's what we doing right now with this Bush project. We putting something different out there. It's not the bounce, it's a groove line. Yeah, we got a groove line with this record right here. It's a groove that only, you know, if you grown, you can— you find it real quick. But if you're young, it take you a second to catch up to it. When that opportunity knocks and you can become something successful in life, you got to push forward. Like, even with myself, I had to make a decision when I was a drug dealing gangbanger. Am I going to become a rapper and leave this behind when I'm getting this money and, you know, this ghetto superstardom? Or do I really want to become a real star and let that go and push it to the limit and say, I'm not finna eat, I'm not finna get no money, I'm not finna do nothing but put my faith in this. And I did. And 20-some years later, I can say, all right, this was a great decision. My message would just be find peace within yourself, because once you find peace within yourself, the energy that you get usually is reflected and people get that energy off of you. So, and that's what I've been able to find from being, you know, on the negative energy side as a young artist to a grown man that projects positive and peaceful music, but it still has the energy of the young spirit. So it's all within the same realm, but it's just finding yourself and being able to be within yourself and have peace so that way you can project peace. You know, especially on the internet, you know, you can get pulled into a whole lot of negative energy. I've done things where I put pictures up and read comments and then I say something back and I end up arguing with somebody on the internet that I don't even know. And I'm like, like you done pulled me all the way out of my skin. So it's like, it's just the point of knowing, you know, your limitations as far as where you'll go and let people take you outta your frame of who you are. Like, I don't never allow nobody to take me outta the mind state that I'm supposed to be in. You know what I'm saying? To never let 'em see me sweat, to never let 'em see me, you know, deal with adversity as if I can't deal with it, so. But as you grow, you lose certain homies because it's called closing the gap. This is the gap when we start. This is the gap as you grow. Notice how you grow and they don't. So how do you close the gap? You got to come back down. When you come back down, you lose. So you got to keep going up. That's why closing that gap got to be them catching up to you. And if they don't catch up, you got to leave them behind because you getting to the point now where you got to start cutting out. You know what I'm saying? And it's like you can't look back when you cut them out, because if they meant to be there, they're going to be there forever. Yeah, because I had to cut out family members before. Me and my cousin Daz fell out before. When me and him fell out, it was like, how do you fall out with— I taught you everything you know. I put you in the game and you go against me. But that's what the laws of the game do. It puts you in a position to where sometimes you have to have these types of situations to see who really supposed to be there. True indeed. This shit ain't made for everybody. You know what I'm saying? It's like everybody ain't gonna be a fucking star. Everybody ain't gonna be the shit. Everybody ain't gonna be what you are. It was 60 niggas that you was rapping with, and out of them 60, you the motherfucking one. And you can go back and try to help all 60 of them, but guess what? Ain't none of them gonna ever be you. And I done done it many times where I done tried to make niggas stars and rapped on they shit. Took them on tour, damn near gave niggas my shoes, my clothes, my everything. Here, you can have all— I can't make you a star. Stars are born, they're not made, you know what I'm saying? So it was like, if you ain't born one, you can't make one. And you can't take your energy and put it into somebody and make them what you are. I'd have to cut a lot of niggas out that I really felt like, you know, man, I wonder how he doing. You know what, I can't worry about how you doing, because if I worry about how he doing, then I'm miss a beat, and I might miss my lines on stage, and they may not want to pay me like they've been paying me. So indeed, I got to get this money.

How would you describe your body of work prior to this transformation?

Gangsta.

Now, and now people laugh at that, but it really isn't all that funny, is it?

No, it's not, because it was more or less a betrayal of what I live and the life I lived in the community that I came from. I came from selling drugs, being involved in the gang, So most of my music was representative of that, but then once I became successful, I strayed away from that and became a business and became who I am now. So that's why the music is more representative of who I am today.

Now let me ask you a question. Uh, let's say that this music that represents more of who you are today is not as successful as the music that represented how you were years ago.

It doesn't bother me. I'm not doing it for, you know, financial reasons or successful gain. It's more about where where I'm speaking to facts and issues that, you know, like for example the gun issue. I have a song called No Guns Allowed that speaks directly to the issues of gun violence because I feel like that's real.

I think it would be nice if, uh, if that took hold across the, uh, popular culture, really.

