Rap and pop cultural icons Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s powerhouse brands fuel the new Still G.I.N. Lounge By Dre and Snoop on Nashville’s Lower Broadway.
Snoop Dogg performs ‘Gin and Juice’ country version in Nashville
Snoop Dogg surprised the crowd at Loser’s in Midtown by joining the band on stage for a country-tinged performance of his 1993 hit, “Gin and Juice.”
- Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg opened a speakeasy-style bar in Nashville, Tennessee called Still G.I.N. Lounge.
- The venue aims to provide a luxurious atmosphere for hip-hop fans visiting Nashville.
- The bar is the latest venture in the rappers’ business portfolios, which also includes a line of gin-based cocktails.
Nashville’s Still G.I.N. Lounge By Dre and Snoop opens Friday on Lower Broadway’s 2nd Ave N.
For those looking for Snoop Dogg as a gang-related 21-year-old or Dr. Dre on the cusp of 30 following a run in N.W.A., they’re not here. Reporters toured the new hot spot ahead of its opening and found a bespoke venue filled with dark wood tones and plush lounges serving “West Coast swagger meets Southern soul,” as described by representatives of Nashville Live! Still G.I.N. Lounge is in the basement of the entertainment complex.
This speakeasy-style bar is a piece de resistance honoring the totality of the duo’s hip-hop and pop cultural legacies.
Before diving into the space’s particulars, it’s essential to highlight the power of hip-hop culture’s unprecedented dive into Lower Broadway nightlife in Music City.
Dre and Snoop on Lower Broadway? Here’s why.
Over the past three decades, there have been very few artists who, with albums sold, hits crafted and impact upon popular culture, can mirror the perpetual grip country music holds over American popular culture.
Ever since Los Angeles area-borne rappers Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg teamed up for the top-five rap hit “Deep Cover” in 1992, the pair have blended ’70s funk’s ominous inspirations and seductive vibes, West Coast hip-hop’s national expansion and marijuana culture’s six decades of global relevancy — cementing a foundational piece of the music industry’s global boom into a potent mix.
Between 1992 and 1996, while creatively paired at Death Row Records, the duo combined for 12 top-10 hits spread over 15 million albums sold worldwide. Among those were the No. 1 hits “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang,” “Keep Their Heads Ringin'” and Dre’s productions, including 2Pac’s “California Love” and Blackstreet’s “No Diggity.”
By the late 1990s and early 2000s, Snoop’s resurgence on Dr. Dre’s “2001” album singles “The Next Episode” and “Still D.R.E.” paired alongside Dre’s Aftermath Records-affiliated emcees 50 Cent and Eminem’s almost immediate superstardom to extend the pair’s legacy.
Dre and Snoop’s family tree of artistry extends to 50 Cent and Eminem, as well as their Super Bowl 56 halftime show co-headliners Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar. These are just some of the major artists they’ve influenced. That equals nearly 50 Grammy wins and 150 Grammy nominations over the past three decades,
Dr. Dre took home the inaugural Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2023 Grammys. The award was established to “recognize achievements in music, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and global cultural impact.”
Still G.I.N. Lounge By Dre and Snoop, inside, what to know
The act of entering the 60-person capacity, elevated luxury venue highlights what you’re getting into at Still G.I.N.
Walk down three flights of mood-lit stairs to the right of the entrance of Nashville Live! at 128 2nd Ave. S. into a hallway lit by a sign flickering with the phrase, “Still vibrant. Modern. Smooth.” Then walk past artifacts of the current and distant past related to the G-funk-aided stylings of the venue’s namesake duo.
“By the time you hit the hallway before you walk into the bar and lounge area, we want the music — whether it’s the Still G.I.N. by Dre and Snoop-curated playlist or the live DJ we’ll have during the evenings most weekends, to feel like it’s welcoming you into the space,” said Live! Hospitality Vice President Jim Watry.
The mixed cocktail list is 15 drinks long, many of which include the venue’s flagship spirit, Still G.I.N. By Dre and Snoop. It is part of a much larger leather-bound book of offerings, not unlike any craft-style cocktail bar of the many now servicing not just Lower Broadway but areas throughout Music City.
There’s no dress code per se, but this venue features dark mood lighting, art of tuxedo-clad Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg adorning the walls and leather banquettes with marble tabletops everywhere.
Although Instagram-ready photo hubs are in the space, it’s far more attuned to an elevated offering for hip-hop aficionados more aligned with suit-wearing Dr. Dre from the icon’s “Been There, Done That” video. However, stylings aligned with the performer wearing a Chicago White Sox ball cap and Carhartt jacket when he worked with Death Row Records are welcomed, too.
In short, if you are looking for a spot to add a touch of classic hip-hop flair to an evening otherwise spent around Americana, country, EDM, modern rap, or pop, Still G.I.N. Lounge By Dre and Snoop is ideal. Given that a Nielsen report highlighted that hip-hop surpassed rock as the most popular genre in the United States eight years ago, it’s possible that, for some, Still G.I.N. is arriving far too late. However, given recent Spotify data about country music’s mainstream crossover in popularity, it has arrived on time for Nashville, where Music City has been primarily renowned for its gospel and country exploits.
Snoop and Dre’s other business ventures
In a manner comparable to Garth Brooks — another 90s era-borne modern pop-crossover mega-star with his name emblazoned on a Lower Broadway establishment — Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg have turned their multiple generations of hits into conglomerate-level global business ventures in numerous industries, liquor included.
Since appearing in commercials for the McKenzie River Corporation’s St. Ides malt liquor three decades ago, Snoop Dogg has been as familiarly associated in the business realm with wine and spirits as he has been a film actor, television pitchman or even a chef when paired with longtime friend Martha Stewart.
In 2020, Snoop launched his Indoggo gin line in partnership with Trusted Spirits and Prestige Beverage Group, plus a line of wines with the Australian wine brand 19 Crimes.
Dr. Dre’s multiple business ventures include the two-decade-long evolution of his Beats Electronics partnership with his partner, Jimmy Iovine, which developed into a multi-billion-dollar pairing with Apple Music in 2014.
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Insofar as liquor, in Feb. 2024, Snoop and Dre launched a Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits-distributed line of gin-based cocktails named after Snoop’s “Doggystyle” album favorite. The libation was promoted by Nashville country and rock favorite HARDY covering Snoop Dogg’s Dr. Dre-produced hit “Gin and Juice.”
In a news release. Snoop Dogg said their beverage line is a testament to their 30 years of friendship and what they can make together.
“Together, we always try to create magic, we’re having fun being creative, and everything about this product is really us,” Dr. Dre said in a press release. “There’s passion behind it — friendship, love, and a culture. We’re shooting to make everything we do magnificent, and fortunately, most of the time we hit the target.”
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