Everyone Loves You When You're Dead. Neil Strauss
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the label’s imprisoned president Suge Knight. So driving around Southern California with Snoop Dogg riding shotgun was, well, just stupid. Unless you wanted to die.
What label are you gonna find to put out this new record?
SNOOP DOGG: No label will want to put it out. That’s why I’ve got to do it myself. If I get some distribution, I would take it. But this album right here is so on the edge that the average record label wouldn’t want to put it out because of certain shit I say and the way I say it.
Snoop starts rolling another joint in his lap.
You’re talking about that “Death Row Killa” song?
SNOOP DOGG: Mm-hmmm. (Sings:) Death Row, snitches wanna be gangstas / You niggas is bitches / Death Row, snitches wanna be gangstas / You niggas is bitches / Death Row killa / Death Row killa / Fuck all y’all.
He bends down until his head is almost in his knees, and surreptitiously lights the joint.
What do you mean by “snitches”?
SNOOP DOGG: I’m just knowing there are some snitches around Death Row. That’s why there’s niggas in jail. That’s why there’s niggas getting looked at real funny by the FBI. ’Cause niggas is telling on niggas. I don’t give a fuck about niggas snitching on me because I ain’t doing shit wrong. I smoke my chronic, what are you gonna do? Take me to jail for smoking chronic? I’m down to go to jail for that shit.2
What do you think’s gonna happen once that song comes out?
SNOOP DOGG: I’m gonna make a whole lot of money off this album. I don’t need them.
You’re Death Row’s biggest cash cow, so aren’t they fighting or trying in some way to keep you from leaving the label?
SNOOP DOGG: They’re not trying to take me to court and I’m putting out records right now without their permission, so they must know they can’t beat me in court. But it ain’t about that. It’s about all I asked for is what I asked for, so let me move forward. Don’t hold me down because you’re locked up and you feel everything is against you. I’m not against you, homie. I just gotta take care of my family and Death Row can’t provide for me right now.
What did you ask Death Row for?
SNOOP DOGG: A lot of shit. Man, I ain’t never been accounted for. At all. As long as I’ve been rapping for Death Row Records, they never accounted for me. I never received statements on my money or none of that, man. They bought a nigga gifts and shit.
What gifts did they get you?
SNOOP DOGG: A Rolls-Royce, a penthouse suite on Wilshire, a motherfucking Hummer, gold chains, Rolex watches, diamond earrings, hotel suites, anything a nigga wanted. Anything to keep your mind off your money. They bought me this and bought me that instead of giving me my motherfucking money. [. . .]3
Didn’t Death Row freeze your assets because of it?
SNOOP DOGG: Man, they haven’t paid me since October. That’s why I don’t give a fuck about Death Row right now. I don’t give a fuck about going on the record. I’ll say it on TV and in public: “What y’all niggas gonna do to me? I made y’all. Nigga, I don’t wanna wear your jacket no more. Y’all should just let me go. If you had let me go, I would have never said, ‘Fuck Death Row.’ But y’all don’t even wanna let a nigga go. You wanna hold onto me like I’m a slave or some shit. This is 1998. This ain’t 1898.” [. . .]
When Dre left Death Row, did he ask you to go with him?
SNOOP DOGG: No, he didn’t ask me to leave. He didn’t say nothing. He just packed his bags and left. If he had asked me to leave, there would have been some violent shit, ’cause niggas will be niggas. But, I mean, I had fun and shit on Death Row, man. I can’t say I didn’t. I just hate that it ended like it did, man. I can truly say to all the little rappers coming up in the game: Money is a motherfucker and don’t believe the color, know what I’m saying. You might see a black record label and be like, “I’m gonna sign with this label ’cause they ain’t gonna be fucking me and the white labels just be fucking us.” Man, niggas will fuck you over faster than white folks will.
So for all the young rappers coming in, get you some attorneys. Even if you ain’t got no money, you gotta get attorneys so you can read over them contracts and know what you’re signing so you won’t be in the situation I’m in, where I gotta fight these niggas to get my shit back.
Pull over here, I wanna get some diapers.
Snoop leaves the car, and returns three minutes later carrying a bottle of barbecue sauce.
No luck?
SNOOP DOGG (to the tape recorder): I had a diaper run. Had to get some diapers for my baby. The store didn’t have none; them motherfuckers was too small. We’re just smoking on this motherfucking bomb-ass orange weed from my homeboy Chopper.
[Continued . . .]
Kenny G was not merely on time for this interview: He was half an hour early, standing alone on the edge of a seaplane dock on Manhattan’s East River, his hair tied back in a curly ponytail. At his feet lay a crumpled brown paper bag full of navigation maps he had bought for the journey we were about to take. Not just a light-jazz saxophonist but also a light-aircraft pilot, Kenny G ushered me into the cockpit of a seaplane and flew over the Statue of Liberty to Port Washington, Long Island for lunch.
Have you ever tried any drugs?
KENNY G: Oh, I’m not a drug user at all.
So you wouldn’t just try them, even though you told me five minutes ago that you’re the first guy to try anything new?
KENNY G: I’m not interested at all. I would only try something that’s good for myself. No, I’m not. Not interested.
Not even tempted?
KENNY G: No. I mean, I go into one of those restaurants in Seattle and get one of those microbrewery beers on tap. After one of those, I’m happy. That’s about all I can take. That’s good enough for me. I don’t think drugs are necessary. If you want to have an out-of-mind experience, there are a lot of different ways I think you could do it. If you sat by yourself on a mountaintop for two days, I think you’d be there. I know that’s a little harder than taking a little shot of something and then you’re high for a few hours.
So drugs are just lazy enlightenment then?
KENNY G: That’s the perfect way of putting it. For me, if I want to get my spiritual stuff, it’s flying my seaplane to some mountain lake, turning the engine off, and sitting there. That’s awesome. I can’t tell you what that feels like. You’re totally alone and there’s no one around. You’re in a place where maybe a man wasn’t supposed to be. Whew, it’s so great.
Have you learned any important life lessons from other celebrities?
KENNY G: Do you mean about drugs?
[Continued . . .]
Chris