February 10, 2009

By By Mariel Concepcion, N.Y.

Rapper/actor Snoop Dogg, who recently split with Interscope Records, has signed a multi-rights deal with MTV to distribute, market and promote his next album, "Malice in Wonderland," due later this year.

MTV did not provide any details on how it plans to get "Malice in Wonderland" into retail stores. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"Malice In Wonderland" will feature tracks by Pharrell and famed composer Lalo Schifrin, as well as longtime collaborator Dr. Dre, among others. "We're in the process of trying to help him [Dr. Dre] with the 'Detox' record and working on mine at the same time," Snoop Dogg told Billboard.biz on the Grammy red carpet Sunday.

Snoop's music will also be made available through the videogame "Rock Band" on a date to be announced, and, as previously reported, he will begin hosting a new variety show, "Dogg After Dark," Feb. 17 on MTV.

The rapper's most recent studio album, 2008's "Ego Trippin," has sold 382,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen Soundscan. The lead single from that project, "Sensual Seduction" (aka "Sexual Eruption") has sold 869,000 digital downloads.

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