I think the reason it's been hard is because he's been snakebit by timing and bad luck. His second album came out the same day as Biggie's Life After Death so he was doomed from the jump given where all the attention was going. "Nobody Does It Better" was for Nate's album, his 3rd album was overshadowed by Dre's comeback album, and for some unknown and insane reason, Snoop opted not to have Warren G produce anything for the only 213 album (that album might have been the biggest missed opportunity in hip-hop history but that's a different topic for a different day) except for remixes to "Groupie Luv".
It actually appeared on the Supercop Soundtrack first in July 1996 ("Made nikkaz" by 2pac was actually officially released first on this soundtrack as well, about a year and a half before Death Row put it on the Gang Related Soundtrack). Was the lead single and actually had a video made that had Jackie Chan in it. Pretty sure the third verse is about Suge Knight.
He also had this classic that was on The Nutty Professor soundtrack that's heavily slept on