[exciting music]
- On this episode of "My Life on MTV"...
♪ ♪
Rap music may be pushing middle age,
but it's influence has never been more impactful.
What started as a New York City subculture
over 40 years ago
has snowballed into an unstoppable global force:
hip-hop.
- "Yo! MTV Raps."
- "Yo! MTV Raps" invited us into the culture.
So many personalities,
so much history.
- ♪ I'm the definition of ♪
- In the 1990s,
two future icons were on the come up.
- Bad Boys for life, baby.
- Sean "Diddy" Combs...
- ♪ What's my name? ♪
- And Calvin "Snoop D-O-double-G" Broadus.
- Yeah, I love my MTV.
- They recast the American dream in their image.
- We're gonna change the world, people!
- They own empires,
they're activists,
and they continue to innovate and pay it forward.
- Try to do more right than wrong.
♪ ♪
- We're busting open the archives,
sharing everything they did for our cameras only.
This is "My Life on MTV."
- Yeah, yeah.
- Kids, get your parents' permission.
- Ladies and gentlemen...
♪ ♪
Rock and roll.
- The champ is here.
- ♪ The D, the I, the D, the D, the Y ♪
♪ The D, the I, the D ♪
♪ It's Diddy - Hold up!
- Puff Daddy.
Artist...
- ♪ It's time to make your house your own ♪
♪ Pick up the phone, come on - ♪ I'm coming home ♪
- Producer... - Make me eat my words.
Show me something different.
- Performer... - ♪ Rip all the spots ♪
♪ Rock all the rocks ♪
- Mogul...
and trendsetting megastar.
- P. Diddy, I love you!
- Diddy is hanging out here.
- He made MTV his second home,
with 39 appearances on "TRL" alone.
- I love you guys. - Love you, man.
- And we've been there from the very beginning.
- We gonna have some fun.
[tape rewinding]
- Sup, y'all? I'm Puff Daddy.
- Yo, what's up everybody?
This is "Yo! MTV Raps."
We've got Puff Daddy in the house.
Puffy, tell me, for the Uptown artists,
you do a lot of things.
- Basically I'm the vice president of A&R
and artist development.
- After nearly six years at Uptown Records,
Puffy was ready to go out on his own.
- "Yo! MTV Raps," we up in this piece.
This is it, Bad Boy Entertainment.
- Bad Boy Entertainment, no doubt.
- One of Puffy's first moves out of the gate
was signing newcomer Christopher Wallace
AKA the Notorious B.I.G.
The two immediately got to work on Biggie's debut,
"Ready to Die."
- ♪ I love it when you call me Big Poppa ♪
♪ You got a gun up in your waist ♪
♪ Please don't shoot up the place ♪
- ♪ Why? - ♪ 'Cause I see some ladies ♪
♪ Tonight that should be havin' my baby ♪
- ♪ Uh - ♪ Baby ♪
- The album earned Notorious B.I.G. status
as a central figure in the East Coast scene.
Bad Boy Entertainment was officially on the map
and on top of the world.
Then things suddenly came crashing down.
- The rapper Chris Wallace,
better known as Notorious B.I.G.
or Biggie Smalls
was gunned down in his car early Sunday morning.
- At 1:15 a.m.,
Christopher Wallace was pronounced dead
of gunshot wounds.
- We talked to Puffy Combs two weeks after Biggie's death
and just one day before the release
of the rapper's last album.
- When I opened up the door and he was...
[sighs deeply]
And I was trying to talk to him.
It's just so hard, trying to make sense out of,
you know, why he's not here.
- ♪ Who us? Yeah, Poppa and Puff ♪
♪ Close like Starsky and Hutch ♪
- Biggie was always trying to get Puffy to rap,
and it was time to honor that wish.
- ♪ Don't push us ♪
♪ 'Cause we're close to the edge ♪
- Combs has now taken the recording plunge himself
and scored a number one single with his debut effort,
"Can't Nobody Hold Me Down."
- His touching tribute to Biggie gained heavy rotation,
becoming a worldwide hit.
- ♪ Every breath you take ♪
- Then this happened.
