Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., known internationally as Snoop Dogg, recently engaged with those questioning his actions. The 53-year-old hip-hop luminary surprised everyone by launching an unannounced album named ‘Iz It a Crime’. Snoop Dogg stated that the album’s title serves as a rebuttal to the extensive public criticism that erupted following his performance at events marking President Trump’s inauguration earlier in the year.
‘There was a barrage of unresolved queries that loomed over the past half-a-year, my intent was to address them via my musical expressions,’ he divulged at a sneak peek of his album in New York City, two days before the official release. ‘Unsung Heroes,’ the fourth track on his album, presents Snoop Dogg’s rapping prowess: ‘Life works like a spades match, always have a trump to play / If you can’t stand Hell’s Kitchen’s heat, high-tail it out / Dre and me at SoFi, that’s when I sell out.’
The lyrics go on with ‘I’ve seen myriad knee-jerk reactions and bogus facts, disregard them, chilling in my crib with my PlayStation / Waltzing with the departed heads of states, that’s the authentic inauguration / Far too many are toying with my reputation / To cross onto our space, you need a formal invite.’ The newly released album, brought out by Death Row Records, consists of 21 songs and boasts contributions from Pharrell Williams, Sexyy Red, Wiz Khalifa, and LaRussell.
The renowned hip-hop artist, Snoop Dogg, along with some of his contemporary fellow artists, faced harsh backlash for their performances at the ‘Crypto Ball’ – an event aimed to commemorate the inaugural ‘crypto president’, hosted in Washington, D.C. during President Trump’s inauguration. The master of ceremonies for the event was the president’s own crypto-clout, David Sacks, while President Trump himself was notably absent.
Snoop Dogg’s decision to perform at this event was seen as unexpected and contradictory by fans, given his prior words of condemnation towards rappers agreeing to perform for Trump. In a social media video from 2017, he declared a ‘roast’ on any rapper who would perform for the then-president. The same year, he took a swipe at the president in one of his music videos, where he portrayed him as a ‘clown.’
In an interview this week, Snoop Dogg provided some clarity on his controversial decision to participate in the Crypto Ball. He revealed that his performance was a favor for Sacks, who he referred to as a friend for 15 years. The West Coast rapper steadfastly maintained he isn’t affiliated with any political party or viewpoint.
‘I have no political interests. I don’t proclaim allegiance to the Republicans. Nor do I endorse the Democrats. I stand for the Gangster Party, no ifs, ands, or buts,’ Snoop Dogg asserted. In the wake of the backlash he received over his controversial performance, he chose to withhold any detailed explanations of his actions.
Similarly, he dodged speculation when accused of ‘selling out,’ by accusers who sought to cancel him. ‘I’m not prone to providing clarifications, which is why I remained silent and didn’t delve into the accusations when some people strove to label me as a ‘sellout.’,’
