Among the many well-known faces of artists and athletes who have been seen in the stands at the Paris competitions, there is one who has stood out. He wears braids, pins and Olympic ring glasses as smoke rings and goes by the name Snoop Dogg. The iconic rapper and music producer has not only been a spectator, but has become the showman of the Olympic Games. His prominence is no coincidence. He is there as a presenter for the American channel NBC during the great sporting event, although his participation has gone beyond that and his charisma has led him to do promotional work with the organisation of the games and the most iconic places in the French capital.
Olympic broadcasts are usually a showcase for athletes, but NBC has turned Paris into a playground for Snoop Dogg. The rapper is probably the only person to have carried the Olympic torch, had a private tour of the Louvre, donned equestrian gear at Versailles, and taken personalized swimming lessons from Michael Phelps. And his involvement continues, as he also performs at the closing ceremony on Sunday, representing the California culture of the city of Los Angeles, the next host city for the 2028 world championships that also boasts artists such as Billie Eilish, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and H.E.R.
But how did the idea of a rapper, known for smoking marijuana, come about as the star of the most important sporting event in the world? Although it may seem like a casual or spontaneous decision, his presence has been growing since the last edition of the Games. Several clips of him presenting summaries with comedian Kevin Hart went viral during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. So the network gave him an even bigger role in 2024: special correspondent.
The 52-year-old entertainer, whose full name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., has taken his role to the next level, becoming a cheerleader for American athletes regardless of the sport. Although his role as a special correspondent and participation as a torchbearer were announced in advance, his constant presence and energy in support of American athletes has been a welcome surprise. He has been seen supporting Team USA in various events such as gymnastics, volleyball, beach and water polo.
Snoop has proven to be authentic in front of the cameras, even for a global audience. Initially, he thought his network wanted more formal comments, until executives encouraged him to be himself, especially after seeing his potential in person. He did casual interviews with a few Olympians about their sports and he seemed in his element. “This is not the city to sleep. This is the time to be present,” has said the rapper, who also owns one of the most coveted items from the Games: a pin of himself exhaling hoops the color of the Olympic logo. He gifted one to tennis star Coco Gauff.
Snoop’s career has come a long way since his early days. He first gained worldwide fame thanks to rapper Dr. Dre, but hip-hop is no longer what it was in the 80s and 90s. Back then, the scene was surrounded by violence and singers were constantly dying in shootings, but now they are becoming actors and reality stars, as is the case with Snoop or Ice Cube.
The rapper’s presence has been a key factor in the improved ratings. Beginning on July 26, the day of the opening ceremony, the five-day average total viewership was 34 million viewers, according to a statement from NBC Sports. This represents a 79% increase compared to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where numbers were down due to the pandemic.
Something that has also drawn attention to his participation is the rumor that the rapper would be earning $500,000 a day for his participation in the most important event in world sport. The speculation arose when a television executive revealed during a dinner that the rapper would be earning half a million dollars a day for his work promoting the Olympic Games, according to the magazine. ForbesSports journalist Darren Rovell also commented on the rumour, suggesting that Snoop could earn as much as $10 million over the 16-day event, which is in line with the alleged earnings per day. However, there is no official confirmation on the salary and beyond the audience figures and online attention, Snoop Dogg said he is simply enjoying the experience, having never “in his wildest dreams” imagined playing this role.
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