Doggyland, the beloved animated children’s series co-created by Snoop Dogg, Claude Brooks, and October London, is serving up some wholesome holiday cheer with the release of its brand new “Thanksgiving Song.”
In this festive sing-along episode, Barks-A-Locks invites viewers and all of his friends in Doggyland to join him and his family for a heartwarming Thanksgiving celebration. With vibrant visuals and a catchy tune, Woofee, Yap Yap, Chow Wow, Bow Wizzle, and the show’s newcomer, Vancy (voiced by the talented VanVan), join Barks-A-Locks in celebrating the spirit of gratitude. Together, they sing about family, food, and the joy of being thankful, reminding young viewers about the importance of love and togetherness.
Written by Kamilah Chevel and Ali Alimi, with background vocals from October London, the “Thanksgiving Song” perfectly captures the essence of the holiday, showcasing Doggyland’s signature blend of music and social-emotional lessons to create an engaging experience for kids and their families. This episode is sure to become a favorite tradition for Thanksgiving celebrations everywhere. “I really enjoyed making the song ‘Thanksgiving’ with everyone”, says VanVan. “I’m just so thankful for everything that’s happened to me. And not to mention, this beat was fire!”, VanVan says of the song’s production by Rochad Holiday (Somethin’ For The People).
“I am delighted to finally share our Doggyland Thanksgiving video with the world. Thanksgiving is all about family, and we’ve brought the whole Doggyland extended family together to celebrate. All of our characters are here including our newest character Vancy voiced by the extraordinary VanVan. This video reminds people of all ages to be thankful, have a good time, relax and celebrate togetherness.” – Snoop Dogg
The “Thanksgiving Song” episode is now streaming on the Doggyland YouTube channel and available on all major digital platforms. Gather the family, sing along, and let Doggyland bring extra joy to your holiday season.
If fans were asked to sum up West Coast rap pillar Snoop Dogg in just one word, the answers would vary so much, it might be hard to recognize that they are all talking about the same person. For six-year-old viral sensation VanVan, who just joined the cast of Snoop’s children’s YouTube series, Doggyland, as Vancy the Dalmatian, the rap elder statesman-turned-mentor is, simply, “kind.” VanVan, who has become popular online due to her freestyle raps and incredible memory for lyrics, both acts and raps as the new addition on songs like “Thanksgiving,” which released earlier this week in honor of the upcoming holiday.
It’s a sentiment echoed by VanVan’s manager, another hip-hop veteran whose legacy precedes even Snoop’s. “I just think that it’s so great that he has enveloped her and shown his kindness, which she can feel, and so happy that they’ve landed on something that’s so positive and so uplifting,” says MC Lyte, whose Sunni Gyrl, Inc. has signed on to manage the prepubescent rapper’s career. “It was the conversations that they had where they felt comfortable enough knowing that we would get out and do what we needed to do to expound on her short-lived career at this point. But since joining forces, she’s been able to do some amazing things.”
Here’s where I admit, that as a rap fan of a certain age, the idea of a “kid rapper” still sparks some skepticism for me, even as I have championed the expansive nature of the form (God’s working on all of us, as Desus and Mero would say). But it helps that the show’s creator is such a force in the hip-hop world. Claude Brooks is perhaps best known as the creator of another rap-centric kids’ show, Hip-Hop Harry, but real heads know he got his start in showbiz as the creator of the 2000 MTV series, The Lyricist Lounge Show, which brought the popular New York underground rap showcase to the screen as a sketch comedy show in which the talent (which included Mos Def and the TV debut of Tracee Ellis Ross) rapped their way through bank robberies and traffic accidents.
He says the surprising part about VanVan’s smooth addition to the cast is that they “weren’t looking to add another character.” However, “it came up so organically. She was buzzing doing her thing on social, and we were doing ours. But we did start talking and realized how much of a true hip-hop head she is. So we leaned in and we sent her a track. We gave her ‘The Affirmations Song’ and gave her eight bars to work something in. She ended up killing this thing and this thing goes crazy viral. So, eventually we find out, ‘They want to do something with Doggyland.’ And so we did ‘The Cleanup Song’ with her, which is great. And then ‘I’m Grateful’ was just this amazing song that just came out this week.”
VanVan actually had a hand in the design of her character, from Vancy’s breed to her wardrobe. “She’s really fancy, and I like that she’s a Dalmatian,” says the precocious proselytizer, lighting up at the chance to get to talk fashion. “And she wears my style. My mom styles me. My favorite outfits are the ones where I have a tank top and I have [points at legs], so it all be colored. It all has to be the same color. So I like when I have the tank top and I have the jacket and I have the pants and the bow. And one time I had that, and I loved it. That’s my favorite style.” As surprising as VanVan’s viral freestyle ability can be, it’s a fun reminder that she’s still allowed to be just a kid — a kid who is still just now learning to read.
