Tom Cruise, Ariana Grande and Snoop Dogg have been making waves for their appearances at the Olympic Games. Photo / Getty Images
Tom Cruise, Ariana Grande and Snoop Dogg have been making waves for their appearances at the Olympic Games. Photo / Getty Images
The 2024 Paris Olympics is under way in the French capital, and Snoop Dogg has made a splash.
While the athletes are winning gold, silver and bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics, one unlikely A-lister is winning hearts.
American rapper Snoop Dogg, real name Calvin CordozarBroadus jnr, is no stranger to the Olympic world. In 2021, during the Tokyo Olympics, he went viral for his commentary with Kevin Hart, particularly while watching an equestrian dressage competition.
“Oh the horse crip walking, you see that? On the set! That’s gangster,” Snoop quipped, referring to the Crip Walk (also known as a C-walk) dance move. Its creation is credited to Robert “Sugar Bear” Jackson, an early member of the Crips, a Los Angeles gang. Snoop Dogg did the dance in the music video for his hit song Drop It Like It’s Hot.
A highlight reel of the star’s 2021 commentary was uploaded to YouTube, earning almost 3 million views.
Snoop Dogg went viral for his commentary at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Photo / YouTube, AlphaLaughClub
For the 2024 Paris Olympics, Snoop Dogg isattending asNBC Sports’ special correspondent, and the rapper’s antics are once again winning gold with online fans.
Sharing a video to the NBC TikTok account, the star explained his role, “I’ve been out here working the Olympics, talking to the athletes, to the families, and meeting the people and kissing the babies,” he said.
“Doing the things that I do to politically stay correct, and just being Snoop Dogg. That’s what I know how to do the best.”
The TikTok clip has had over 4 million views and hundreds of thousands of comments.
“Snoop Dogg being the official USA Olympic commentator is my favourite side quest in this political season,” one fan wrote. Another added, “Snoop is a national treasure.” A third commented, “Snoop helping at the Olympics could bring the world together! Whoever signed off on this needs a raise!”
And it’s not the only moment resulting in fans sharing their love for the star.
Here are Snoop Dogg’s top five Olympic moments so far:
1. Snoop carrying the Olympic torch
Snoop Dogg was one of many torchbearers. Photo / Getty Images
The 52-year-old kicked off his Olympic duties by carrying the prestigious torch through the city of Paris, marking the beginning of the Games.
The rapper was one of the final torchbearers who aided in the traditional torch relay — which began in Olympia, Greece, several months before the games —- a others included American actress Halle Berry, French actress Laetitia Casta, French rapper MC Solaar, and retired Ukrainian pole-vaulter Sergey Bubka.
The star appeared to pop in and say a quick hello to the USA fencing team days before the Olympics started, and made sure to get a picture trying his hand at the sport.
Wearing a white tracksuit with the American flag on and matching white sneakers with blue and red laces, the star held out the fencing sword — known as a foil — and pulled a serious face as the team huddled in for the photo op.
Sharing an image of the moment on X, many fans responded, with one calling it “legendary”. Another wrote, “this man is the face of America”, while another said, “he’s having fun and I love it!!”
In a video posted to social media, the star got into formation where he performed the snatch and clean jerk stages of weightlifting with a weightless pole.
Snoop Dogg tried out weightlifting. Photo / @overtime
One fan posted the clip to X writing, “Snoop Dogg ready for the Olympics”, resulting in the clip receiving almost a million views and thousands of likes and comments.
“Get that man a gold medal”, one person wrote, with another adding, “Snoop be having so much fun man I love it [sic]”.
4. Snoop’s reaction to Simone Biles qualifying
Snoop appeared to be shocked by the athlete's impressive skills. Photo / Getty Images
Sitting in the stands at Sunday’s women’s gymnastics qualifying rounds, NBC’s special correspondent wore a jacket with the American flag on it, hiding a T-shirt underneath that had a picture of athlete Simone Biles’ face on it.
The American Olympian, the most decorated athlete in the history of gymnastics, landed herself at the top of the leaderboard, and while Tom Cruise and his standing ovation for the star came in as a close runner-up, it was Snoop who was the second person in the stadium to earn the attention of fans.
When the Olympian went through her routine, earning a score of 15.300 between her two vaults, the Drop It Like It’s Hot rapper had a very animated expression and raised his sunglasses, revealing a wide-eyed look.
The rapper revealed his T-shirt, which had Simone Biles' face printed on it. Photo / Getty Images
He then stood up and clapped for the 27-year-old athlete before unzipping his jacket to reveal his T-shirt to the camera.
Fans wrote on X, “Snoop Dogg is all of us watching Simone Biles compete.” Another said, “Snoop Dogg and Simone Biles are my entire vibe for the Olympic Games Paril 2024. Here for these two. They are everything we need this summer.”
Other celebrities spotted in the crowd supporting the star included Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Nick Jonas and John Legend.
5. Snoop’s commentary of China v USA men’s badminton
USA badminton players Joshua Yuan and Vinson Chiu took on Chinese athletes Yu Chen Liu and Xuan Yi Ou in the men’s doubles competition, and while China took out the win with a score of 21-14, Snoop’s commentary of the game also earned gold.
“Oh, I love the badminton right here. This is a great rally right here,” he said, before launching into a play-by-play almost more impressive than the game.
“You see, it don’t drop til the casket drops. They rocking and rolling back and forth. Gimme that, no I need that, no over here, what about over there? nope. okay what about there?”
Fans wrote on X, “Snoop Dogg’s commentary is pure gold.” Another added, “This will be the best thing you watch all day.”
With 13 days left of the Olympic Games, Snoop and his fellow celebrities are likely to continue to provide the giggles. In the meantime, stay up to date with the Herald’s coverage of the Games here.
Lillie Rohan is a London-based reporter covering lifestyle and entertainment stories who joined the Herald in 2020. She specialises in all things reality TV, films and music.
