I first met Dre when he came to my studio with his new young protégé Snoop Dogg in 1992. I didn’t yet recognize either of their names but we hit it off and had a great shoot. Two weeks later, I get a call from Death Row Records to fly out to LA to shoot Dr Dre. We started our shoot in the photography studio, then recording studio, and later transitioned to locations outdoors in LA. Suge Knight was my contact person and seemed to control everything. He was the one with the plan. As the night goes on, Suge starts introducing me to other acts he wants me to photograph. Unaware of his reputation, I eventually got cross with him. I said “I’m here to shoot Dre and Snoop” and even called him “cuz”, and it didn’t go over well. He glared at me and the entourage instigated with an “ooooh shit!” And sorta needled me. Thankfully, it all worked out in the end. A few months later, I remember being thrilled to see the photos on a Sunset Strip billboard with my photograph. The next time I saw Suge at an Uptown Records listening party, he shouts my name from across the room, calls me “cuz” and greets me with a pound and a hug.

#TheChronic #DrDre #snoopdogg #sugeknight #deathrowrecords #albumcover #hiphoplegends #classichiphop #hiphophistory #portraitphotography #oldschoolhiphop #hiphopblog