Lyte notes how important it is to protect her charge, and the complications that her age brings to VanVan’s burgeoning career. “I think it’s more about, wow, she’s only now six, which means the thought of when she did the BET Awards, she could only be on set for a certain amount of time because they only allow minors [for a limited time]. So we have to strategize, okay, she’s got to rehearse, but then we got to get her out of the building and not let the six-hour maximum time be spent frivolously. And if she was going to sit and watch the show, the show is three hours, so it’s almost like we had to split it up three and three and be very careful about it.”
The young rapper isn’t sweating the hard work, though, because for her, it’s all fun. “You can have fun while you have to work really, really hard,” she enthuses. “You can just play, you can dance… it just makes me happy when I’m done with raps and my dad just hype me up.” As to her stint on Doggyland, she says she “really wanted to be a character,” and despite her young age, she recognizes the value in the work. “I like that they play some songs that teach kids to start doing stuff that they say on videos. I really like that they do that.”
ust in time for the back-to-school season, the beloved characters from the popular 3D animated series ‘Doggyland’– co-created in 2022 by Snoop Dogg, October London, and Claude Brookes –share a fun new learning anthem, “I Don’t Know” today (8/22/2024). Featuring Snoop Dogg as his character Bow Wizzle, the catchy tune delivers an upbeat and engaging message: it’s okay not to have all the answers.
The characters from ‘Doggyland’ bring this message to life in a fun and engaging way, encouraging young children to feel confident expressing uncertainty, and helping them to navigate the often challenging landscape of learning with curiosity and openness. By acknowledging that it’s normal not to know everything, the song fosters a healthy attitude towards asking questions and seeking knowledge. This approach not only supports cognitive development, but also contributes significantly to social-emotional growth.
The importance of social-emotional development in early childhood cannot be overstated. As children learn to manage emotions, build relationships, and make decisions, they also develop a stronger foundation for academic and personal success. “I Don’t Know” serves as a crucial tool in this development, teaching children that it’s okay to ask for help and to learn through exploration and inquiry. By normalizing uncertainty, the song helps create more organic learning opportunities in daily life, whether in the classroom, at home, or during play.
“I’m excited to share our Doggyland song and video ‘I Don’t Know’. This is specially made to get kids excited and motivated to never stop being curious and asking questions. We wanted to create a space where kids and families could be inspired to learn. Nobody knows everything and no one should be afraid to admit it.” – Snoop Dogg
MORE ABOUT DOGGYLAND: ‘Doggyland’ is a 3D animated series that features a colorful cast of dogs in a vibrant world where they sing, rap, and dance to fun and educational songs that promote social-emotional and cognitive development in young children. Since its inception in 2022, ‘Doggyland’ has produced a variety of educational songs about affirmations, letters, numbers, colors, animals, good habits, and accepting others. The series has quickly become a favorite among families for its vibrant animation, memorable characters, and educational content. Co-created by the world-renowned superstar, songwriter, producer, and rapper, Snoop Dogg; Emmy-nominated producer and creator of the children’s franchise ‘Hip Hop Harry,’ Claude Brooks; and singer/songwriter, October London; the series focuses on delivering positive messages through music and storytelling, making learning an enjoyable experience for young viewers.
The cast of vibrant characters is led by Bow Wizzle, voiced by Snoop Dogg, the main character who serves as the adult mentor to the rest of the cast; including Woofee, voiced by October London, who is always cheering his friends on and a voice as smooth as Usher; Yap Yap, the high-spirited character who is known for her positive and cheery personality; Chow Wow, an empathic team player and Barks-A-Locks, the curious one of the group who is always discovering new adventures.
Doggyland is available on YouTube/YouTube Kids, HappyKids.tv, and Kidoodle.
If you’d told a rap fan in the ’90s that Snoop Dogg, the guy who pioneered West Coast G-Funk with Doggystyle and beat a murder charge in 1996, would have a children’s series on YouTube, they’d likely laugh you out of town (after you explained just what the heck YouTube is). But that’s exactly what happened, as Snoop adds another crown jewel to his ever-expanding empire that also includes breakfast cereal, an NFT label, a Big3 basketball team, and a growing list of movie appearances, video games, and K-pop songs.
Doggyland, which you can find on YouTube Kids, features Snoop rapping and singing nursery rhymes and educational songs with a cast of colorful dog characters. He says the show’s goal is to promote tolerance and acceptance at an early age in a video about the show’s creation. “You can just be you and be accepted in Doggyland, and what’s what these characters represent — diversity, so kids can learn to love each other from the beginning because hate is what’s taught,” he says. “Love is what’s in their heart.”
Snoop’s collaborators on the show include Claude Brooks, the executive producer of Hip Hop Harry, and R&B artist October London. On the show, Snoop voices an adult mentor dog named Bow Wizzle, who of course, guides the cast’s puppies with advice and songs like “Everyone Is Different” and “Sharing Is Caring.” The show’s soundtrack, Kids Hits, Vol. 1, is available to stream on DSPs.
Watch a featurette detailing the show’s creation above.
