Snoop Dogg Will Light One Up Before the Olympics Opening Ceremony
If you’ve been paying any attention to rapper-turned-icon Snoop Dogg, you’ve probably seen pictures of him on social media as he cavorts all over Paris ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games.
He’s meeting athletes, posing for photographs, and now, we’re learning he will serve as a torchbearer to carry the Olympic flame in the final stretch before the opening ceremony on Friday, July 26, 2026.
In recent years, Snoop has become a celebrity who’s basically famous for being famous, but it’s still slightly jarring to see him make the jump from 420-obsessed rap artist with deep roots in the Los Angeles music scene to a wholesome torchbearer and NBC commentator. Don’t get me wrong, I love the new, softer Snoop! But how did he wind up carrying the torch on one of the biggest stages of the world?
It all started in 2021
During the 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan, which were delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Snoop and Kevin Hart added a lot of humor and flair to traditional sports commentary when they were tapped to provide color on NBC’s Peacock streaming service. One particular clip of the duo watching an equestrian event went viral, mostly because Snoop hilariously said the dressage horse looked like he was “doing a crip walk.”
Go ahead, try to watch without laughing. It’s impossible!
Is there any question why NBC hired Snoop as a special correspondent for the Paris Games? Speaking with Time, Snoop said he didn’t hesitate to say yes to the commentator gig. “Why not? Not why,” he said. “This is what I do, you know what I’m saying? I love being in front of the people. I love sports. I know what I’m talking about. The network is appealing enough to understand that we deserve each other. So we’re gonna make magic.”
He went on to describe himself as “just a kid that’s living his dream,” adding that he plans to track down the horse in the viral clip to say “What’s happening?” to him. “Bring him a couple of carrots, some apples or somethin’, know what I’m saying?”
Snoop on the scene
A quick glance at Snoop’s X page shows that he is indeed like a kid in a candy store! He arrived in Paris ten days before the opening ceremony and has been busy meeting athletes and their families and learning more about their journey to the Games. He will continue to explore the city’s famous landmarks while attending events and competitions throughout the Games, which run from July 26 to August 11.
Snoop lights one up … no, not that way
We’re talking about the Olympic torch … what did you think we meant? On July 23, 2024, Mathireu Hanotin, the mayor of a northern Paris suburb called Saint-Denis, announced on X that Snoop would be carrying the famous Olympic torch through his town in the last leg of the ceremonial relay before the torch arrives at the Eiffel Tower.
“Saint Denis: last step before the Eiffel Tower,” he wrote. “An international cast @SnoopDogg for the last stretch of the Olympic Flame.”
Snoop joins fellow torch-carriers Laetitia Casta, an actress from France, and French rapper MC Solaar. At previous Olympic Games, torchbearers have traditionally been a mixture of famous athletes, former Olympians, and entertainment personalities. In June, American actress Halle Berry carried the torch through Cannes, and on July 26, Selma Hayek will carry the torch along the Seine River.
No one knows who will have the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron on the night of the opening ceremony just yet, and that person’s identity is being kept tightly under wraps. Paris 2024 organizing committee president Tony Estanguet indicated that the special person has not even been notified that they’ve won the coveted spot yet.
Snoop is ready to represent the U.S.A.
If there’s one word to describe Snoop’s feelings about participating in the Olympic Games, it’s respect. The producer and entrepreneur told The Washington Post, “I look at this as a prestigious honor and something I truly respect. [ … ] I’m going to be on my best behavior. I’m going to be on my best athleticism. I’ll be able to breathe slow to walk fast and hold the torch with a smile on my face, because I realize how prestigious this event is.”
The 2024 Paris Olympic opening ceremonies will be held on Friday, July 26. Afterwards, the Olympic cauldron will be lit on the River Seine. We’ll be watching!
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