How Pharrell Helped Snoop Dogg Shift from Derogatory Lyrics to Respectful Rap About Women

In a candid revelation, Snoop Dogg has credited Pharrell Williams with inspiring a pivotal change in his approach to writing about women—moving away from derogatory language toward respect and appreciation. This transformation, which began during the early 2000s, marks a significant evolution in the longtime rapper’s career and reflects broader shifts in hip-hop culture.

From Gangster Rap to Growth

Snoop Dogg’s early career was deeply rooted in gangster rap, a style that often featured controversial and explicit lyrics about women. By the late 1990s, however, Snoop recognized he was “stuck in a box with keeping it gangster and trying to appease the hood,” as highlighted in a 2024 People magazine article. This self-awareness set the stage for a new creative direction catalyzed by his collaboration with Pharrell Williams.

Pharrell’s Influence: A Studio Turning Point

The watershed moment occurred during the making of Snoop’s 2002 album Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss, with Pharrell serving as a key producer. Pharrell confronted Snoop about his lyrics, pointing out that despite women’s admiration for him, he had been rapping about them using terms like “h–s.” According to Upworthy, Pharrell asked a simple but profound question: “When are you going to take time to show them that you love them and appreciate them?”

This challenge prompted Snoop to reflect deeply. “I was like, ‘Damn. I am kind of hard on them. Let me listen to you. What should I do?’” he recalled.

A personal and memorable moment in the studio was when Pharrell “started naming all the women in my family,” according to Snoop’s interviews with People and Upworthy. This brought the issue home for Snoop and made the importance of respect undeniable. He then responded, “I get it… put the beat on.”

The Birth of ‘Beautiful’ and a New Lyrical Path

This interaction led directly to the creation of the 2003 hit “Beautiful,” a song that celebrated women with admiration rather than disdain. Snoop himself acknowledged he wouldn’t have written such a track in the 1990s, underscoring the depth of his personal and artistic growth.

Since then, Snoop Dogg has maintained a more respectful tone in his lyrics about women, reflecting not only his own evolution but also the hip-hop community’s gradual embrace of more positive portrayals of women.

Cultural and Artistic Impact

The consistency of this story across reputable sources like People and Upworthy solidifies Pharrell’s role as a catalyst for change in Snoop’s career. Their collaboration illustrates how mentorship and personal connection can lead to profound artistic shifts. The impact extends beyond individual songs, contributing to a wider cultural movement toward respect and authenticity in hip-hop narratives about women.

Pharrell Williams’ guidance helped one of hip-hop’s most iconic figures reframe his storytelling—transforming the way Snoop Dogg represents women in his music and demonstrating the power of influence within the creative process.