By Emilie St. John
Contributing Writer
LOS ANGELES — Snoop Dogg continues to expand his Death Row Records imprint across the West Coast and shows no signs of slowing down.
Having gotten his start in Long Beach and becoming one of the world’s most recognizable rap artists, Snoop Dogg (born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.) has sold nearly 40 million records over his nearly four decade career and starred in a wide range of television and movie releases and has now found his niche in the booming cannabis industry.
After taking control of Death Row Records in 2022, he launched Death Row Records Cannabis the following year, vowing to “restore the label to its former glory championing artists, hip-hop and cannabis culture.”
In 2024, Snoop opened S.W.E.D., a cannabis dispensary outside of Inglewood and launched the second in Long Beach earlier this month.
“The store reflects his commitment to creating economic opportunity locally, including jobs and community investment, while building a legacy brand rooted in cannabis culture,” a press release said.
Next stop, Las Vegas.
“Nevada has always been a special place for me,” said Snoop Dogg, Owner of Death Row Records Cannabis. “I’ve been coming to Vegas for years — performing, connecting with fans, being part of the energy out there. Bringing Death Row Cannabis into this market feels like a natural step. And dropping these new products at the same time just makes it that much bigger.”
Tiffany Chin, CEO of Death Row Records Cannabis, spoke to The Wave about coming together, building the brand and what’s next.
TW: How involved was Snoop in laying out the blueprint of locations to launch his brand?
TC: Snoop is deeply involved in every aspect of what we’re building at Death Row Records. While the brand only launched in 2023, we’ve already expanded into five states, including Nevada, and that growth has been very intentional. We’ve taken the time to refine our operations, understand each market and build the right partnerships. Now that we’ve established that foundation, you’ll start to see a more accelerated expansion strategy, including entry into key East Coast markets later this year.
TW: Nevada is already a major tourist destination — and now with the NFL, MLB, and potentially the NBA, it’s becoming even more of a sports hub. How much did that influence the decision to launch there?
TC: Las Vegas sits at the intersection of entertainment, nightlife and culture. It’s an incredibly dynamic market that tens of millions of people visit every year, which makes it one of the few places where you can put a brand in front of a national and international audience at the same time. And Snoop’s fanbase is global. He’s beloved well beyond the U.S.
Nevada is also a great testing ground. The consumer behavior is diverse, high-energy and trend-driven. But for Snoop, this wasn’t purely a business decision, he genuinely loves Las Vegas. He had the first hip-hop residency in Las Vegas at Tao from 2014 to 2015 and lived there for a stretch. And on top of that, it’s just a short trip from LA. This is a city he knows, loves, and keeps coming back to. That kind of authentic connection is hard to manufacture.
TW: What was the process like in bringing this brand to fruition?
TC: From the very beginning, Snoop approached the acquisition of Death Row Records with a long-term vision that extended beyond music. He saw an opportunity to build a global cannabis brand that carries the same cultural weight and authenticity as the label itself. For him, music and cannabis have always been deeply intertwined. They’re both core to his identity and creative expression.
We’ve been very deliberate in how we’ve brought the brand to market. This latest launch represents our most significant portfolio expansion to date. More exciting, this wasn’t a white-label or license deal. We were involved in the creation of all the products in Nevada. We spent weeks testing both medicated and non-medicated gummies to get our edible bite and flavors correct. He has a deep respect for both the legacy of Death Row and for the plant, and that shows up in every decision we make.
TW: Building the right team is crucial to delivering that vision. How did Snoop bring together the people behind the brand?
TC: Snoop has always been very intentional about surrounding himself with people who bring both expertise and authenticity. I first met him while I was working at the management company that managed him (among others), and he immediately recognized that I brought a unique combination of business acumen (having studied at Wharton) and having hands-on cannabis growing knowledge. He actually began recruiting me for this role even before the Death Row acquisition was finalized.
From there, the team came together organically. AK, one of the most respected growers in the industry, was a natural choice. He’s behind some of the most sought-after strains on the market, including RS11, Studio 54, and Shirazi. Travis “Shaggy” Marshall, our head of product, has decades of experience spanning both music and cannabis. He also happens to be Snoop’s sound engineer, so there’s a deep-rooted history and trust there.
What unites all of us is a shared commitment to quality, culture, and community. We’re not just building a cannabis brand, we’re extending a legacy that we all know and love.
TW: Lastly, where is the brand headed? Any hints on what’s next for Death Row Cannabis or Snoop more broadly?
TC: There’s a lot in motion right now. On the cannabis side, we’re continuing to expand both our product portfolio and retail footprint, including the growth of S.W.E.D. dispensaries domestically and internationally. At the same time, Snoop’s broader portfolio continues to evolve across beverages, ice cream, and other lifestyle ventures, always with an eye toward culture and experience.
Beyond business, he’s also playing a major role in shaping cultural moments. He was named the official Los Angeles Community Chairman for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and you’ll see him heavily involved in the games being held here in the city. And on the music side, he’ll be headlining the grand opening of the new 11,000-seat Long Beach Amphitheater this June.
So whether it’s cannabis, culture, or community, everything we’re building is interconnected. And we’re just getting started.
Emilie St. John is a freelance journalist covering the areas of Carson, Compton, Inglewood and Willowbrook. Send tips to her at emiliesaintjohn@gmail.com.
