Snoop Is 40!

Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. turns forty years old today — incredible, if you remember what it was like to first hear his dulcet, melodic voice bouncing over the spine-tingling beat Dr. Dre made for the titular song of the 1992 Laurence Fishburne/Jeff Goldblum vehicle Deep Cover. Snoop Doggy Dogg, as he was known back then, already seemed like an ageless entity. And he’s stayed seeming that way. (Even after he dropped the “Doggy” in his name in the mid-90s.) If he is not the greatest or most important figure in the history of rap, he is probably the most famous and beloved worldwide. The way he reaches his arm around Barbara Walters in the above clip from a 2008 appearance on “The View” pretty much tells you everything you need to know about why this is.

What the hell, here are ten more videos that explain it well, too — a chronological display of the range and staying power that have made for such a long and successful career. Happy birthday, Snoop!