I Lavamacchine

[Crenshaw_blvd]

Snoop Dogg, are you guilty of that recent marijuana possession charge?

"Give me a lighter," the laid-back rapper-turned-actor answers, pulling from his blue sweatsuit a blunt full of what looks like pot, smells like pot, and what seems to have the contact high of some seriously good chronic.

People rustle to get Dogg a light, but it’s a man decked out in a shiny, lime green suit and hat with a goblet in his hand that's the first to help him out. The man is not merely a member of Dogg's entourage, but his mentor, giving him "game" as he puts it. The man's known as the Bishop, and he's been the top pimp for decades.

Dogg takes a puff from the blunt, relishing in the billowing smoke. "You gonna ask me that again?" Dogg says and one imagines a gleam in his eye, though his diamond-studded sunglasses keep one from seeing it.

So Snoop, you must believe in the legalization of marijuana then. "Can birds fly?" he quips.

Dogg, who was born Calvin Broadus 30 years ago, was busted for pot possession on Oct. 17 after his bus for his "Puff, Puff, Pass" concert tour was pulled over for speeding. His lawyer later pleaded innocent on his behalf. "Puff, Puff, Pass," by the way, refers to the proper etiquette in partaking of the chronic with friends.

Snoop is one busy Dogg, despite the decelerating effects commonly associated with pot. In addition to the tour and his prolific rap career, Dogg has two movies brewing, the "Bonnie and Clyde"-like love story "Lady T. and Mojo Slim" and the "street, gang-bang story" "4800."

This year, he appeared in four movies, two small parts in "Baby Boy" and "Training Day." and the two starring roles in the horror flick "Bones" and the comedy "The Wash," the latter of which he's here in Beverly Hills to promote.

In "The Wash," Dogg portrays Dee Loc, a man who likes his music, his chronic and his ho's. He works as a washer at a car wash, and helps his best friend and roommate Sean, played by Dogg's real-life long time collaborator Dr. Dre, get a job there as assistant manager. See they're about to be evicted from their apartment, and need to come up with the rent pronto. Only Sean takes to his new job too well, and Dee Loc begins to resent his authority.

"For me to act that, it was nothing," Dogg explains, his long hair bundled in the hood of his sweatsuit, capped off with a black fedora. "It was one of the characters that I had really fun doing, because it was like Dee Loc is so similar to myself."

ZAP2IT: In regards to the drug bust, do you think you've been persecuted because of your well know reputation as a chronic pot smoker?

DOGG: That's cool to me, because if that's the worse thing that they can find about me, that's cool. Because I went from being known as a more terrible person than that. So I'm not even trippin' on how people perceive me or take for what I do, as long as I take care of my business and handle my business, and be good father to my kids and a good husband to my wife. That's all that matters to me.

ZAP2IT: You're credited as a producer on "The Wash." How involved with the production were you?

DOGG: Actually, DJ Pooh (the film's director) handcrafted this movie for me and Dr. Dre, so we was running through the whole stuff. Going through writing it, getting it sold, and getting it presented to the way it is now, and for (Pooh) to do that it made me feel good because I trusted him as far as what he does, and I knew that once he did it, we had nothing to worry about.

ZAP2IT: You recently broke with your longtime record label Priority. Why was that?

SNOOP: I outgrew them. Any time you got an artist that's bigger than the label, that's bad business. So I had to get with a label that could handle the capacity of Snoop Dogg. And really know and understand what they got, and not be so happy with a double platinum album, but be willing to take that album over the hill, let's go four, five million.

ZAP2IT: What do you expect to get out of your new label, MCA?

SNOOP: I think I get the room to breathe with MCA. And the room to breathe is the room to create, and that's when you're really getting the best Snoop Dogg. When I'm having fun and I'm able to work with who I want to work with.

ZAP2IT: What's next for you musically?

SNOOP: I got another record that I'm going to put out. My first release with MCA. It's called "Big Snoop Dogg Paid the Cost to be the Boss."

ZAP2IT: Snoop, how do you reward yourself?

SNOOP: I collect a lot of old school cars, a lot of old pimp cars. Because when I was a kid growing up in the 70s I used to see a lot of players ride by in Cadillacs and nice cars with the nice looking interior, nice paint. And I always wanted to have it, so I'm trying treat myself right now by going out and getting it.

