According to Deadline, the biopic will feature music from his extensive catalog and will be the first film from his production company Death Row Pictures. Joe Robert Cole, who co-wrote the two Black Panther films, is set to develop the movie’s script, while The Defiant Ones director Allen Hughes will direct it. Snoop Dogg will serve as co-producer alongside Hughes and Sara Ramaker, who manages Death Row Pictures with him. In a statement about the upcoming film, the 51-year-old rapper had this to say: Universal has experience with developing musical biopics that focus on specific artists in the rap industry to huge success. In 2002, the studio released 8 Mile, a semi-autobiographical film of Eminem’s life and his rise to stardom in the rap industry which, at the time, was full of African-American artists. 8 Mile was an instant success as it grossed over $250 million and won Eminem his only Oscar Award with Lose Yourself. In 2015, Universal released another biopic, Straight Outta Compton. The film focused on the West Coast hip-hop scene and N.W.A., one of the greatest and most controversial groups in rap history. It grossed more than $200 million and was nominated for Oscar’s best original screenplay. To improve on this success, the chairwoman of Universal Pictures Donna Langley connected with several artists to enable her studio to easily gain permission to tell their stories and use their songs in films. Shortly after Snoop Dogg acquired Death Row Records in February, he met with Langley. Following their meeting, she stated, “Snoop Dogg’s life and legacy make him one of the most exciting and influential icons in popular culture. We met with Snoop shortly after he acquired Death Row Records and had the opportunity to hear his story in his own words. We are humbled to be able to create the lasting document of this singular artist.” Born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., Snoop Dogg is an American rapper who rose to fame in 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre’s debut solo single and solo album, Deep Cover and The Chronic. Since then, the 6-foot-4 rapper has sold over 35 million albums worldwide. He has also earned 17 Grammy Awards nominations and won a Primetime Emmy Award and an American Music Award. Despite being one of the most recognizable rappers around, Snoop Dogg also has several acting credits in movies and television shows like Turbo, Day Shift, The Addams Family, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, Trouble, The Simpsons, Henry Danger, Utopia Falls, Sanjay and Craig, and Empire. He has also been portrayed by Anwan Glover, LaKeith Stanfield, and Jarrett Ellis in biographical movies Notorious, Straight Outta Compton, and All Eyez on Me, respectively. Hughes rose to fame with his twin brother Allen in 1993 when they released their first feature film Menace II Society which was a commercial success. His other credits include the HBO docuseries The Defiant Ones, which tells the story of Dre and music executive, Jimmy Iovine. While expressing his admiration for the silky rapper, Hughes lauded Snoop Dogg, stating he is one of the most beloved figures in rap globally. The director also stated that Snoop Dogg has a genuine and inspiring story and that the opportunity to direct the biopic gives him a chance to say more than he could with his Menace II Society film. At the moment, Universal Pictures hasn’t release any info about the project’s story, cast, or release date. As for Snoop Dogg, the rapper is the new owner of Death Row Records. He purchased the iconic label back in February. Also, his latest album which is helmed by Dre will wrap up recording this November.
