Snoop Dogg has found himself in a bit of controversy lately, after the rapper went viral for saying that the lesbian characters in 2022’s Lightyear made him “scared to go to the movies.” This is all happening in the weeks ahead of Snoop’s return to the 2025 TV schedule to serve as a coach on The Voice for Season 28, and a source is alleging that the drama has affected the NBC singing competition.
The rapper appeared on the It’s Giving podcast in August, saying that Lightyear’s LGBTQ+ story featuring two women who had a baby prompted questions from his grandson that he “didn’t have an answer for.” According to a supposed insider, per The Sun, NBC is “furious” about Snoop Dogg’s comments, which included saying that queer representation is “everywhere” and asking why it has to be shown to children. According to the source:
This is the exact kind of conversation [the execs at NBC] didn’t want to be sucked into. Production had to remind him that he works for an inclusive, apolitical, family-friendly show, and comments like this only go on to create a divisive environment.
NBC has not made an official comment about Snoop Dogg’s viral podcast appearance or even acknowledged it. However, it is true that polarizing topics like politics rarely come up, regardless of the leanings of the various celebrities who rotate in and out of the Big Red Chairs.
Also, many contestants in The Voice’s first 27 seasons have identified themselves as part of the LGBTQ+ community. With that, the insider went on to say that the current situation could allegedly affect whether or not Snoop Dogg returns to the singing competition for a third season. The source said:
The show does not condone the comments whatsoever. This is the opposite of the kind of spotlight they want on the show just ahead of the new season. And it just makes contestants and even some crew members not feel like the set is a safe space since they have all different kinds of people part of making this show come to life.
Whether or not the source is correct that Snoop Dogg’s opinion about Lightyear has caused some issues with the NBC brass, I wouldn’t expect to see it addressed when The Voice Season 28 premieres at 8 p.m. ET Monday, September 22, on NBC (streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription).
With much of the season already filmed before the viral podcast appearance, it’s unlikely that we’ll see any of the tension Snoop is alleged to have created with his bosses, and even if he isn’t invited back following this season, we’ll probably never know if or how much this controversy played into it.
Snoop Dogg stepped away for Season 27 but is returning as a coach for his second attempt, joining Niall Horan, Reba McEntire and Michael Bublé in helping budding artists try to crack their way into the music industry.
In his first appearance, Gwen Stefani said she thought the “Gin and Juice” artist struggled to critique his team members, and it’s true that he often became emotional during episodes and, growing to think of the singers as his family by the end of the show. We'll just have to wait and see if this affects his standing as part of The Voice family.
