March 12, 1997

ASSOCIATED PRESS

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) -- Snoop Doggy Dogg has postponed his 38-show concert tour out of respect for the late rapper Notorious B.I.G., slain in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles last Saturday.

When his tour does begin next month, Snoop will be promoting peace and unity, a sharp change of pace for the rap artist known for songs such as "Gin and Juice" and "Murder Was the Case." Security will be a lot tighter, too.

"Tupac (Shakur) has been killed, and six months later, another has been killed, and he doesn't want to be next," Jeff Bowen, booking and marketing director at Winston-Salem's Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, said Tuesday.

The postponed tour was to have kicked off with a March 21 concert here and a March 22 Charlotte concert.

Bowen said Snoop, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, is expected to begin his tour -- The Doggfather East-West Fresh Fest 1997 World Tour -- sometime in April.

"We have mixed emotions, of course, but we respect his opinion and want him to do what he has to do in reconciling himself," Bowen said.

Snoop and B.I.G., whose real name was Christopher Wallace and was better known as Biggie Smalls, were friends and had been together at the Soul Train Music Awards in Los Angeles just before B.I.G., 24, was shot to death.

J. Howell, owner of C&J Concert Promotions, the Gastonia company helping promote Snoop's tour, said the rapper now is "all about love and creating a new environment."

His revamped tour will include a film tribute to B.I.G. and Shakur, a rapper killed in another drive-by shooting six months ago in Las Vegas, said Howell.

"Snoop is the only one left," he said. "He will take it to the forefront and let people, let kids know, that it's not all about (violence). He's coming out with a band and talking about peace and unity, whether you're white, black, green, or yellow."