If you ask Older Millennials and Gen Xers if their younger selves ever thought Snoop Dogg would go from being the face of West Coast “gangsta rap” to swapping recipes and planting tips with Martha Stewart, the answer is probably no. But this longtime hip-hop fixture and style icon mastered the art of the professional pivot to the point that many in the Gen Z and Alpha segments might not even realize his hardcore roots.

Snoop Dogg’s street credibility is undeniable and he has proven that staying true to yourself will always take you further than pandering. So, with decades spent in and around the music industry — to the point that he is a fixture — you might wonder just how much the West Coast rapper, actor and entrepreneur is worth.

A California Story

Snoop Dogg (formerly Snoop Doggy Dogg in his earlier rap days) was born Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. in 1971. From Long Beach, California, Snoop Dogg has a musical path that will sound familiar. As a child he first played piano and sang at the Golgotha Trinity Baptist Church. His mom nicknamed him “Snoopy” because he loved the popular beagle from the Peanuts cartoon.

By sixth grade, he pivoted from singing at church to rapping. Close friends and family from his youth note that he was actually active in school and church, and even played football. But as he got older, Snoop Dogg admits that he fell in with the wrong crowd and frequently got into trouble throughout his teens—even though his mother tried to keep him on the straight and narrow. But during this time, he was also honing his craft, often giving impromptu performances in school hallways.

He began making mix tapes with his cousin Nate Dogg as well as his friend Warren G, eventually having one reach Dr. Dre. Dre loved what he heard and asked Snoop to audition for his label, Death Row Records in 1991. And a year later, he released his first album “Doggystyle” under the artist name Snoop Doggy Dogg.

Top 10s and Controversy

“Doggystyle” was a smash hit with multiple tracks that reached and stayed on the top 10 for months. Memorable songs include “Gin and Juice” and “Who Am I (What’s My Name)” which helped to solidify Snoop Dogg as a household name. While he was firmly categorized as a gangsta rapper — which often made his music a target for censorship — his unique delivery and smooth vocals set him apart from other artists in the genre at the time.

While Snoop was building momentum professionally, his prior bad acts were mounting as he was charged and later acquitted of first-degree murder. This spurred the soundtrack and short film “Murder Was the Case” in 1994. He credits this case as a turning point where he shifted away from the harder elements of gangsta rap and focused more on building out his career and legacy. During this time he launched Doggy Style Records, Inc in 1995, signing icons like Charlie Wilson (of The Gap Band).

Life After Death Row Records

More importantly, the mid 90s found Snoop locked in a disagreement with Death Row Records over ownership and royalties. He temporarily paused all music production until his contract expired, later signing with Master P’s No Limit Records in 1998 where he continued to release albums that consecutively sold over one million copies each. He then shifted to Priority/Capitol/EMI in 2002 and Geffen Records/Star Trak Entertainment (The Neptunes) in 2004.

In 2012, Snoop Dogg switched it up again, embracing a Rastafarian influence and changing his stage name to Snoop Lion and releasing a reggae-inspired track, “La La La.” During this period, he explored various musical genres including electronic music with his compilation “Loose Joints” in 2012 and even gospel with the release of his 2018 album “Bible of Love.”

Snoop Dogg’s Net Worth

As of the time of publication for this article, Snoop Dogg’s current net worth is estimated to be $160 million. Much of that value comes from his music catalog, which is expansive. However, Snoop Dogg is a shrewd businessman who understands that diversifying assets is the best way to not only ensure his legacy, but build wealth.

Snoop Dogg’s Other Ventures

Hardcore Snoop Dogg fans will know that one of the artist’s first forays beyond making songs was acting. Since 1994, Snoop Dogg has appeared in various movies and television shows either as himself or as a character. Popular movies most people associate with him as an actor include “Soul Plane,” “Training Day” and “Baby Boy.” But he’s also a voice artist, having played the role of Cousin Itt in The Addams Family animated remake movies. And of course, one cannot ignore his popular show with Martha Stewart, “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Challenge” which included many spin off cook books and specials.

But acting is not Snoop’s only other talent. He has also appeared on Wrestlemania and was even inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016. He is also an active investor and entrepreneur with notable investments including weed delivery startup Eaze, a digital cannabis media outlet Merry Jane, Leafs by Snoop (another cannabis venture), and an esports league titled Gangsta Gaming League.