Snoop Dogg

If you need an argument against the idea that smoking marijuana will rob you of your ambition, you only need look as far as Snoop Dogg. The continually blunted West Coast rap superstar is less a business-savvy artist than a gigantic marketing steamroller, appearing in movies and reality shows, designing clothes, and lending his likeness to everything from candy (hemp-flavored, naturally) to video games. It may seem odd that someone initially synonymous with gang life has morphed into one of rap's biggest crossover successes—now even Midwestern housewives know his name—but it's partially due to Snoop's laid-back (read: baked) charisma, a quality that turned silky flows full of thuggish opulence into hugely popular singles. Is this tour an excuse to get away from the minivan and kids? Maybe, but even if it is part of a pimp's midlife crisis, Snoop is easily enough of a crowd-engaging showman to turn Epic into a smoky sea of swaying hands. The Minneapolis show is a stop on the Wonderland High Tour with Method Man, Redman, and Devin the Dude. 18+. (Photo by dodge challenger1)
Thu., Nov. 5, 8 p.m., 2009