Snoop Dogg can still draw a crowd. All-star up-and-comer showcases have packed tiny venues and pushed lines onto Austin’s streets, but the 43-year-old rapper’s South by Southwest keynote filled an oversized ballroom at the Austin Convention Center to capacity – even at 10:30 in the morning. Hypnotic Brass Band “opened,” then manager Ted Chung engaged Snoop in an informal back-and-forth about his L.A. beginnings, favorite collaborations and recent ventures. Willie Nelson featured prominently. Snoop also revealed that he and Menace II Society director Allen Hughes are working on a new show for HBO. The series will be set in 1980s Los Angeles and show Reaganomics’ effect on the area.