ZAP2IT: What did you think of the quiet reception to your first starring role, "Bones?"

SNOOP I thought it was good because I come from nothing. You know what I'm sayin'? Any time people want to come out and support me and see my movie, I don't care if its 500 or if its five million. That was a beautiful feeling to see that people even cared enough to even comment and go and see it, because I come from nothing like I said. For me to be on the big screen with Pam Grier and working with real directors… It ain't about what the movie did. It's about me being able to express myself and being able to be seen and heard.

ZAP2IT: What do you think of the proliferation of rappers starring in movies?

SNOOP: I just think that rappers pack more flavor than a regular actor. The rap world is full of characters, full of flavor. And the movie world needs that. It's only right for us to join hands and bring something to the table. They always used to use us for just music. And then they say that they could put us in the big roles with Ice Cube and Will Smith, people like that, breaking the ice and doing it. It's to be done now.

ZAP2IT: You and Dre have a lot of tension in "The Wash." Since your long time friends, was that difficult to play?

DOGG: We cool, but at the same time we go through those real situations that happen in the movie. That what was so fun about it, because people don't know that we actually go through arguments and misunderstandings. So we had a chance to show that.

ZAP2IT: Tell us about your sex scene in the bathroom in "The Wash."

SNOOP: Who had a sex scene in the bathroom?

ZAP2IT: Er, Dee Loc.

SNOOP: Dee Loc got some kootchy in the bathroom? I ain't seen the movie yet, dawg. I told you Dee Loc was similar to Snoop Dogg. He's a fool. So he got some on the job. That's what its about, man. You got to have fun.

ZAP2IT: What you say to convince people to see "The Wash?"

SNOOP: Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

[Crenshaw_blvd]

In the urban comedy "The Wash," Dr. Dre portrays Sean, a man who just lost his job at Foot Locker and whose car has been booted forcing him to use the bus. His roommate is Dee Loc (Snoop Dogg), a man who likes his music, his chronic and his ho's. Dee Loc works as a washer at a car wash, and helps Sean get a job there as assistant manager. See they're about to be evicted from their apartment, and need to come up with the rent pronto. Only Sean takes to his new job too well, and Dee Loc begins to resent his authority.

Dre, decked out in in a dark green brown sweatsuit hunches forward in his seat to talk to Zap2it.com in Beverly Hills about "The Wash," which he also executive produced, his small part in "Training Day" and his music.

ZAP2IT: What's tougher for you: acting or music?

DRE: It's pretty much the same thing I've been doing. It's not difficult at all. I liked acting in this movie ("The Wash"). I don't know if it's something I'm going to be pursuing. You know an acting career or what have you. But if a part comes along and I'm really feelin' in it, and I can do well at it, I'll do it.

ZAP2IT: What was it like working on "The Wash"?

DRE: It was really comfortable for the simple fact that it was me, Snoop and Pooh. We've all known each other forever.

ZAP2IT: How do you feel about your performance?

DRE: I think it was a good role. I think I did well at it. The things that I had to do worked for the character. Next time, you can best believe, I'll be getting the girl or kicking somebody's ass or something.

ZAP2IT: Your character gets dumped on a lot in this movie. Can you relate to that in your own life?

DRE: That's my motivation: the haters. People saying what I can't do… That's one of things that keeps me going and keeps my music as hot as it is, because I cannot let them be right or win.

ZAP2IT: Speaking of music, it's been nearly ten years since your groundbreaking album The Chronic. Do you think you can ever top that record?

DRE: I'm always trying to reinvent myself and do new things. My next album, I really feel strong about. I'm in the blue print stage of it. I have a lot more time to work on this record than I've had before. It's not due for deliverance until September of next year. And I feel I've already got my first single for that record. I already have five tracks for it that I'm really feelin'. I know that this is probably going to be my best record.

ZAP2IT: Have you been feelin' any album from other artists lately?

DRE: There were a number of albums that had three or four songs that I was feelin', and right now the way things are in the music game, if I get three or four songs that I dig on one CD, I'm happy. But there's nothing that I can just listen to all the way through.

ZAP2IT: What about "Training Day"?

DRE: "Training Day" was nervous. That was crazy.

ZAP2IT: What did you learn from Denzel Washington?