- ♪ Every move you make ♪
- ♪ I miss you - ♪ Every single day ♪
♪ Every time I pray ♪
♪ I'll be missing you - ♪ I'll be missing you ♪
[soulfully] ♪ I'll be missing you ♪
- This deeply moving performance at the VMAs
became an unforgettable moment in MTV history
and included Faith Evans, 112,
and, of course, the one and only Sting.
- ♪ What a bond to break, I'll be missing you ♪
- ♪ It's kinda hard with you not around ♪
♪ Know you in heaven, smiling down ♪
♪ Watching us while we pray for you ♪
♪ Every day, we pray for you ♪
- And if the performance wasn't memorable enough...
- And the winner is
Puff Daddy featuring Faith Evans and 112.
- He won his very first VMA that night.
- I wish we never had to make this record.
B.I.G., we'll never forget you.
♪ ♪
- Puffy kept things moving with smash after smash.
"No Way Out" brought us the hits
"Been Around the World"...
- ♪ Been around the world and I-I-I ♪
- And "It's All About the Benjamins."
- ♪ Wanna be ballers, shot callers ♪
- Puffy brought the party to "MTV Live"
to celebrate his debut success with the fans.
- Puffy is in the house.
We're walking on furniture because
with this sort of magnitude show,
you can pretty much get away with anything.
- Yeah.
- It's giving our fans what they want to see,
what they deserve.
- Rain or shine, when Puffy visited MTV...
- Make some noise!
- His fans lost their damn minds.
[cheers and applause]
- That's crazy. [mimics screaming]
- Then "TRL" took over New York City,
and before long, Diddy was hosting.
- Welcome to "PD Request Live."
I'm your host, Puff Daddy.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- So it was no surprise
when he took the Viewer's Choice Award
at the 1998 VMAs.
- I want to thank my mother, my children,
my Bad Boy family, all the mix-show DJs.
Peace.
- After crossing over to the artist life,
Puffy tapped into his producing skills
to build an all-star roster of talent,
all while churning out hits of his own.
- The album comes out August 24th, "Forever."
It's called "Forever" 'cause I won't stop.
- ♪ That’s that hit \h\h\hright there ♪
♪ Whom shall I fear ♪
♪ Throw your hands in the air ♪
- Puffy gave us exclusive access
to the set of his video
for his first single off \h\h\h\h\h\h\h"Forever,"
"P.E. 2000."
- This is it, fellas.
This is the real deal.
For me, it’s about the music.
You know, I’m in love \h\h\hwith what I do.
I wouldn’t trade this in \h\h\h\h\hfor the world.
- But he did trade in \h\h\hsomething else.
- Sup, y’all, this is P. Diddy.
That’s my new name, too, Kurt. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYou ain’t know.
\h\h- The name change took a little getting used to.
- Puffy
or P. Poppa.
Poppa Diddy Pop. \h\h\hI’m sorry,
\h\hI don’t know what you’re calling yourself these days.
- P. Diddy, not to be mistaken \h\h\h\h\h\h\hwith Puff Daddy.
- Then later that year \hat the VMA pre-show,
\hhe crashed live TV as only Diddy could.
[horn blares]
Loud and proud.
- ♪ Definition of ♪
♪ Half man, half drugs, \h\h\h\hask the clubs ♪
- P. Diddy, I love you!
\h\h\h- ♪ After bucks, crush cruise after us ♪
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h♪ No gaze, we ain’t laughing much ♪
\hThis just turned into the Bad Boy MTV Awards.
\h\h- Uh-huh, uh-huh. - Welcome, MTV 2001.
- Onstage.
\h\h\h\h\h\h- ♪ ’Cause it’s bad boy for life ♪
♪ ♪
- And the king of remixes
dropped hit after instant hit.
\h- ♪ I don’t know if they really love me ♪
♪ Or they using me ♪
♪ I got it all, but I really \h\h\h\hneed a wife at home ♪
♪ Girl, you made me \h\hbelieve again ♪
\h\h- Diddy brought the whole "I Need a Girl" crew and Usher
to the VMA stage in 2002...
