15
15
5 crazy stories about Snoop Dogg, who releases a new album with Dr. Dre
American hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg himself admits that he is more used to lighting up joints than anything else. Yet, 26 July 26th, 2024, he carried another flame, the Olympic one, for the Paris Olympics in Saint-Denis, thus becoming one of the stars of these Olympic Games. As the Californian rapper unveiled his twentieth album, Missionary, co-written with Dr. Dre on December 13th, 2024, Numéro took a look back at some of the zaniest stories surrounding this endearing artist, who will soon be getting his own biopic.
by Violaine Schütz.
His presence in Paris delighted everyone, to the extent that the American hip-hop legend eventually became the unofficial mascot of the Olympic Games. Alongside other artists, such as MC Solaar and Laetitia Casta, Californian rapper Snoop Dogg carried the Olympic flame for the Paris 2024 Olympics in Saint-Denis, on July 26th, 2024.
Snoop Dogg also made various television appearances as a sports commentator for NBC during the Olympic Games, and shone with his dance moves in the stands of sporting events, putting on a show with his endless funny outfits.
Snoop Dogg releases a new album with Dr. Dre
As for music, Snoop Dogg is going back to his roots in 2024. On Friday 13th of December, he unveiled Missionary, his twentieth studio album, which he co-wrote with producer Dr. Dre. The duo had already worked together on Snoop Dogg’s debut project, Doggystyle, thirty years ago.
Another big news for Snoop Dogg? In addition to his presence as a cast member in Luc Besson’s upcoming sci-fi film, the charismatic and prolific 53-year-old artist will also be the topic of a biopic, directed by Allen Hughes – co-director of the cult film Menace II Society (1993) – and Joe Robert Cole – screenwriter of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022).
While we’re still waiting for updates about this interesting project, especially regarding its title and release date, here are some anecdotes that we would love to see brought to the screen, and that are part and parcel of the bling, delirious image of this living legend.
Snoop Dogg and his Louis Vuitton suitcase filled with $422,000 – in cash
Just like any proper member of a gang, Snoop Dogg carries a lot of cash around with him. In 2015, as the Californian rapper was touring in Europe and just about to go on a private plane from Italy to London, the Italian authorities stopped him and found $422,000 in cash in one of his Louis Vuitton suitcases.
The issue being that the European legislation only allows people to carry $10,500 maximum on a private plane. Snoop Dogg’s lawyer had to explain to the authorities that the money came from concert tickets and not from any other illegal activity. The rapper had to pay a fine, which looked like nothing judging by how much he makes as an artist. This was just one of the many run-ins with the law that the singer of Sensual Seduction (2007) had. He had also been arrested before for possession of drugs and weapons.
Premium priced featurings
In April 2022, Snoop Dogg revealed on the Full Send podcast that a collaboration with him would cost a minimum of $250,000. The man who has already put his unmistakable flow to good use on tracks by Heidi Klum, Eddie Murphy and Katy Perry added that you would have to pay even more – you can double the price – if you wanted to see him dance with his legendary nonchalance, wearing extravagant jewels and outfits, in a music video. At that price “you’ve got an hour only to film,” he pointed out.
Snoop Dogg and his joint at the White House
Before lighting the Olympic flame at the Paris 2024 Olympics in Saint-Denis on July 26th, the rapper was mostly lighting up joints. As a notorious cannabis smoker, Snoop Dogg hired someone whose only job is to roll his joints. This year, he told us that he had increased the salary of that employee because of inflation – the person previously earned $50,000 a year. In 2012, he also published a book to smoke, titled Rolling Words: Snoop Dogg’s Smokable Song Book, whose pages could be used as cigarette paper.
Snoop Dogg has no limits when it comes to consuming what he loves the most. Banned from Norway for two years for carrying enormous amounts of marijuana at the airport, the latter confessed on his GGN show in 2014 that he once lit up a “magic cigarette” during a visit at the White House. He reportedly told Secret Services that he had to go to the bathroom to avoid being caught. Four years later, the rapper was filmed smoking a joint in front of the White House while insulting the president in office at the time: Donald Trump.
Snoop Dogg’s Rastafarian adventure
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr., aka Snoop Dogg, was nicknamed ‘Snoopy’ by his mother as a child, because of his resemblance to the dog character from the comic strip Peanuts. He first opted for Snoop Doggy Dogg, then shortened it, as a stage name when he started making music. But in 2012, the artist decided to take a break from gangsta rap after a spiritual awakening in Jamaica.
He then threw himself fully into reggae with a documentary, the record Reincarnated, released in 2013, and started to call himself Snoop Lion. During a press conference in New York, the rapper, who was 40 at the time, declared: “I went to the temple where the High Priest asked me what my name was, and I said ‘Snoop Dogg’. He looked me in the eye and said ‘No more. You are the light, you are the lion’. From that moment on, it’s like I had started to understand why I was there.”
At the same time, he added that he was the reincarnation of Bob Marley and that he had always felt he was a Rastafarian. Since then, of course, Snoop Dogg is still creating a smokescreen with new rebirths, notably with a funk version of Snoop, called Snoopzilla, in 2013.
Snoop Dogg’s not-so-fuzzy culinary career
In addition to being an actor in his spare time – he starred in Day Shift on Netflix alongside Jamie Foxx and Dave Franco – the Californian rapper has a passion for cooking. Since 2016, he has been co-hosting a saucy cooking show on VH1 entitled Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party with American TV personality Martha Stewart. The two stars form an unexpected, yet endearing duo and cook for their celebrity friends in a relaxed atmosphere.
For those who aren’t quite unfamiliar with English, Snoop Dogg also published Ça fume en cuisine!, a book that was translated into French by Éditions Solar in 2019. If you’re on a diet, don’t even bother buying it since the rapper’s fifty cult recipes include pancakes, brownies, fried chicken, cornmeal tacos, cheese quesadillas, chicken waffles, turkey with herbs and gravy, and chocolate cake… plenty of inspiration for a heavy, popular Christmas dinner.
Missionary (2024) by Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, available.
Traduction Emma Naroumbo Armaing.
