Trap Star Daily News: Snoop Dogg On Reviving Priority Records, "It's Going To Be Based On This West Coast Movement"

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Snoop Dogg On Reviving Priority Records, "It's Going To Be Based On This West Coast Movement"

News: Snoop Dogg On Reviving Priority Records, "It's Going To Be Based On This West Coast Movement"
Tuesday, Jan 12, 2010 5:45PM

Written by Biz Jones

Rap veteran Snoop Dogg recently spoke on his role as Priority Records creative chairman and said the company would represent the new West Coat movement.

According to Snoop, Priority will give him the opportunity to put on artists from the West.

"It's time to open the building back up -- and I felt if I could just get the position that I needed to just get up in there and bring that old music back to life, that I could spark the feeling and create new artists as well," Snoop said in an interview. "So that's what this situation is all about. It's about me going in there, opening up that catalog and bringing that old music back as well as finding some new talent in the West Coast...Priority is going to be based on this West Coast movement because that's what it was centered around. EMI and Capitol [Music Group] is always going to be international. It's all running together so we'll be able to do the West Coast movement -- and just create a great musical vibe..." (Priority Records)
Last month, Snoop spoke on Priority's track record in hip-hop.

"I actually approached Priority about the situation," Snoop said about his recording contract. "Even before I had a record deal, it was my dream to be on Priority. It was my dream to bring Priority back to life after I saw that it went kind of cold. I was heartbroken [when Ice Cube left N.W.A], because I loved the group as it was. But once Cube found himself solo with the Bomb Squad, DJ Pooh and Sir Jinx, it made me love him even more, that he'd gone out there to do for himself. Those first Priority records...took a toll on me. I felt like the label...put them in a position where the whole world knew who they were. They say Frank Sinatra had an office up in there. Ol' Blue Eyes had his day. Now it's time for Ol' Blue Rag to get his on." (XXL Mag)
Snoop was named the new Creative Chairman of EMI Music's Priority Records last summer.

As Creative Chairman of Priority, the label that established West Coast Rap as an influential musical force, Snoop will re-launch the legacy of Priority and will drive efforts to maximize untapped digital and branding opportunities at the label. He will also serve as Executive Producer for a new series of Priority releases slated to begin hitting the market next year to commemorate the label's 25th anniversary. Priority's genre-defining catalog includes classic recordings by Snoop, as well as from N.W.A, Eazy-E, Master P, Ice Cube, Westside Connection, EPMD and others. (Press Release)
Snoop confirmed his role on Priority Records via a written statement earlier this fall.

"Starting fresh with EMI is a great feeling," he wrote. "It's a new partnership, a new Priority Records, and a new Snoop Dogg: the Creative Chairman...the Boss Dogg...the Dogg Father. The business model we've developed will bring the musical heritage of groups like N.W.A. to the forefront. And you definitely got to get ready for my new album Malice N Wonderland in December to kick it all off -- this is going to be the most potent dose of Snoop Dogg yet!" (FMQB News)