Yeah, and you know, it starts with you. You got to be good. You got to be the man in the mirror to say, you know what, I'm gonna start with myself. And through example, I believe that people will follow. I believe that the right thing will be done because I'm one who used to lead people in the wrong direction. Now I'm leading them in the right direction. But I respect the youngsters. I respect the movement because it's a young man's game. And I've always been like that. That's why they call me Uncle Snoop, because I never disrespected them. I've always treated them as my nephews. Even if I didn't like this shit, I never told them I don't like it. I tell them, look, maybe you should try to be a little bit more original and not follow the fad, you know, because the fad is only a fad. That rap style is gonna play out in a minute, but if it's yours, it's gonna live on forever. Just like when T-Pain came out, T-Pain was the shit. Then everybody took his Auto-Tune and went with it. Now where's T-Pain? He even got that fuckin'— where's his hair at? He fuckin' cut his shit off too. Because that's what the game do. The game suck you dry. It takes from you, you know what I'm saying? It's like The originals gotta understand, when you original, you gotta find ways to diversify your portfolio. In other words, meaning that I always come back with some different shit. I'm Snoop Dogg at all times, but I'm able to do this, that, that, that, that, and that to where it finally comes back to the point to where I started in 1992, it's 2015. And I'm still on the radio talking to you about an album I got coming out that's relevant. The best advice I can give you is go make some noise, you know. These MCs right here was doing they thing before I got with them. That's what made it easy for me to get in. Down with them. I didn't have to teach them how to be who they are. You got to find out who you are and be the best at that. And once you master at who you are, being great at that, eventually somebody like myself will come across you and be able to give you that opportunity. Or you just may make it on your own. Some stars are born, you know. You don't need people like me to make you when you're a born star. So I just want to inspire those out there that watching what we doing, seeing what we doing, just look at the positivity of what we doing. You have to practice over the years. I wasn't great in the beginning. I was all right. And then I got cool, and then I got good, then I got better, and then I got great. Those are steps to becoming great, and a lot of people ain't willing to take those steps. It takes 10 years at something continuously to become great at it, and I stuck with it for 10 years straight before I had a record deal, before I had money, before I had lights and camera, before I had, you know, people wanted to sit down and interview me.

So, uh, Snoop, uh, are you ready to play with us now?

I'm ready to get this money.

Yeah, well, now, you know, you know how it plays. You get one, one question, and if you get it correctly, you get $50,000. If you happen not to answer it, you'll get $25,000 anyway.

Oh, so it's a win-win.

It's a win-win.

You got that right. Yeah.

You play trivia much? You fool around?

Yeah, yeah.

You do?

Yeah.

Well, you've got one expert to help you. His name is Ken Jennings. He's the top trivia guy of all time. And you got the other lifelines as well. So if you're all ready, Snoop, we're gonna go for it right now.

I stay ready so I ain't gotta get ready.

Okay, fine. Well, let's play Video Dad with Snoop Dogg. Okay, Snoop, here it is. In the 2009 superhero film Watchmen, which character's costume fittingly includes a mask decorated with ink blots? The Comedian, Doctor Manhattan, Nite Owl, or Rorschach.

Man, I seen that movie too, and I fell asleep on it.

Don't tell me that's new. You fell asleep? You got $50,000 riding on this.

Ah, Watchmen.

Which character character's costume fittingly includes a mask. Anybody wearing a mask that you remember?

I remember him wearing the mask. I remember the little— the things in there. Yeah, but I don't remember his name.

Maybe a Dr. Manhattan, Night Owl, or Rorschach.

Can I ask the audience?

You want to ask the audience positively? Yeah, want to go for it?

Yeah, I want to ask the audience. Come on, Snoop Deens!

In the 2009 superhero film Watchmen, which character's costume fittingly includes a mask decorated with inkblots? Was it the Comedian, Dr. Manhattan, Nite Owl, or Rorschach? On your keypads. Vote now.

I think I know what it is. They gonna help me confirm the answer. I think I know what it is. Okay. I remember the name.

Said, said Rorschach. And before the audience had a chance to answer, or while the voting was going on, you said to me you think you know who it is.

I, I thought it was him because when I was asleep I kept hearing that name.

Must have been a very exciting movie.

Yeah, definitely.

All right, so you think it's Rorschach, the audience thinks it's Rorschach. We got to make it a final answer. What are you going to say, Stoopid?

My final answer would be D, Rorschach. Yes, Stoopid! $50,000!

What up there, man? Snoopy!

Snoopy!

What up there?

I knew it! $50,000, baby! Yeah!

Thank you guys so much for watching. I made this video because John Michael Musasi asked me to. So if there's a famous entrepreneur that you want me to profile next, leave in the comments below and I'll see what I can do. I'd also love to know what did you learn today from Snoop Dogg that really resonated with you? What was the most important lesson that you're gonna take from this? Please leave it in the comments. I'm curious to find out. Finally, I want to give a quick shout out to @BestYouPro. Thank you so much, man, for picking up a copy of my book and tweeting out that awesome picture as well. I really, really, really, really appreciate it. So thank you guys again for watching. I believe in you. I hope you continue to believe in yourself and whatever your one word is. Much love. I'll see you soon.

