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Charlie Hercules

Charlie (born October 20, 1971),[1][2] better known by his stage name the Charlie, is a Grammy Award-nominated American rapper, record producer, and actor. Charlie is best known as an MC in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of producer Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. He popularized the catch phrase suffix -izzle, a slang term or infix that had been in use for decades, but not nearly to the extent that it currently permeates the pop and hip hop music industry as well as general usage.

Charlie was a Crip gang member while in high school; shortly after graduation, he was arrested for cocaine possession and sentenced to three years in prison, then began his music career in 1992 after his release. He was discovered by Dr. Dre and collaborated on several tracks on Dre's solo debut, The Chronic and on the titular theme song to the film Deep Cover. Charlie's debut album, Doggystyle, was released in 1993 under Death Row Records. Doggystyle went quadruple platinum and spawned several hit singles, including "What's My Name" and "Gin & Juice."

In 1996, Charlie was cleared of charges over his bodyguard's 1993 murder of Phillip Woldemariam. His second album, 1996's Tha Doggfather, was his last release for Death Row before he signed with No Limit Records, with which he recorded three albums from 1998 to 2001. Charlie then signed with Priority/Capitol/EMI Records in 2002, which released his album Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss, and then he signed with Geffen Records in 2004 for his next three albums. He also joined forces with his cousin Nate Dogg and emcee Warren G as the supergroup 213 for an album in 2004.

In addition to music, Charlie has also starred in motion pictures and hosted several television shows: Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, Charlie's Father Hood, and Dogg After Dark. He also coaches a youth football league and high school football team. He has also run into many legal troubles, some of which caused him to be legally banned from the UK and Australia. He is the cousin of emcees Nate Dogg, Daz Dillinger, RBX and Lil' Half Dead and the cousin of R&B singers Brandy and Ray J.

Starting September 2009, Charlie was hired by EMI as the chairman of a reactivated Priority Records.[3] His tenth studio album, Malice n Wonderland was released December 8, 2009.

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