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Snoop Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Doggystyle

"It was a defining moment," Snoop says of his debut.

"I think that legacy is some of the greatest West Coast music ever created," Snoop said to BET.com, reflecting on the the 20th anniversary of the day he then known as Snoop Doggy Dogg dropped an album that would change the course of hip hop.

Doggystyle, released Nov. 23, 1993, shattered the record for a hip hop debut album (selling over 800,000 copies in its first week), introduced a sound called "G-Funk" into the mainstream and, along with Dr. Dre's landmark release, The Chronic, solidified the West Coast as a force to be reckoned with in hip hop.

"It was very necessary and it was a defining moment in music because it brought white America to the hood. We did it, we made white America know that they could come in the hood, enjoy this music and smile and laugh and smoke with us and not be robbed or killed or threatened."

In addition to affecting America's musical landscape, Snoop spoke about the societal significance of an album coming from a city that was not far removed from devastating race riots.

"Remember this is right after the riots that had just happened, so this record was the soundtrack to everybody coming back together, and becoming one, and being back on that page again of having fun and it's OK," Snoop explained.

And while he acknowledges the impact Doggystyle had on fans, Snoop admits that he hasn't kept up with the album in recent years. (Though he did recently release a mix that features all the original tracks sampled for the seminal '94 release.)

"I don't even know who own that muthaf***a right now, you know what I'm saying? That s***'s so old to me," he said. "I don't even really know the dynamics behind it, but I love supporting it," he added. "I'm so honored that I'm at the 20-year anniversary of it, and so many people are inspired by it, and love it."

Now, however, fans can catch up with him as Snoopzilla, the latest incarnation of Snoop, who teamed up with LA funk heavyweight Dam-Funk for the album 7 Days of Funk, scheduled for a Dec. 10 release.

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(Photo: Daniel Tanner/WENN.com)

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