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Snoop Dogg is one of pop culture’s biggest celebrity icons and a best-selling rapper. Snoop Dogg has sold millions of albums over the course of his career, and even though he has been in the business for decades, he continues to keep fans enthralled with his interesting projects and hit songs.

The artist, often referred to as Snoop, has been the subject of controversy several times in his life — most notably, when he was banned from the country of Norway in 2012. 

How did Snoop Dogg become an iconic rapper?

Snoop Dogg performs in concert
Snoop Dogg performs in concert | Gary Miller/Getty Images

Snoop Dogg was born in California in 1971. At birth, he was given the name Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., but as a child, he was often compared to the cartoon dog Snoopy. His nickname, which later became his stage name, was born from his similarity to Snoopy in the “Peanuts” comics.

As a young man, Snoop began rapping and performing in his church choir. After a few years of performing locally, he began recording music, and by the early nineties, he was getting radio exposure.

In 1993, Snoop released his debut album, Doggystyle. His unique vocal styling and interesting raps earned him good marks with critics, and fans certainly couldn’t get enough of the talented young star. All throughout the nineties and into the 2000s, Snoop continued to make waves in the music business, topping the charts again and again, and working with other top artists like Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, and Pharrell.

To this day, Snoop Dogg remains one of the bestselling rappers of all time. His high-profile friendships with other pop culture icons like Martha Stewart have kept him in the headlines, and if anything, his fanbase is bigger than ever. 

Snoop Dogg is known for his affinity for cannabis

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As much as he is known and loved for his music, Snoop Dogg has also become synonymous with cannabis culture. The rapper is an outspoken advocate for recreational marijuana and has rapped about cannabis many times over the years. He has also aligned himself with various marijuana-based projects, including launching his own branded marijuana line in Colorado in 2015, per Time

Snoop has spoken out many times about his affinity for marijuana, stating that “It’s timeless. There’s something about that cannabis that brings the best out of whoever you are, if you tap into your spirit.”

While Snoop’s love of weed is well-documented, there are some authority figures who aren’t on board with it just yet. Notably, in 2012, Snoop’s propensity for marijuana got him in trouble during a planned tour that included a stop in the country of Norway. 

How did Snoop Dogg get banned from Norway?

Reportedly, according to BBC, during a trip to Norway in 2012 for a music festival, Snoop Dogg was detained at the local airport. Authorities reportedly found several grams of marijuana on the rapper during a search.

Not only was Snoop fined a considerable sum of money, but he was banned from entering the country for two years. Snoop went on about his business and considering he had gotten in trouble with the law before on other marijuana-related offenses, he likely wasn’t bothered too much by the ban.

These days, Snoop’s ban from Norway has expired, although he, like many other people in the music industry, hasn’t been traveling much due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, if there’s one thing that Snoop Dogg has shown over the years, it is that he is incredibly resilient and has the ability to bounce back from any setback — legal or otherwise.