He was ready to make an entrance.
Snoop Dogg, the inimitable elder statesman of American hip-hop, lit up the first few days of the Paris Olympic Games. In his roles as a torchbearer during the opening ceremony and a special NBC Olympics correspondent, the 52-year-old rapper and entrepreneur has been a ubiquitous presence in the City of Lights, mixing it up with big-name athletes and cracking up viewers at home.
Here’s a look at some of Snoop’s best moments so far.
The torch relay
Snoop joined the torch relay during the opening ceremony Friday, carrying the Olympic flame through the streets of Saint-Denis, a suburb north of Paris.
He was joined by French actress Laetitia Casta and French rapper MC Solaar, among other cultural figures. They marked the 67th leg of the flame’s journey.
In a post-ceremony interview with Mike Tirico of NBC Sports, Snoop said he was struck by the symbolism of the relay.
“I felt like Muhammad Ali,” Snoop said. “I found out that when you hold the torch, you’re a peace messenger.”
“I was waving, shaking hands, kissing the babies — doing what I do, you understand me? Putting my foot in the pavement, letting the people know that we’re here. We’re here for peace, love, unity and great sportsmanship.”
The dance moves
TV cameras captured the moment Sunday when Team USA women’s gymnastics stars Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, competing in a qualifying round, pointed out someone in the crowd and started dancing.
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The cameras zoomed in on Snoop, standing in the first row of the seating area and showing off his moves. He was decked out in his trademark sunglasses and a white Team USA jacket. (He later revealed that he was wearing a Biles T-shirt under the jacket.)
The announcer asked a rhetorical question: “Anybody have any more fun than Snoop? I don’t think so.”
The swim lesson
Snoop tested out his “lung power” during a special swim lesson with Olympics icon Michael Phelps. In a video recorded to promote the Paris Games, Snoop donned a swim cap and goggles for a one-on-one session with Phelps, 39.
“When it comes to one of my lifetime goals, there’s only one man I can think of — Mr. 23-time, OG, the GOAT,” Snoop said.
Phelps explained that Olympic-level success in the pool requires wingspan and lung power. Snoop did not miss the chance to nod to his world-famous love for marijuana.
“You just described me! You said wingspan, lung power — I definitely have great lung power,” Snoop said.
Snoop and Phelps then tried to freestyle in sync. By the end of the lesson, the rapper was visibly winded.
“Mike, you make this look too easy,” Snoop said.
The color commentary
If you tuned into the USA vs. China badminton match Sunday, you got a sampling of Snoop’s skills as a sportscaster.
“Oh, I love this badminton right here — this is a great rally right here,” Snoop said.
“They’re rockin’ and rollin’, back and forth,” he added, before launching into a rapid-fire description of the game action:
The post How Snoop Dogg became a fixture of the Paris Olympics appeared first on NBC News.