- ♪ Let’s dance ♪
\h\h- ♪ Someone who truly understands ♪
\h♪ How to treat a man ♪ - ♪ Oh, yeah, oh, yeah ♪
- ♪ This is what I need ♪
- And flew across the pond
to host the EMAs that same year.
- Tonight we’re gonna turn \h\h\h\h\h\hthis award show
into the greatest party \h\h\h\h\h\hof all time.
[crowd cheering] \h\h\hYeah, baby!
\h\h\h\h- Then Diddy and MTV collaborated on a new show,
"Making the Band."
- This right here is a big moment.
\h- Diddy continued his search for talent hungry for success,
and in seasons two and three,
two acts answered the call.
- It’s been a crazy ride \h\h\h\h\h\h\hwith y’all.
- Day26 and Danity Kane.
Both served up hit songs.
- ♪ My heart is damaged ♪
♪ Damaged, damaged ♪
- Now back to our regularly \h\hscheduled programming.
- Diddy was killing the game
as an artist, producer, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hand host.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBut it was time for a more physical challenge.
\h\h\h- It’s always been a lifelong dream of mine
\h\h\h\h\hto, you know, run the New York City Marathon.
- The main point...
- I want to raise $1 million...
- The charities.
\h\h- For inner-city children’s charities.
- There we go. - You’re, like,
\h\hreally inspiring me to work out right now.
\h\h\h- ♪ Yo, the sun don’t shine forever ♪
- We were right on track,
\h\h\h\hgiving fans a behind-the-scenes look
at Diddy’s training.
- ♪ Business before \h\h\h\h\hpleasure ♪
\h\h♪ P. Diddy and the fam, who you know do it better? ♪
No, no!
Do--do I still look sexy?
- Diddy did the damn thing
in a brisk 4:14:54.
♪ ♪
And after vowing to raise \h\h\h\ha million dollars
for inner city youth,
he took over "TRL"
\h\h\h\h\h\hto deliver an important message.
- We’re gonna vote \hon November 2nd.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWe’re gonna change the world, people!
♪ ♪
\hI’ve done a whole lot over the last few years
but make music.
\h\h\h\hIt’s been a long time, and I shouldn’t have left you.
\h♪ Yeah, you know my name ♪ - ♪ I’m here, when will you ♪
\h\h\h\h- ♪ You know my mother[...] name ♪
\h\h- Diddy had another banger beat to step to,
and he performed it
at the 2006 EMAs
in Copenhagen.
\h- ♪ You know what it is, I’m back in the building ♪
\h\h\h♪ Security strapped, still stacking a million ♪
♪ Stunt with a stallion, \h\h\hsomething Italian ♪
\h♪ Or maybe Puerto Rican, you can catch me in Paris ♪
[record scratching]
♪ ♪
- At the end of the day,
Diddy can always \hcall MTV home.
- Mr. P. Diddy!
- And it’s a place
he always shows love \h\h\hfor his fans.
- I’ve been blessed to have \h\hsome of the best fans.
\h\hI mean, fans made me, you know what I’m saying?
- ♪ I’m coming home, \hI’m coming home ♪
- So when the fan favorite "TRL" was revived in 2018,
he was right there.
- The king is back.
\h- Diddy is an MTV icon and a "Total Request Live" legend
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hwho changed the pop culture landscape.
- I just want to say thank you \h\h\h\h\hto everybody at MTV
\h\h\h\h\hfor helping to launch my career.
♪ Ain’t no stopping us now ♪
\h♪ I love that song ♪ - ♪ I love that song ♪
- ♪ Whenever it comes on ♪
♪ It makes me feel strong ♪
I love being an artist.
\h\h\h\hI love being a recording artist.
I love being an entertainer.
That’s the best ride to be on.
- ♪ I’m coming home, \hI’m coming home ♪
- I just want to say thank you \h\h\h\h\hto everybody at MTV.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hThe support-- this is a family that’s here.
- ♪ Tell the world that I’m coming ♪
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h♪ Home ♪ - ♪ I’m coming home ♪
- Rock and roll.
- Ladies and gentlemen...
♪ ♪
Rock and roll.
- Yo, Snoop, you ready to drop these vocals, man?