My key to success would be, uh, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Uh, be respectful, make good music, stay true to who you are, um, be different, be, uh, cunning, um, Be original. And I believe those things right there will give you longevity. They'll give you a long time to do what you're doing because that creates a lane of peace, prosperity, respect, and love. And that will be honored by time, and your legacy will be evaluated in due time. I gotta ask you, did you ever meet and spend any time with Michael Jackson? Yeah, me and Mike got a song together. I don't know if it ever came out. I'm telling you right now, it did not, because I would have already known if it did. When did that happen? It was some sort of project he was doing. And what was crazy was, right, he called me. So to hear his voice on the phone, he was like, "Hi, it's Michael." I'm like, "What's happening, cuz?" He was like, "Well, first of all, my mom says that you're a good man." You look like someone in my family. We could be related. I'm like, serious, cuz? So what you need me to do, Mike? I have this particular track and I want you to sing on it and, you know, just do whatever you want to do. I'm like, all right, cuz, I'm gonna handle that. I'll get back at you, cuz. And that was the conversation with Snoop Dogg and Michael Jackson. That was it? I went to work. You know, I wasn't about all that talking. Come on, Rosenberg. You know, I was infatuated when I hung up. I was like, Nigga, you know who I was just on the phone with, nigga? Nigga, that was Michael Jackson, nigga. Not Jermaine, nigga. Not Joe. No, that was Michael. Did you ever see him in person? Yeah, we— look, it was a dude named Christian Audigier. He had that clothing line. I forgot what it was. Yes, yes. LA Talk. Save that. Save that. Yeah, it was, it was a business. And he was a boss. He, he would spend like $300,000, $400,000 to have you come perform like 3 songs. It'd be me, Michael Jackson, whoever else, whoever else. And Michael Jackson's trailer was right next to mine. And we was blowing like a broke stove. And Mike opened the curtain and looked over and said, "Hi, Snoop." I said, "You want to hear something, Mike?" No, thank you. Did that really happen? Yes, sir. All righty. So what we going to do right now, Vic One, Let's go ahead and bless him with an instrument of his own so we can go ahead and get something live from Snoop Dogg up in here. You remember this one right here, dog? Yeah. You want something new or something old on this, man? I want Gin and Juice. With so much drama in the LBC, it's kind of hard being Snoop D-O-double-G, but I somehow, some way keep coming up with funky, funky, funky, funky. With so much drama in the OPC. It's kind of hard being Snoop Dogg Double G, but I somehow, some way, keep coming up with funky-ass hits like every single day. May I kick a little something for the G's and make a few ends as I breeze through? It's 2 in the morning and the party still jumping 'cause my mama ain't home. I got some chickens in there getting it on and they ain't leaving till 6 in the morning. So what you want to do? I got a pocket full of them, and Big Boy, he got some too. We don't love them, so we going to blow up. G's up, freeze up for a second now. Bounce to this. I ain't put the radio version on for you. Hello, that fine is heavy. It really is. Yes, sir. We just rolling down the street smoking Smokin', smokin', sippin' on gin and joes. Laid back with my mind on my money. Now that I've got me some Seagram's gin, everybody got their cups but they ain't chipped in. Now this type of hit happens all the time. You gotta get yours big, I gotta get mine. See, everything is fine when you're listening to 92.3, not point but the real for me. Snoopy D, Go Double G, I come off the dome, get your head cracking and rapping and all alone. Sit back, relax, let me show you how it's supposed to be. I do it to you every day, 92-3. See, I'm the realest, you feel this. You can't push punch 'cause Snoopie D-O-double-G. I'm the top of the bunch, and Captain Crunch, what I eat for breakfast. And I get my mind right, jumping my Lexus, and I head on a trip just to get my grip. And say what up to big boy, what up, Crip? Hello! All right, man, we gotta go with the Sheez right now, man. Oh, for that one? We gotta go with the Sheez right now.

Come on.

All right, here we go.

Okay, okay, let me visualize this one right here. Go ahead now, dog. Go ahead, boy. This was the one that said, uh, that's the way to win. Let me see this. Turn me up a little bit, Dre. Hopping, stopping, hopping like a rabbit. When I take that Nina Rose, you know I gots to have it. I stay back in the cut retain myself. I'm thinking about the hit and I'm thinking, well, now how can I make my grip and how can I make this sucker straight slip? Said Trip, I gotta get him for his grip as I dip around the corner. And now I'm on another mission, wishing upon a star. It's Snoop Doggy Dogg with the cabbie, y'all, in the back of the limo. No demo, this is the real. I'm breaking y'all down like Evander Holyfield. Chill till the next episode. I make money and I really don't love. Give you the truth, I swoop in the coop. I used to sell loot, I used to shoot hoop, but now I make hits every single day with my homie the Diggy, Dr. Dre. So lay back in the cut, young buster, before you get shot. It's 187 on y'all and the cops. Say what? Boy, big boy, you on point. It's getting hot. Yes indeed it is. Big Boy is on the mic, he about to go for his S-N-double-O into the P. That's me, break it down for you, do it so viciously. I can't spit that rap, I got to get this rap, I got to hit that trap, I got to hit that lick, I got to get that grip, I got to sip that drink, I got to make that move, I got to roll that dank, I got to lay low and show them how the West Coast go. Big Boy Blackpack on the radio, Snoop Dogg can't Though I heard it beatin' quick, I said you better let me get a verse on it. He said cool, he said pause, he said dog, you the best and you break laws and you come through and you come hard when you come raw. Snoop Dogg's the coldest MC ya ever saw! Da da da da da! And this is The Real 92.3 LA Hip Hop R&B. Alright man, the one and only Snoop Dogg! That is what it is!