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UNIVERSAL CITY, California — A week after pledging West Coast unity at a press conference for his tour with the Game, Snoop Dogg took his mission a step further Wednesday (April 13) by
Rappers from Game and Xzibit to the D.O.C. and Young MC met behind closed doors in a hotel conference room to discuss a unified future for West Coast hip-hop.
"I felt we should come together as one, organize, unify and start making records with each other and be about a cause," Snoop said afterward. "It's time for us to start standing up for something. It's called Protect the West. We're all moving together, we ended all our beefs."
Snoop, wearing a Protect the West T-shirt, said he ended his longtime feud with Suge Knight, as well as beefs with Jayo Felony and Kurupt, who has now rejoined Tha Dogg Pound.
"Anybody who thought they had a problem with me or had a problem with me in the past, I called them up and told them I don't want any problems," Snoop said. "I ain't got time to beef. I'm 30-something years old with three kids at the pad and they're trying to see their daddy."
Knight wasn't in attendance and was not available for comment, but Snoop insisted the Death Row Records founder was supportive of the Protect the West cause. "It's not an individual move, it's not about me and him personally, but we need to end all personal beefs because business doesn't move with beef," he said.
Kurupt was in attendance, as was Nate Dogg, Warren G, Daz Dillinger, Suga Free, Eazy-E Jr. and comedian Steve Harvey, who worked with Snoop on putting together the event.
"A lot of people had tensions from old crews, street activities, in general just hatin'," Daz said. "Everyone who had beef was in one room, and everyone who left today, beef should be squashed."
"It was a very positive vibe up in that room, I was pleasantly surprised," Young MC said. "What I was doing was a different genre and a different era than a lot of cats up there, but I still have love for everybody."
Snoop called Wednesday's gathering a business meeting more than a summit.
"It was me relaying to them that the banging in the business ain't making us no money," he said. "If we come together and move as one unit, money will be there and the opportunity to shine will be there. ... What it's all about is saying, 'I'm from the West Coast, you're from the West Coast, let me get your number, we could probably do some music together.' "
"Some of us don't even know each other," added Suga Free. "Some of us don't even mingle with each other, but we're in the same business. Why is that? ... The West Coast, we need some unity. We need some education out here with the artists that are touring and flying around the world like Snoop and Game are."
Snoop, who said he was motivated to host the summit because he feels West Coast hip-hop doesn't get the attention it deserves, encouraged his peers to follow in the footsteps of rappers in the South.
"Why are they so successful?" he asked. "Well, they all work together and have great harmony. This is the West Coast, we built on gangsta, gangsta, gangsta, but sometimes we gotta know when to have peace. It ain't always cool to be gangsta to your homeboys. And if you from the West Coast, no matter if you're Blood, Crip, Spanish, we all homeboys."
Snoop and Game, who come from rival Los Angeles-area gangs, said last week their How the West Was One Tour, which kicks off Friday in Utah, should serve as an example of how West Coast rappers can come together to benefit each other (see "Snoop, Game Pledge Unity, Promise 'No Funny Business' On Tour").
— Corey Moss
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