Snoop Dogg’s 25 most essential tracks, ranked

It’s been quite a journey for Snoop Dogg, one that began 30 years ago with the November 23, 1993 release of his debut album Doggystyle. No longer public enemy number one, as he was for a period of time in the 1990s, Snoop is now a beloved part of American life, one of a handful of stars whose face and name is instantly recognizable to people of all ages.

Indeed, Snoop recently put his Teflon status to the test by sparking headlines with a social media post where he claimed he was “giving up smoke,” then revealing a week later that he wasn’t actually giving up weed, he’d just been hired as a spokesman for a line of “smokeless stoves.” Only a celeb with Snoop’s versatile, likable vibe—he’s equally comfortable alongside Dr. Dre, Martha Stewart, or Willie Nelson—could pull off a stunt like that and suffer minimal blowback. But enough of the side hustle stuff. Let’s bring this back to where it all started for Snoop: the music. What follows are the 25 essential songs that explain Snoop’s journey from gangsta rap outsider to a family-friendly legend.

25. “Doggy Dogg World” (1993)

An early example of how Snoop Dogg cannily placed himself within a lineage that stretched back years, “Doggy Dogg World” emphasizes his connection to the smooth soul of the 1970s. The presence of The Dramatics, one of the greatest R&B harmony groups of the ’70s—they cut the classics “Whatcha See is What You Get” and the smoldering “In the Rain”—makes this heritage plain, as does the accompanying video with its Blaxploitation lore. But what makes the track work is how Snoop doesn’t replicate this vibe, he builds upon it.