Are You Too Old For This?

Being Old Doesn’t Mean Rappers Named ‘Baby’ Are Trash

If you think so, you’re no different than your uncle joking about ‘Snoop Doggy Doo-Doo’ 30 years ago

Illustration: Moya Garrison-Msingwana

Update 6/7/22: Level has a new home. You can read this article and other new articles by visiting LEVELMAN.com.

I’m 33 years old. It’s a weird age, teetering between being in touch and stuck in my ways. And I know I’m not the only one standing at the intersection of Young Buck and Old Head. Every time something comes along, whether it’s slang or pop culture or a new tech platform, I confront the same question: Am I too old for this? That’s why I’m here — to work through these conundrums on your behalf, on a weekly basis. Together, hopefully, we can face some harsh truths about our own washed-ness.

Snoop Dogg’s emergence as a household name in the early ’90s was a watershed moment: Not only did it mark the arrival of one of music’s most resilient and long-lasting stars, but it created a line of demarcation between generations. And it was all in the name. Raise your hand if you had a parent, grandparent, uncle, aunt, or Bill Cosby in your life intentionally butcher the rapper’s name to make a point about That Damn Rap Music.