Toglenn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Back in my sophomore year of high school, I got my hands on a copy of the PlayStation 2 Game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas". I enjoyed listening to the "Radio Los Santos" station on the 'radio' that would play when you were driving a vehicle in the game! I would try to look up the tracks from that radio station on the internet and somewhere while doing that I was introduced to "Gangsta Rap" and eventually Snoop Dogg.

Rockstar Games / Take-Two Interactive, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Since that I've finished high school, graduated college, gotten a graduate degree and moved to a different country. Over the past few years, as I've become more conscious of the type of content I consume and have learned more about my own personality, I can't shake off the thought that maybe some themes, that this kind of music delves into, portray a false image of reality - specifically themes related to sexual experiences with the opposite sex. A lot of Snoop’s most popular tracks speak to a very promiscuous lifestyle, with vivid descriptions of his sexual escapades.

I sub-consciously developed ideas about what is "cool" and "the norm". It felt almost as if living a promiscuous lifestyle, indulging in hookup culture, not being with one woman for too long, being emotionally distant in a relationship, and bragging about a high "body count" was how "it" should be. As a guy, the idea of sleeping with multiple women can almost be something you may have striven for, just because that's what is considered "cool".

Having said that, I've realized even the artist himself, Snoop Dogg, lives a life very different from what is a recurring theme in his work. With this piece of writing, I want to draw your attention towards what the reality of Snoop Dogg's personal life is.

The unpopular side of Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.

A bit of searching on the internet for what Snoop Dogg's personal life looks like will paint a very different picture. Snoop Dogg, real name Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., married his childhood sweetheart back in 1997. Even before that, they had been dating since they were teenagers and had a son together in 1994. In an excerpt from his interview with SiriusXM talking to DJ Suss One he says the following about courting his now wife Shante Taylor Broadus:

I had to call her on the phone. I had to write love letters. I had to do all of that.

He goes on to say it took over four months of courting before they would even kiss.

To see more relevant excerpts from his interview watch the above video. You can also find more revelations in this article posted on nickiswift.com, this article on eonline.com, and his wife Shante's exclusive interview with Showbiz Cheatsheet.

I'm not trying to crucify Snoop Dogg and all of what he has achieved. I still enjoy listening to his music! Both the popular and "unpopular" sides of Snoop Dogg's personal life have always been public information. But if like me, this comes as a revelation to you then remember that not every thing is as it seems and there's lots of background to what you may not be exposed to by main stream media consumption. His work can definitely be enjoyed and indulged while having in the back of your mind awareness of what the reality is.