Rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg: The Dogg Is Unleashed

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Snoop: My mama and my grandmama -- these are religious people I'm talking about -- they respect me for my music. I'm not out there gang banging, shooting motherf------ up. I'm trying to do something positive with my life.

TIME: Were your parents strict?

Snoop: They never was married. ((Mama)) did it by herself. She was real strict. Nine p.m., if you weren't in the house, the doors were locked, and when you came home in the morning, you'd get your ass beat. If we had that type of system going on with these kids nowadays, there wouldn't be as much violence.

TIME: Do you think society is out to destroy young, rich black men?

Snoop: If they did Michael Jackson, why wouldn't they do me? I mean, as much as he's done for kids -- Heal the World, We Are the World -- and they're trying to cross him up with some molestation s--- . I'm big, but he's way bigger than me. But if they're going to try and cross him up, why wouldn't they try to cross me?

TIME: What do you think of the protests against gangsta rap that are being led by the Rev. Calvin Butts III of Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church?

Snoop: They're scared of me. We're all black people, and they should come talk to me and not just go talking about us. When they go around running over our CDs in demonstrations, that makes me say the f--- with Rev. Butts and motherf --- you all. Wherever I go, kids surround me. The people are with me.

TIME: Anything you'd like to add?

Snoop: If I don't win any Grammys, something ain't right.