- Fo' shizzle, my nizzle.
♪ ♪
- Gangster rapper turned ambassador of love
and advocate of the green.
- ♪ Some of that real sticky-icky-icky ♪
♪ Ooh-wee! ♪
- He's one of the coolest
and most loved artists on the planet.
- The party never stops.
♪ With so much drama in the LBC ♪
♪ It's kind of hard being Snoop D-O-double-G ♪
- He's already proven there's nothing he can't do.
- ♪ Creep with me as I crawl through the hood ♪
♪ Maniac, lunatic, call him Snoop Eastwood ♪
- And like Diddy, he will forever be considered
part of the MTV family.
- ♪ Lay low, nobody move until I say so ♪
♪ Limo tint, rolling deep like the president ♪
♪ Just throw your hands way up in the air ♪
- Let's go back to where it started
almost 30 years ago.
- My DNA is hip-hop.
MTV and Snoop D-O-double-G, ooh-wee.
- It started all the way back in 1992.
After his demo tape made its way to Dre,
he asked Snoop to write and perform
on a track he was producing for the film "Deep Cover."
- ♪ And now they wanna make a deal with me ♪
♪ Scoop me up and put me on they team ♪
♪ And chill with me ♪
♪ And make my pockets fat ♪
- Snoop had proven his talent with the pen and the mic,
and from there, they collaborated
on Dre's masterpiece
"The Chronic."
♪ ♪
Snoop had officially entered the scene
and hit the studio with Dre
to start work on his debut album.
- "Yo! MTV Raps."
- It's Snoop Doggy Dogg. What's up, Snoop?
- Yo, what's up, fam?
- So how's it feel to be rolling with Dre?
- I mean, it feels good, 'cause it's like
I put my lyrics together behind his direction
and it pops up with platinum hits like we've been doing.
- Joining us right now
is one of rap's most innovative producers and performers
and his soon-to-be extremely huge friend and protégé,
Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg.
- Dog pound in the house.
♪ ♪
- But right before the album dropped...
- The Los Angeles police
announced that 21-year-old Calvin Broadus,
better known as rap star Snoop Doggy Dogg,
had turned himself in to police on Friday
in what police believe was a gang-related shooting.
- [screaming]
- Snoop made bail and released "Doggystyle"
just one month after his preliminary hearing.
- Snoop Doggy Dogg is due back in court in Los Angeles.
Snoop will begin the week with his first solo album
entering at number one on the Billboard chart,
a first for a debut album.
- The fastest-selling record in history at that time.
You changed the game.
- ♪ When you listening to the D-O-G ♪
♪ I got the cultivating music that be captivating he ♪
- ♪ Rollin' down the street, smokin', smokin' ♪
♪ Sippin' on gin and juice - ♪ Laid back ♪
- ♪ With my mind on my money and my money on my mind ♪
♪ ♪
- Despite coming out of the gate with a hit album,
Snoop's legal troubles had him in a media frenzy.
- They had persecuted me in the media
and talked so bad about me to where it was like
I was gonna always be labelled this anyway.
- So Snoop let his music do the talking
and released "Murder Was the Case"
to help tell his side of the story.
- ♪ As I look up at the sky ♪
♪ My mind starts tripping, a tear drops my eye ♪
- And then,
despite facing murder-one charges,
he boldly took it to another level
with his haunting funeral scene,
which, to this day, is considered
one of the most memorable performances of all time.
- ♪ It's gonna take a miracle they say ♪
♪ For me to walk again and talk again but anyway ♪
♪ I get fronted some keys to get back on my feet ♪
♪ And everything that brotha said came to reality ♪
choir: ♪ Murder - ♪ And you don't stop, yeah ♪
♪ Murder was the case that they gave me ♪
I'm innocent. I'm innocent.
[crowd cheering]
- And that's not the only statement he made that night.
- Yo, the winner is my man,
Snoop Doggy Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound!
- Snoop did the LBC proud, taking home his first VMA.
- ...Doggy Dogg to you. LB-see you.
- An even more important win was soon to follow.
- Snoop, given name Calvin Broadus,
was found not guilty of first-degree murder.
