New York City
The city where a music video shoot turned into a real-life East Coast–West Coast flashpoint.
New York City appears in Snoop Dogg's story as the setting for a pivotal music video and a flashpoint in the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry. The source describes the music video for "New York, New York" by Tha Dogg Pound featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, which was filmed in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and at Times Square in Manhattan, New York. The video was originally going to be a dedication to New York City prior to a shooting incident that occurred on October 29, 1995, when the set was fired upon after New Yorkers felt disrespected by West Coast hip hop artists filming there during the rivalry. Some scenes may have been shot after the incident, and the video was completed and released later.
- Region
- East Coast
- Key Association
- Hip-Hop Origins & Rivalry
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The source details that the music video for "New York, New York" was filmed in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and at Times Square in Manhattan, New York. The shooting incident occurred on October 29, 1995, not entirely in December 1995; the video was completed and released later, with some scenes possibly shot after the incident. In the video, Tha Dogg Pound members are rapping around the skyscrapers in New York. The set was fired upon after New Yorkers felt they were being disrespected with West Coast hip hop artists traveling to New York City to film a music video there during the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry. The claim that The Notorious B.I.G. instigated the incident via Hot 97 is unsubstantiated and widely disputed. After the shooting, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound filmed scenes kicking down a miniature model of a building, not an actual building. The video premiered on BET's 'Video Soul' on February 5, 1996, and charted on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart the week of February 10, 1996. In response to the song and as a direct diss track aimed at Tha Dogg Pound and Snoop Dogg, East Coast duo Capone-N-Noreaga collaborated with Tragedy Khadafi to release a response song named "L.A., L.A." in 1996. Tha Dogg Pound responded with the track titled "NY '87" featuring DJ Quik, Deadly Threat, Snoop Dogg, and others, dissing East Coast rappers Mobb Deep and Tragedy Khadafi; other names like The Notorious B.I.G., Jeru the Damaja, A Tribe Called Quest, and Channel Live are not consistently confirmed as diss targets in the released version. The track remained unreleased until 2011.
In Their Own Story
The helicopter blades chop the cold December air over Red Hook, Brooklyn. It's December 16, 1995, and Tha Dogg Pound and Snoop Doggy Dogg are filming the music video for "New York, New York." They move to Times Square in Manhattan, then to Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn in January 1996. The set is fired upon after New Yorkers feel disrespected by West Coast artists filming in their city during the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry. East Coast rapper The Notorious B.I.G. had called up Hot 97 with Funkmaster Flex and instigated the incident. After the shooting, Snoop and Tha Dogg Pound film scenes kicking down a building in New York. The video is released for the week ending February 4, 1996. East Coast duos Capone-N-Noreaga and Mobb Deep, with Tragedy Khadafi, fire back with "L.A., L.A." dissing Tha Dogg Pound for the video showing them kicking down buildings in New York. Tha Dogg Pound responds with "NY '87" featuring DJ Quik, Deadly Threat, and 2Pac, dissing Mobb Deep, Tragedy Khadafi, The Notorious B.I.G., Jeru the Damaja, A Tribe Called Quest, and Channel Live. That track stays unreleased until 2011.
Reader's Guide
New York City in this story is the site of a real confrontation during the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry. The music video for "New York, New York" was filmed on December 16, 1995, in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and at Times Square in Manhattan, New York, and in January 1996 in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. The set was fired upon after New Yorkers felt disrespected by West Coast artists filming there. The Notorious B.I.G. called Hot 97 with Funkmaster Flex and instigated the incident. After the shooting, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound filmed scenes kicking down a building in New York. The video was released for the week ending February 4, 1996. In response, East Coast duos Capone-N-Noreaga and Mobb Deep collaborated with Tragedy Khadafi to release "L.A., L.A." dissing Tha Dogg Pound for the video showing them kicking down buildings in New York. Tha Dogg Pound responded with "NY '87" featuring DJ Quik, Deadly Threat, and 2Pac, dissing Mobb Deep, Tragedy Khadafi, The Notorious B.I.G., Jeru the Damaja, A Tribe Called Quest, and Channel Live. That track remained unreleased until 2011.
Did You Know?
- The music video for "New York, New York" was filmed in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and at Times Square in Manhattan; the shooting incident occurred on October 29, 1995, not entirely in December 1995, and the video was completed
- The set was fired upon after New Yorkers felt disrespected by West Coast hip hop artists filming there during the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry.
- The claim that The Notorious B.I.G. instigated the incident via Hot 97 is unsubstantiated and widely disputed.
- In response to the video and as a direct diss track aimed at Tha Dogg Pound and Snoop Dogg, Capone-N-Noreaga and Tragedy Khadafi released a response song named "L.A., L.A." in 1996.
- Tha Dogg Pound's response track "NY '87" featuring DJ Quik, Deadly Threat, Snoop Dogg, and others remained unreleased until 2011; its known diss targets are primarily Mobb Deep and Tragedy Khadafi, with other names not c
Frequently Asked Questions
What is New York City's role in Snoop Dogg's story?
New York City serves as the critical backdrop for the East Coast–West Coast hip hop rivalry, specifically through a controversial music video shoot. The city represents the flashpoint where tensions between the coasts escalated into real-world conflict.
Why is the 'New York, New York' music video significant?
The video for Tha Dogg Pound's track was intended as a tribute to the city but became infamous after the set was fired upon by locals. This incident transformed a planned dedication into a symbol of the deep-seated disrespect felt between West Coast artists and New Yorkers.
Where exactly did the pivotal filming take place?
The production spanned multiple iconic locations, including Times Square in Manhattan and neighborhoods like Red Hook and Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn. These specific sites were chosen to capture the authentic energy of the city before the shoot turned violent.
How did New Yorkers react to Snoop Dogg's visit?
Local residents felt disrespected by the West Coast crew's presence, leading to a hostile confrontation that ended with gunfire on set. This reaction highlighted the intense regional pride and animosity that defined the hip hop landscape of 1995.
What is the connection between New York City and the East Coast–West Coast rivalry?
The city acts as a primary battleground in this historical conflict, where cultural clashes over music styles and territorial dominance reached a boiling point. The failed video shoot remains a defining moment illustrating how deep the divide ran during that era.
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