Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr, has revealed the real reason he was given his famous nickname – and it’s a pretty savage reason
Decades into the game, hip-hop enthusiasts are just now uncovering how Snoop Dogg — a bona fide music legend who’s stood at the forefront of the scene since his emergence — landed his iconic moniker.
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. may not ring bells like his alter ego does, but Martha Stewart’s famed sidekick owes it all to an endearing family tale. With over 37 million albums sold around the globe, the rapper’s illustrious career boasts a record that no artist probably wants: 17 Grammy nods without a single win.
Yet, this hasn’t dimmed the luster of his stardom that was first ignited by Dr. Dre with the track ‘Deep Cover’ in 1992 and fanned into flames with his 1993 debut album “Doggystyle” under Death Row Records. The album skyrocketed to number one and propelled hits such as ‘Who Am I? (What’s My Name?)’ and ‘Gin and Juice’ to the realm of classic anthems.
Despite Snoop’s longstanding presence in the industry, it seems fans were out of the loop when it came to the true roots of his name until he divulged to NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt, “My mother’d say, ‘You watch [Snoopy the dog] so much, you startin’ to look like him.’ So she started calling me Snoopy. That’s the only name my mother called me my whole life.”
He added, “My mother never called me by my real name, my whole life. She just ever called me was Snoopy. And I owned the name in every space I entered from the playground to the classroom to the chapel, I was known universally as Snoopy.”
The info was shared with Snoop’s fans Reddit who responded with a range of reactions. One fan commented with a laugh: “Savage! Literally roasted by his own mother haha.” Another shared their astonishment: “Today I learned Snoop Dogg’s birth name! ”
A third chimed in: “He totally does look like Snoopy! Especially before the facial hair.” Meanwhile, someone else couldn’t hide their surprise: “I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve ever considered that Snoop Dog had a name before Snoop Dog.” And another playfully proposed a different stage name: “Just think, he could have been Cordy B!”
Back in 1993, Snoop found himself embroiled in a legal battle, facing first-degree murder charges for the death of a rival gang member. He was ultimately acquitted of all charges on February 20, 1996, with the case wrapping up in 2024.
Among his notable musical ventures was a collaboration with rap icon Tupac Shakur on ‘2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted’, released in 1996. This track became one of the last hits before Shakur’s tragic end after a shooting on September 7, 1996.
On July 31, 2012, Snoop underwent a significant change when he announced his new moniker, Snoop Lion. He told reporters that a Rastafari priest in Jamaica had given him the name Snoop Lion. However, the star reverted to his original name, Snoop Dogg, in 2015 when he launched his LP, Bush.