- I want to thank Dogg Pound,
everybody around the world that just prayed for us
and kept our head up and kept us strong.
- Man, what was going through your mind in that moment?
- I was just basically thanking God
for giving me a second chance to do what's right,
to try to do more right than wrong.
- Snoop was determined to clean up his image,
but that didn’t keep him \hout of the courtroom.
He teamed up with Tupac for "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted,"
\hand we were on set for the music video.
- We side by side... \h\h\h\h\h\h\h- Yup.
- Hitting them up.
We are the next generation.
- Controversial rapper and \h\h\h\hactor Tupac Shakur
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hhas died in a Las Vegas hospital
\h\h\h\h\hof complications from several bullet wounds
sustained Saturday night, \h\h\h\h\h\hSeptember 7th.
He was 25 years old.
- After Tupac got killed,
I was really lost at the time.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSo I had to step out of that situation
into a new situation
\hjust to get away from all of this negativity
\h\h\h’cause I’m from Eastside, Long Beach
where we rippin’, we ridin’.
I was gonna eventually \h\hget to gang-banging
and doing something negative.
- This just in.
Snoop Doggy Dogg got married \h\h\h\h\h\hover the weekend
to his longtime girlfriend \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hShante.
- Tupac’s death had \h\h\h\hSnoop shook.
\h\h\h\hMr. Gin and Juice was about to become a family man.
- This is Little Spank.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHe’s my son, and he grew up a little bit.
- A whole new Snoop \h\hemerged on "TRL"
for the first time in 1998.
- Please give a warm welcome \h\h\h\h\h\h\hto Snoop Dogg,
who has entered the building.
- Sup, my G?
My record bubblin’ at MTV?
\h\hOh, I know I’m finna get some video spins now.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h♪ Lay low, nobody move until I say so ♪
♪ Limo tint, rolling deep \h\hlike the president ♪
\h\h\h- From then on, "TRL" and Snoop were like family.
Whether in Times Square,
or on "Spring Break,"
"TRL" was a place Snoop could kick up his feet.
And he always made it home \h\h\h\hfor the holidays.
- Ho, ho, hos.
\hT’was the night before Christmas
when all through the house,
not a creature was stirring,
not even a ghetto-ass mouse.
Fo’ shizzle, my nizzle.
\h\h- No matter where Snoop turned up on TV,
\hhe always came correct with his unique brand of Snoopisms.
- Yeah, dizzle.
I’m ’bout to bounce \h\hto the spizzle
and get a 40-izzle
then I’ll be at my \h\hbaby-mizzle’s.
You feel what I’m sizzle? \h\h\h\h\h\h\h- Fo’ sho.
- They even brought fans \h\h\h\hto his doorstep
in one of the most memorable \h\h\h"Cribs" episodes ever.
\h\h- I want to welcome y’all to my house, the Dogg house.
This where it all \hgoes down, now.
The musical madness \h\h\h\hthat we do.
That neighbor over there used to get on my nerves.
\h\hHe used to always call the police on me
\h\h\h\h\h\hand say I made loud noise and party hardy.
\h\h\h\hI’m a young man, you know what I’m saying?
I was born to party, you dig?
\h\h- How are those horrible neighbors?
\h\h\h\h- They cool now, since we aired the show.
You know, they fans of MTV,
\h\h\h\hso they got some act right now.
- All right, good.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h- Snoop was a natural-born prankster.
\h- Here’s the latest update on the "MTV News" Exclusive.
LL Cool J has just set a new record for licking his lips.
That’s the news for now.
\h\h- Snoop brought the good-time vibes
back to the studio...
- ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
\h\h\h\h- Collaborating with Pharrell Williams.
- We gotta talk about it. The album drops tomorrow.
- I just put my heart and soul \h\h\h\h\h\h\hinto the project
and hope that you’ll enjoy.
Knowing Snoop Dogg from 1992,
you would never think that
I would have a song called \h\h\h\h\h\h\h"Beautiful."
Only Pharrell could tap into \h\h\h\h\h\hthat side of me.
