In 2018, Snoop Dogg stood on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He looked at his star. He looked at the crowd. Then he said something that shouldn’t have worked, but it did. "I’d like to thank me," he told the world. People laughed. Some rolled their eyes. But mostly, the internet exploded. It wasn't just a meme; it was a shift in how we think about success.
Usually, when celebrities get an award, they cry about their third-grade teacher. Or they thank a deity. Or a vague "team." Snoop didn't do that. He thanked himself for doing the work, for having no days off, and for never quitting. Honestly, it was the most honest thing a celebrity has said in a decade.
We’re taught to be humble. Humility is a virtue, right? Well, maybe. But there’s a thin line between being humble and erasing your own effort. When Snoop uttered those words—I'd like to thank me—he tapped into a growing collective exhaustion with performative modesty.
Why the speech went viral (and stayed there)
The speech wasn't long. It was punchy. Snoop thanked himself for being a giver, for doing more right than wrong, and for being "me at all times." You’ve probably seen the clip on Instagram or TikTok a thousand times. It’s the ultimate "main character energy" anthem.
But why does it still matter years later?
Because we live in an era of burnout. In 2026, the hustle culture that defined the 2010s has curdled into something else. People are tired. They’re tired of working for companies that don't recognize them. They're tired of "quiet quitting" and "loud budgeting." When Snoop said I'd like to thank me, he gave everyone permission to acknowledge their own grind. It’s basically a self-help seminar condensed into thirty seconds of West Coast swagger.
The psychology of self-recognition
Psychologists call this "internal locus of control." It’s the idea that you believe you are responsible for your own success. While external factors—luck, timing, who you know—obviously matter, focusing on your own agency is better for your mental health.
When you say I'd like to thank me, you aren't being an egomaniac. Not necessarily. You're acknowledging the discipline it took to get out of bed when you felt like garbage. You're acknowledging the hours of practice no one saw. Research from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests that self-compassion and self-recognition actually lead to higher resilience.
Snoop’s speech wasn't just about his rap career. It was about survival. He’s been in the game since the early 90s. Think about that. Most rappers from that era are either retired, forgotten, or worse. Snoop is still everywhere. He’s selling wine. He’s doing the Olympics. He’s a household name for kids who don’t even know what Doggystyle is. That doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because he chose to be "me at all times."
✨ Don't miss: Why October London Make Me Wanna Is the Soul Revival We Actually Needed
Breaking down the "Thank Me" philosophy
Let’s look at what he actually said. He didn’t just say "I'm great." He gave a list. He thanked himself for:
- Doing the hard work.
- Having no days off.
- Never quitting.
- Always being a giver.
This is the part people miss. It’s not about vanity. It’s about accountability. If you’re going to thank yourself for the win, you also have to own the losses. Snoop has had plenty of those—legal battles, career lulls, weird experimental phases (remember Snoop Lion?). By owning the success, he owns the entire journey.
Most people are terrified of this. It’s easier to say "I was lucky" because if things go wrong later, you can say "my luck ran out." If you say I'd like to thank me, you’re putting the weight of your future on your own shoulders. It's heavy. But it’s also incredibly freeing.
The cultural impact on Gen Z and beyond
If you look at how younger generations approach work, they’ve basically adopted the Snoop Dogg manifesto. There’s a huge emphasis on "boundaries" and "knowing your worth."
I’ve seen this play out in corporate environments too. Employees are less likely to accept a "pizza party" as a thank you. They want the bag. They want the credit. They’re realizing that if they don’t thank themselves and advocate for themselves, no one else is going to do it for them.
The phrase has become a shorthand. It’s used when someone hits a personal record at the gym. It’s used when a freelancer finally lands a big contract. It’s a way of saying: "I did this."
Is it actually "arrogant"?
Some critics at the time called it the peak of celebrity narcissism. They argued that Snoop ignored the producers, the fans, and the industry that propped him up.
But that’s a shallow take.
🔗 Read more: How to Watch The Wolf and the Lion Without Getting Lost in the Wild
Snoop has thanked his collaborators thousands of times. He’s a legendary collaborator. The point of the I'd like to thank me moment was that, in that specific setting—standing over his own name carved into a sidewalk—the only person who truly knew what it cost to get there was him.
He wasn't dismissing others. He was including himself in the narrative of his own success. For a long time, especially for Black artists in America, there was a pressure to be "grateful" just to be in the room. Snoop flipped the script. He wasn't just grateful to be there; he was proud of the work he did to stay there.
How to apply this to your own life
Honestly, you probably need to thank yourself more. Not in a "post a selfie with a long caption" way (unless that’s your thing). But in a way that actually registers in your brain.
We’re wired to look for the next thing. We finish a project and immediately stress about the next deadline. We hit a goal and barely pause to breathe.
Try this instead. Next time you finish something hard—something that took "no days off"—just sit with it. Acknowledge that you did that. Use the I'd like to thank me mindset to build a bit of internal confidence that doesn't depend on likes or external validation.
What most people get wrong about Snoop's legacy
People think Snoop is just a "chill" guy who got lucky. He’s not. He’s a calculated businessman. You don't stay relevant for 30+ years by just being "chill." You do it by being incredibly disciplined about your brand.
His speech was a masterclass in branding. It took a moment that could have been a standard, boring Hollywood event and turned it into a cultural touchstone. That’s the "me at all times" part working in real-time. He knew exactly what he was doing.
He also knew it would resonate. We live in a world that constantly tries to tell us we aren't enough—that we need this product or that degree to be valid. Snoop's message was the opposite: You are enough, and you’re the one doing the work.
💡 You might also like: Is Lincoln Lawyer Coming Back? Mickey Haller's Next Move Explained
Real-world actionable insights
If you're feeling stuck or unappreciated, you don't need a star on Hollywood Boulevard to change your perspective.
First, do an audit of your "unseen work." Write down the things you do that no one claps for. The early mornings, the difficult conversations, the times you stayed patient when you wanted to scream.
Second, stop apologizing for your success. If someone compliments you, don't deflect it with "oh, it was nothing" or "I just got lucky." Say "thank you, I worked hard on that." It feels weird at first. It feels "arrogant." But it’s just the truth.
Third, embrace the "no days off" mentality—but define it your way. For Snoop, it was about his career. For you, it might be about your mental health or your family. Consistency is what he was really thanking himself for.
Snoop Dogg didn't just give a speech; he gave us a new vocabulary for self-worth. I'd like to thank me isn't a phrase of exclusion. It’s a phrase of reclamation. It’s about taking back the credit for your own life.
Stop waiting for a committee to give you a star. Recognize your own grind. Be your own biggest fan. Because at the end of the day, you’re the only one who has been there for every single second of your journey.
Steps to building your own "Thank Me" momentum:
- Identify one major obstacle you overcame in the last year that you never properly credited yourself for.
- Practice "radical ownership." When things go well, take the credit. When they go poorly, take the lead on fixing it.
- Audit your circle. Are you surrounded by people who celebrate your self-recognition, or people who try to "humble" you the moment you feel good?
- Focus on the "giver" aspect. Snoop thanked himself for being a giver. Self-thanks is easier when you know you’re also adding value to the world around you.
The speech works because it’s balanced. It’s not just "I’m the best." It’s "I’ve worked, I’ve given, and I haven't quit." That’s a formula anyone can follow, regardless of whether they have a record deal or a Hollywood star. It’s about the quiet satisfaction of knowing you did what you said you were going to do.