PARIS – Snoop Dogg steps out of a sleek black SUV, his entourage in tow, as a Parisian crowd erupts into chants of “Snoop, Snoop, Snoop!” outside the NBC set.
Decked out in a custom-made, Noah Lyles-themed USA sweatsuit, the ultra-smooth entertainer glides past the adoring fans with flashing phone cameras into the Musee de l’Homme. Inside, his longtime friend Martha Stewart greets him with a hug. They chat, clink champagne glasses and then he “crip walks” onto the set to film a Sunday night segment.
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OK, the show can start — Snoop has arrived. Literally.
At the Paris Games, grand entrances have become the norm in Snoop’s spectacular Olympic life.
“When the lights are on, that's when I shine the best,” he told The Associated Press after returning from watching Lyles' historic victory in the 100-meter sprint and filming a primetime segment with Mike Tirico and Stewart, a surprise guest.
“This opportunity was nothing but a chance for me to show the world what it's supposed to look like when you put the right person in the right environment,” Snoop said.
Snoop, 52, has become the star of the Paris Games, ascending to new heights with several memorable moments. He’s carried the Olympic torch, captivated audiences as NBC's prime-time correspondent, swam with Michael Phelps, attended a U.S. women's soccer game with Megan Rapinoe, danced with Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, and cheered on Caeleb Dressel alongside the swimmer’s wife and son.
The rap icon is currently in his comfort zone. And sleep? Even that's having a hard time catching up with the on-the-go multihyphenate entertainer.
“It’s more about relaxing rather than sleeping because I’m having so much fun,” he said. “This ain’t the town to sleep in. This ain’t the time to sleep. This is time to be on it like you want it. It’s different events happening day and night. I want to be active with everything, because I love the American athletes and competition. This is what I’m here for.”
Stewart said she's extremely proud of how Snoop is successfully taking on the challenge. She was impressed by his ability to genuinely connect with Olympians and their family members.
“I think he's done an amazing job for the Olympics,” said Stewart, who attended a equestrian team dressage event with Snoop on her 83rd birthday Saturday. For the horseback riding competition, the duo wore matching helmets, black jackets and white pants.
“This is the celebration of the finest athleticism ever in the world and he has made it so accessible to everybody,” she continued. “That's his talent. Everybody loves him.”
Snoop also has the Games' most in-demand souvenir: A Snoop Dogg pin, which shows him wearing a blue top while exhaling rings colored the same as the Olympics logo. He's gifted one to tennis star Coco Gauff, but passed on offering more details for now on how to obtain more saying, “I'm going to be honest with you. I have zero answers for that.”
Meanwhile, Snoop has mastered the art of being himself in front of the television camera — even for a global audience. He initially went into his correspondent assignment, thinking NBC wanted more “buttoned-up” commentary from him until network executives encouraged him to be his authentic self — especially after seeing his in-person potential during the U.S. Olympic trials.
At the trials, Snoop had done casual on-video interviews with a few Olympians about their sports, including women’s basketball player A’ja Wilson, gymnast Sunisa Lee, skateboarder Jagger Eaton and beach volleyball players Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng. He met with Lyles and participated in a 200-meter race — clocking in at 34.44 seconds — with NBC analyst and former Trinidadian track star Ato Boldon and former U.S. national champion Wallace Spearmon.
“This is what I do. I do it every day,” said the rapper, who had already become a fan favorite during the Tokyo Games, when he and Kevin Hart did in-studio commentary for Peacock in which he called a “layup drill.”
“That’s why it’s not hard for me,” he said. “It’s not like an act. The bits that we do. They’re comfortable. They’re not stretched or forced. It’s me being me.”
Snoop's presence in Paris is part of NBC's bet to boost ratings by infusing coverage with pop culture. So far, the U.S. broadcaster's strategy has worked, combined with the star power from U.S. Olympians such as Biles, Katie Ledecky and Sha'Carri Richardson. Through a five-day span beginning with the opening ceremony on July 26, the company averaged 34 million people a day watching on NBC, cable networks and Peacock, up from 19 million over the same period in Tokyo.
On Saturday, the network drew nearly 35 million, doubling Tokyo's second Saturday numbers.
Tirico credits Snoop with being a major piece to NBC's coverage. He said the rapper's hard work matches his creative talents.
“That license to color outside the lines is what makes the greats, great. He knows how to do that and keep the picture looking good,” said the sportscaster, who has worked with Snoop during ideas sessions. “I'm not surprised because I've seen the process in some of the pre-meetings. He's added more than I ever imagined he would.”
Snoop has come a long way since he broke through 30 years ago as part of the West Coast gangsta rap scene with Dr. Dre in a career marred with several brushes with the law. He branched out as an actor in films like “Training Day” and “Starsky & Hutch,” and as a reality star with Stewart's “Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party.”
“But remember, I’m a rapper. So ain’t no rapper ever did what I’m doing,” said Snoop, who first showed his on-camera commentary capabilities for his viral take on the Jake Paul-Nate Robinson boxing match in 2020.
“It's limitations to the field that I come from,” he said. “Rappers aren't supposed to do this. I tend to do the unthinkable.”
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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games