Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Big Daddy Kane have all offered up unique items for auction — with each of these pieces of Hip Hop history benefiting a good cause.
According to a press release shared with HipHopDX, the memorabilia donated by these rap legends will be included in ASCAP’s third annual Holiday Auction, set to kick off on Thursday (November 30).
Proceeds from the auction will benefit The ASCAP Foundation, which is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting music creators. In the past year alone, more The ASCAP Foundation’s programs assisted more than 300,000 people, including 60,000 students from 700 schools.
Dre and Snoop have gifted a pair of signed, custom Air Force Ones designed by Frankie Zombie; while Kane contributed a signed vinyl of his 1988 debut single, “Ain’t No Half-Steppin.”
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, renowned Country star Alan Jackson, and Pop music darling Olivia Rodrigo are also participating in the auction, which runs until December 14.
Those interested in owning these musical collectibles can put their bids at through this landing page, via CharityBuzz.
Back in June, Dr. Dre was honored by ASCAP for his contributions to music at the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards, where he received the first-ever ASCAP Hip Hop Icon Award.
“Dr. Dre’s groundbreaking early work laid a foundation for Hip-Hop as we know it today,” said ASCAP chairman of the board and president Paul Williams in a statement. “As a champion for some of today’s biggest artists and a successful entrepreneur, he changed the culture around Hip-Hop. Dre continues to be a pivotal figure in the music industry and we are thrilled to recognize him with the inaugural ASCAP Hip-Hop Icon Award as we mark 50 years of Hip-Hop.”
Snoop Dogg was on hand to present his longtime collaborator with his latest accolade, which was given in recognition of his unmatched impact to Hip Hop’s art and culture.
“There is nobody like Dr. Dre,” said Snoop. “It’s almost unfair how many times he’s revolutionized music. If Dre had only been a member of N.W.A, we’d still remember him forever. If he had only given us The Chronic, he’d still be a Hip Hop legend.
“He’s earned eight Grammys, sold millions of records, and founded some of the most successful music businesses, but Dr. Dre has never stopped working,” he continued. “[He] never stopped pushing the music forward. And I can honestly say that Dr. Dre has changed my life in so many ways.”
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Snoop also touched briefly on the dynamic duo’s bond, adding: “There’s a reason why I keep coming back to Dr. Dre. We make magic together. We’ve been doing this shit for over three decades, and we still at it. Trust me, the best is yet to come.”
The Aftermath Entertainment founder echoed Snoop’s sentiments during his acceptance speech, asking: “Can you imagine how difficult it is to maintain a friendship in this business for 30 years? It’s crazy. But that’s my bro!”
The West Coast pioneer went on to say it was an honor to be recognized as a Hip Hop icon — “someone worthy of respect” — before doing the math where he realized he’s been in the game for “40 of its [Hip Hop] 50 years.”
