The musician and star of an unlikely television pairing with lifestyle guru Martha Stewart - "Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner" - was awarded the honour on the 25th anniversary of his debut album "Doggystyle."

"I want to thank me for believing in me, I want to thank me for doing all this hard work, I want to thank me for having no days off, I want to thank me for never quitting, I want to thank me for always being a giver, and trying to give more than I receive, I want to thank me for doing more right than wrong, I want to thank me for being me at all times," the "Drop It Like It's Hot" singer said at the ceremony.

Snoop, 47, took his early success as a rapper into work as a film and television actor in shows like "Starsky & Hutch" and "Training Day," and as a television producer.

He has also ventured into reggae and gospel music, survived several brushes with the law over drugs and guns possession, and last month published his first cookbook, "From Crook to Cook."

"Snoop is just pure, raw talent. Nobody sounds like Snoop," record producer Dr. Dre, who produced the "Doggystyle" album in 1993, said at the ceremony.

"His style and charisma made me feel like he was destined to be a superstar."

Snoop has won multiple music awards, but never a Grammy.

"Twenty Grammy nominations but not one won. They need to catch up," Snoop told reporters.

Australian Associated Press