DRE: I learned a lot from Denzel. I'm actually really happy that I got to do "Training Day" before "The Wash." He actually sat down and had conversations with me. And I was asking him certain things about acting… He's hot. Just the way he responds to the crew, the way the energy is when he walks on the set. I learned a lot in the nine days I was there.

ZAP2IT: Since you basically direct your own and others' musical careers, do you plan to direct movies as well?

DRE: Definitely. That's what I really want to do. I want to be involved in directing, or just be behind the scenes. We're working on something right now. Hopefully, we'll get to shoot it within the next year or so. It's probably going to be a dramedy more like "Pulp Fiction," "Snatch," those kind of movies.

ZAP2IT: What's the secret of your success?

DRE: Just determination. To be the best at everything I do. I have to be that.

[Crenshaw_blvd]

DR. DRE on the origin of 'The Wash:'
When (DJ) Pooh brought up the idea to me and Snoop, I was into it. He actually flew out to Detroit while we were on the Up in Smoke tour, told his idea to us and what have you. And I told him I was with him.
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DJ POOH on producing with DRE and SNOOP:
It was a good thing. We all sort of attached ourselves to the project in the beginning so when it came down to fights, we were all on the same team. That's a good fight team to have. But it really wasn't much of a fight all the way through, because Lions Gate (the production company) gave me the ball and said 'You're Kobe. Do your thing.' "Friday" I had absolutely no control over. 'Shut up and get back in the trailer.' It was a lot different than "3 Strikes," which I was sort of giving the ball on but it wasn't with a studio up front.
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DJ POOH on directing with DRE:
Dre and I had been friends since we were kids. The hardest part of working with Dre admittedly will be the fact he is a real creative guy. And I know he'll be a director one day soon. The director in him kept coming out, and I kept pushing him back in. But overall we have a lot of respect for each other. At if at the end of the day, it's an argument, we're back at work the next day.
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DJ POOH on the effects of marijuana on the production:
It didn't throw a wrench in the plan at all. It was sort of what I expected. If it had not been there I would have thought something was wrong.
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GEORGE WALLACE on whether he smoked weed with SNOOP DOGG:
You had to partake in the chronic, because if you walked by his room, you had no choice.
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ANGELL CONWAY on what she learned from SNOOP:
Before I met Snoop, I didn't know what (marijuana) smelled like.
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ALEX THOMAS on SNOOP:
I'm amazed when I see him not high. He wakes up and has a breakfast blunt chopped up like chives in a marijuana omelet.
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GEORGE WALLACE on SNOOP's case of the munchies:
He's a cool guy, very nice, supplied us with good food everyday. The company provides food, craft services. But Snoop would bring in the real good soul food from Riverside. He brought in good chicken and greens, macaroni and cheese, cornbread. So that's why I went to the set everyday whether I was working or not.
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DJ POOH on the elaborates more on the effects of marijuana on the production:
For $3 million, I think we got a lot done. Working with Snoop and Dre, they were both professional. The hardest part, really weird for us, was us goofing around when we would first get to work talking about the old days, and everything else. And then say okay, now it's time to get into character. Where is Sean and Dee Loc?
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[Crenshaw_blvd]

SNOOP'S ALL TOKE

November 14, 2001 -- 'I don't know the room number we'll be at, cuz," Snoop Dogg tells a friend in the lobby of L.A.'s tony Le Meridien Hotel.  "It's somewhere on the sixth floor.  Just go up there and you'll smell it."

You would expect a man busted last month in Amherst, Ohio, with 200 grams of marijuana, after pleading innocent, to present a correctively responsible image when inviting The Post up to his hotel suite.

You would expect him not to be puffing on a joint rolled cigar-thick with weed and passing it among his Elvis-like posse of six.

In the case of Snoop Dogg, you'd be wrong.

"How many times did I get arrested on the 'Puff, Puff, Pass' tour - once?" the 29-year-old rapper asks, referring to the recent outing whose very name constituted probable cause to search the caravan.

"Did I get out? Yes.  So it wasn't all that bad." ( Actually, Snoop still faces a maximum sentence of 30 days back in Ohio.  )

"Cops know whenever I get off the bus that I'm smoking.  It don't even matter," says Snoop, who claims he dropped the "Doggy" as a sign of maturity.  "They need to legalize weed, because alcohol and tobacco are in the top five killers in the world, and marijuana ain't in the top 50."