At a recent press junket in New York City, Snoop Dogg spoke adamantly about fatherhood to members of the press inquiring about the rapper’s thoughts on role-modeling.
“We’re becoming fathers, and we’re doing something that our fathers didn’t do,” began a blue-flannel shirt wearing Snoop Dogg to press including HipHopDX. “Every rapper – I’ll say that 90% of rappers grew up without fathers. Now we see 90% of the rappers becoming fathers to their kids. We don’t never get commended for that… [the press would] rather talk about how we shot somebody or somebody getting hit upside the head at a party rather than what we do. We become real men when we get to this spot where we’re at now.”
Snoop witnessed his own father, Vernell Varnado, reconcile into the rapper’s life during the 1994 murder trial. Today “Poppa Snoop” has released album compilations featuring his son and presently runs a website store – www.poppasnoop.com.
Snoop would go on to acknowledge Bow Wow as an example of a rapper without a father, who has thrived due to mentoring from Jermaine Dupri. “I’m so proud of Bow Wow right now; I’ve known him since he was five years old. He was just a lil’ bitty whipper-snapper, trying to crack his whip and be seen and heard. Now seeing him grow up and becoming a young man, I’m just so proud of what JD has done for him, showing him how to get his life together to the point where he’s off and getting it on his own. I like to see those type of things – a kid who could have went the wrong way, but he went the right way ‘cause he had direction.” Bow Wow was recently joined by Ice-T and Daz in performing a medley of Snoop’s hits at Vh1’s Hip Hop Honors.
Although heavily criticized earlier this year for misogyny in lyrics, Snoop defended his platform, and stated that there’s more than meets the eye. “I don’t really like to have cameras around when I do my positive things, because it’s not a gimmick. It’s not a problem to me when [the media doesn’t] cover it or bring it to light. I know that the Man upstairs sees all the good that I do,” he told HipHopDX. Snoop mentioned his Snoopy Football League, which includes over 3,000 southern California youth, and a new unnamed charity, developed with his wife, for educating female youth.
Snoop also confirmed the title of his February album as Ego Trippin’. No further details were announced.