♪ I know you gon’ lose it, \h\h\h\h\hthis new Snoop ♪
\h\h\h♪ Come on, baby boo, you gots to get into it ♪
- Snoop and Pharrell loved working together so much,
\h\hthey teamed up for another track.
[tongue-popping hip-hop beat]
- ♪ When the pimp’s \hin the crib, ma ♪
♪ Drop it like it’s hot ♪
♪ Drop it like it’s hot, \hdrop it like it’s hot ♪
- "Drop It Like It’s Hot"
became Snoop’s first single \h\h\h\h\hto hit number one.
- ♪ Drop it like it’s hot, \h\hdrop it like it’s hot ♪
- ♪ And if a sucker \hget an attitude ♪
- ♪ Drop it like it’s hot, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hyeah ♪
♪ Drop it like it’s hot ♪
\h- Decked out in fur and diamonds,
Snoop took to the EMA stage \h\h\h\h\h\hto perform it...
- Copenhagen!
\h\h\h- ♪ I got the Rollie on my arm ♪
♪ And I’m pourin’ Chandon ♪
♪ And I roll the best weed ♪
♪ ’Cause I got it \hgoin’ on, on ♪
♪ ♪
- And was invited \hto host the show
the following year.
- Right now,
I’ma get my drink on \h\h\h\hMunich style.
- No matter what he’s doing \h\h\h\h\hor who he’s with,
Snoop always spreads love.
- He don’t drive a Cadillac. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h- What?
- He don’t got a perm.
- I’m a P-I-M-P.
Plus, I got the magic stick. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h[angelic chorus]
\h\h\h\h- But he always goes back to the music.
- ♪ So what, we go out? ♪
- From tracks with Justin Timberlake
to Wiz Khalifa,
\hSnoop has tapped into a whole new generation,
solidifying his status \h\has a timeless OG.
- ♪ Uh, and I don’t even care ♪
♪ Long as me and my team \h\h\h\h\h\h\hin there ♪
\h\h♪ There’s gonna be some [...] in the air ♪
♪ Tell ’em, Mac ♪
- ♪ Everywhere we goin’ \hand now you knowin’ ♪
\h♪ When I step right up, get my lighter so I can ♪
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYou may get old, but your sound can’t get old.
When I play with them youngsters,
\h\h\hI look them in the eye and I treat them with respect
\h\h\h\h\hand I never try to play bigger than them.
I pass them the ball... \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h- Mm!
- And let them shoot.
That’s what we do. We make good music.
\h\h\h- But one of Snoop’s sweetest collaborations...
- ♪ Greetings, loved ones ♪
♪ Let’s take a journey ♪
- Became his third number one single.
- ♪ I know a place ♪
\h♪ Where the grass is really greener ♪
- This is a number one \h\h\h\h\h\hhit single.
Believe me when I tell you.
♪ Wild, wild West Coast ♪
♪ These are the girls \h\hI love the most ♪
- Thank you. Love you. \h\h\h- Peace with you.
- ♪ You know I’m all up on ya ♪
♪ ’cause you representin’ \h\h\h\h\h\hCalifornia ♪
- ♪ California ♪
- Snoop and Katy performed \hat the 2010 Movie Awards
and won an EMA for Best Video.
- Snoop Dogg, give it up!
♪ ♪
- Over the past decade,
\hSnoop has continued to bust out of the box
and push the envelope.
♪ ♪
We were there to witness \h\hSnoop’s evolution...
♪ ♪
From gangster rapper...
- I’m putting it down \h\h\hfor Long Beach.
- To wisecracker...
- Y’all got some gin \h\hto go with this?
- And everything in between,
Snoop has won the hearts \h\hof fans everywhere.
chorus: ♪ Snoop Doggy Dogg ♪
- I’m at a point in my career now
where I’m comfortable \h\h\hwith what I do.
♪ Give it to me, come on ♪ \h\h- ♪ Snoop Doggy Dogg ♪
- And the Dogg Father \his showing no signs
of slowing down.
- I feel like I won’t be able
to know how far I’ve come
\h\h\h\huntil I’m done, because I’m so busy running right now.
- ♪ His name, \hSnoop Dogg ♪
♪