August 8th 2024.
Have you ever stopped and wondered how Snoop Dogg became everyone's goofy uncle? It's quite a remarkable transformation that he has undergone in the entertainment industry. Nowadays, it seems like he's everywhere – on our social media feeds, on our TV screens during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, and even making headlines for carrying the Olympic torch through the city before the games began. It's safe to say that he has become an unlikely sporting hero this year.
But let's take a step back and look at how it all began. Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., or Snoop Dogg as he is famously known, first burst onto the music scene as a central figure in the gangster rap scene of the early 1990s. Alongside other icons like Dr. Dre, Tupac, and N.W.A, Snoop's music reflected and influenced the urban experience in America, particularly among Black Americans. It was a revolutionary and empowering form of expression for a culture that had long been marginalized. However, it also came with negative associations of violence, drug culture, gangs, and misogyny.
As a result, many people, especially white people, viewed the genre and its artists with suspicion. They believed that the increasing popularity of gangster rap among young white fans was corrupting their youth. But now, those same people who once frowned upon Snoop Dogg's music are giggling at his antics on TV. From dressing up in equestrian gear with Martha Stewart at the Olympics to rapping spoof bars in commercials for GrubHub and Skechers, Snoop has become a lovable and harmless figure in the mainstream.
It's hard to believe that this is the same Snoop Dogg who was once at the center of one of the most controversial music movements in history. So how did this transformation happen? Did Snoop sell out, or is there more to the story? To understand that, we need to go back to Snoop's upbringing. He had a troubled childhood and joined a gang at the young age of twelve. But his big break came in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre and featured on his debut solo album, The Chronic.
Snoop's debut album, Doggystyle, released in 1993 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It was filled with hits like "Who Am I?" and "Gin & Juice." While Snoop's music wasn't as explicitly violent or anti-police as some of his peers, he still wrote authentic lyrics that reflected his inner-city upbringing. However, his success was accompanied by controversy, including a high-profile murder trial in 1993, in which he was acquitted. This only added to his notoriety and cemented his image as a countercultural figure.
At the same time, gangster rap was facing backlash from politicians, parent groups, and religious organizations who saw it as a negative influence on youth. Inge Osterhoff, a gangster rap scholar, even called it "the most extensive music censorship campaign in American history." But just as the moral panic surrounding gangster rap was heating up, Snoop began to change his image. He traded in the sharp edges of gangster rap for a more palatable and fantasy version of the "gangsta" lifestyle – one that involved smoking weed, stacking cash, and sipping cold drinks.
This rebranding made Snoop a cross-cultural star. As Slate put it, "A huge number of his records were purchased by young white fans in suburban enclaves who had zero connective tissue with Snoop's life experience, hinting at the sanitized figure he would soon become." And it worked. Snoop's collaborations with brands like Skechers have been surprisingly successful, combining his cool factor with their not-so-cool image. He has managed to stay relevant by selling a version of himself that appeals to everyone while still retaining some of that nostalgic gangster rap flavor.
So, did Snoop sell out, or is this just who he has always been? It's a difficult question to answer. On one hand, he has managed to adapt and reinvent himself throughout his career, always staying relevant. On the other hand, some argue that this has come at the cost of being taken seriously as a rapper, especially when compared to pioneers of gangster rap like Dr. Dre, Ice-T, and N.W.A. But regardless of how you view Snoop's evolution, one thing is for sure – he has always been able to be whoever people find most appealing, whether it's the gangsta rapper, the reggae artist, the cooking show co-host, the brand ambassador, or the Olympics commentator.
In the end, Snoop Dogg hasn't sold out; this is who he has always been. And while some may view him as a caricature of his former self, he continues to be a regular face in the entertainment industry, as seen by his prominent role at this year's Olympics in Paris. So, whether you love him or hate him, one thing is certain – Snoop Dogg is here to stay.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
