Snoop Dogg has addressed the wave of backlash he’s received for performing at Donald Trump’s inauguration event, the Crypto Ball, on January 17, 2025.

The rapper, known for his past criticisms of Trump, took to Instagram Live to respond to the controversy with a message of resilience and self-love.

“It’s Sunday, I got gospel in my heart,” the 53-year-old said in the video, in which he was seen smoking while listening to gospel music in his car.

“For all the hate, I’m going to answer with love. I’m cool. I’m together. Still a Black man. Still 100 percent Black.”
Snoop Dogg

Snoop used his platform to call for unity, addressing the negative comments he’s faced.

“We gotta learn to pick each other up instead of pulling each other down. You can be up one minute, and they’ll try to pull you down the next. But I’m a strong Black man. You can’t tear me down.”
Snoop Dogg

Despite his performance at Trump’s event, Snoop emphasized that his approach to negativity is rooted in positivity. “The only way to beat hate is with love,” he concluded.

Snoop’s decision to perform for Trump surprised many, given his outspoken criticism of the former President in the past.

In 2016 Snoop publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton for the presidency. After Trump’s victory, he called out Black artists who performed at Trump’s inauguration, labeling them as “jiggaboos”. Then in 2018, he referred to Trump and his supporters as ‘racists’.

However, when Trump granted clemency to Michael “Harry-O” Harris, co-founder of Death Row Records, Snoop publicly thanked the President for the gesture, and his criticism of the former president mellowed.

Following his performance, Snoop reportedly lost over 500,000 Instagram followers and nearly 20,000 on X (formerly Twitter). Critics took to social media to question his decision, but Snoop remained unfazed.

Snoop wasn’t alone at the event. Rick Ross, Soulja Boy, Carrie Underwood, and others also performed at various inauguration celebrations.

Snoop Dogg Hails 2Pac’s Impact on Music Career

The legendary rapper shared his thoughts on the lasting impact of the late 2Pac on his career, stating that he admired his work ethic and now carries “his spirit” inside of him.

Snoop opened up about how the late 2Pac influenced him and the culture at Death Row Records.

To Snoop Dogg, 2Pac encouragement in taking his creativity and style to a new level ultimately led him to become a better version of himself.

“When 2Pac came to Death Row [Records], he was like, ‘Na, you gotta step your fly up. Na, you gotta get your hair done, your nails done, like the players in the Bay.’ When we did the ‘[2 of] Amerikaz Most Wanted’ video, he specifically said, ‘Na, lay your shit down… I ain’t got no hair, na.’”
Snoop Dogg

The legendary rapper also described 2Pac as someone with a deep understanding of what it meant to be a star and professional, and he said that quickly transformed the operations at Death Row.

“He was way ahead of us. We were just artists, he was a superstar, you see what I’m saying? He probably wasn’t a big ass superstar, but he was a superstar as far as knowing and understanding what it takes to be a star.”
Snoop Dogg

In 1996, 2Pac was killed in a drive-by shooting at age 25 but had already been involved in movies and on set, which reportedly helped him understand what Death Row needed to do to succeed. “He helped us get great at spontaneous things like making music and putting stuff out,” Snoop said.

One of the key ways 2Pac influenced Death Row was in how the label adopted ways to be productive, especially in the studio.

Snoop recalled that before 2Pac’s arrival, time at the studio was often wasted, but the late rapper quickly instilled a new sense of urgency, and that was key in turning things around.

“Studio time became valuable when he was there. Before it was just like n**s in there nine hours. Now it’s like, ‘That n*a ‘Pac coming up here looking to work. Whoever in their bullshit gotta get out.’”
Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg stated that he continues to carry 2Pac’s spirit of productivity, particularly now that he owns Death Row Records, a label he acquired in 2022.

“As I move with Death Row now, his spirit is all in me. That’s how I move. I don’t wait. I used to wait.”
Snoop Dogg

The 53-year-old revealed 2Pac helped shift the label’s mindset about music creation from a place of perfecting one song to pushing the team to stay focused on continuous creativity, and it has remained crucial to his successful career.