Snoop Dogg Explodes Onto World Olympic Stage. He’s Just Himself

PARIS (AP) — Snoop Dogg climbs out of a sleek black SUV, followed by his entourage, as a Parisian crowd erupts in chants of “Snoop, Snoop, Snoop!” outside the NBC set.

Dressed in a custom-tailored Noah Lyles-style U.S. tracksuit, the impossibly slick artist glides past adoring fans with flashing phone cameras into the Musee de l’Homme. Inside, he’s greeted by his longtime friend Martha Stewart. They chat, clink glasses of champagne, after which “crip walks” onto the set to film Sunday night’s segment.

OK, the show can begin — Snoop has arrived. Literally.

At the Paris Olympics, grand entrances became the norm in Snoop’s spectacular Olympic life.

“When the lights are on, that’s when I shine the most,” he told The Associated Press after getting back from watching Lyles’ historic 100-meter dash victory and filming a prime-time segment with Mike Tirico and Stewart, a surprise guest.

“This opportunity for me was nothing more than a chance to show the world what it should look like when you put the right person in the right environment,” Snoop said.

Snoop, 52, became a star on the Paris Games, soaring to recent heights with several unforgettable moments: He carried the Olympic torch, charmed audiences as an NBC prime-time correspondent, swam with Michael Phelps, attended a U.S. women’s soccer match with Megan Rapinoe, danced with Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles and cheered on Caeleb Dressel together with his wife and swimmer son.

The rap icon is currently in his comfort zone. And sleep? Even he has a tough time maintaining with this versatile artist on the go.

“It’s more about relaxing than sleeping, because I’m having a great time,” he said. “This is not a city where you can sleep. This is not a time to sleep. This is a time to stay up to date, however you want. There are different events happening day and night. I want to be active in everything because I love American athletes and the competition. That’s what I’m here for.”

Stewart said she was incredibly happy with Snoop for successfully taking over the challenge. She was impressed by his ability to genuinely bond with the Olympians and their relations.

“I think he did an incredible job at the Olympics,” said Stewart, who competed in team dressage with Snoop on Saturday, her 83rd birthday. The duo wore matching helmets, black jackets and white trousers for the competition.

“This is a celebration of the best athleticism in the world, and he made it so accessible to everyone,” she continued. “That’s his talent. Everyone loves him.”

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Snoop also has essentially the most coveted Olympics memento: a Snoop Dogg pin featuring him wearing a blue top and respiration Olympic-colored hoops. He gave one to tennis star Coco Gauff, but he didn’t offer any more details on get more, saying, “I’ll be honest with you. I don’t have an answer for that.”

Snoop, meanwhile, has mastered the art of being himself in front of a television camera — even for a worldwide audience. He initially took on the role of correspondent, considering NBC wanted him to supply more “uptight” commentary, until network executives encouraged him to be himself — especially after seeing his personal potential throughout the U.S. Olympic trials.

During the trials, Snoop conducted free-form video interviews with several Olympians about their sports, including basketball player A’ja Wilson, gymnast Sunisa Lee, skateboarder Jagger Eaton, and beach volleyball players Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng. He met up with Lyles and competed within the 200-meter dash — clocking 34.44 seconds — with NBC analyst and former Trinidadian track star Ato Boldon and former U.S. champion Wallace Spearmon.

“This is what I do. I do this every day,” the rapper, who has already change into a fan favorite throughout the Tokyo Olympics, said while co-anchoring on Peacock with Kevin Hart, calling it “layup practice.”

“That’s why it’s not hard for me,” he said. “It’s not like acting. These parts that we do. They’re comfortable. They’re not stretched or forced. It’s me being me.”

Snoop’s presence in Paris is a component of NBC’s bet to spice up viewership by adding popular culture to its coverage. So far, the U.S. broadcaster’s strategy has worked, combined with the star power of U.S. Olympians like Biles, Katie Ledecky and Sha’Carri Richardson. Over the five days starting with the July 26 opening ceremony, the corporate averaged 34 million viewers per day across NBC, cable and Peacock, compared with 19 million throughout the same period in Tokyo.

The network drew nearly 35 million viewers on Saturday, which was twice the viewership of the second Saturday in Tokyo.

Tirico believes Snoop is a vital a part of NBC’s coverage. He said the rapper’s labor is matched by his creative talent.

“That license to go outside the box is what makes the great great. He knows how to do it and how to make the picture look good,” said a sportscaster who worked with Snoop on ideation sessions. “I’m not surprised because I’ve seen the process in some of the pre-release meetings. He’s added more than I ever imagined.”

Snoop has come a good distance since breaking out 30 years ago as a part of the West Coast gangsta rap scene with Dr. Dre in a profession marked by several brushes with the law. He has branched out as an actor in movies like “Training Day” and “Starsky & Hutch” and as a reality star in Stewart’s “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party.”

“But remember, I’m a rapper. So no rapper has done what I’ve done,” said Snoop, who first showed off his on-camera commentary skills in his viral tackle the Jake Paul-Nate Robinson boxing match in 2020.

“It’s the limitations of the field I come from,” he said. “Rappers shouldn’t do that. I tend to do the unthinkable.”