Rapper Snoop Dogg is set to carry the Olympic torch during the final leg of its tour across France ahead of Friday’s Olympic opening ceremony in Paris.
Mathieu Hanotin, the mayor of Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, took to X on Monday to confirm the news. Mr. Hanotin said the city—perched on the bank of the Seine River—will serve as the final stop on the Olympic Torch Relay’s cross-country route, marking the start of the 2024 Paris Games, set to run from July 26 to Aug. 11.
In addition to his torchbearer duties, Snoop Dogg, born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., will also serve as a commentator for NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Paris Games. The rapper previously reported for NBC’s streaming platform Peacock during the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics—held in 2021 because of the pandemic—providing colorful sports commentary alongside comedian Kevin Hart.
“Snoop is already an Olympic gold medal commentator, generating tens of millions of views for his highlights commentary on Peacock of the dressage competition during the Tokyo Olympics,” Molly Solomon, the executive producer and president of NBC Olympics Production, said in a December 2023 statement.
“That performance alone has earned Snoop a job as our Special Correspondent in Paris,” she continued. “We don’t know what the heck is going to happen every day, but we know he will add his unique perspective to our re-imagined Olympic primetime show.”
In turn, Snoop Dogg said he will bringing his signature “Snoop style to the mix” throughout his Olympic commentating duties.
“I grew up watching the Olympics and am thrilled to see the incredible athletes bring their A-game to Paris. It’s a celebration of skill, dedication, and the pursuit of greatness,” the record producer shared.
“It’s going to be the most epic Olympics ever, so stay tuned, and keep it locked. Let’s elevate, celebrate, and make these games unforgettable, smoke the competition, and may the best shine like gold. Peace and Olympic LOVE, ya dig?”
Celebrity Torchbearers
The Olympic flame was lit on April 16 in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, before embarking on a days-long journey across the Mediterranean Sea aboard Europe’s oldest three-masted sailing ship, the Bélem, per the Paris Olympics.
After arriving in Marseille, France, on May 8, the Olympic torch began its trip across the European country, stopping in Bordeaux, Angers, Fort-de-France, Nice, Versailles, and other French cities.
Various other celebrities and notable figures were among the 11,000 torchbearers who preceded Snoop Dogg in carrying the Olympic flame to Paris, including former professional snowboarder Shaun White, actress Halle Berry, and Thierry Frémaux, the director of the Cannes Film Festival.
Ms. Berry commemorated her passing of the torch in an Instagram post, shared on June 20.
“Guess who ran the Olympic torch up the Palais steps this week,” she wrote. “Thank you to the Olympic committee for having me. It was the highlight of my life!”
Mr. White, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, followed suit, sharing a carousel of images and clips of him carrying the Olympic torch in Cannes.
“I’ve seen this on television, I’ve seen it in person, but to be chosen to run with the @olympics torch was such an honor I’ll never forget. I won’t lie I got emotional feeling that Olympic energy again. Thank you,” he wrote on June 20.
In a January statement, Tony Estanguet, a French slalom canoeist and three-time Olympic champion who serves as the president of the 2024 Paris Games, reflected on the symbolic tradition celebrating the passing of the Olympic flame.
“The Torch Relay is, above all, a human adventure, represented by the stories of each Torchbearer. Be they athletes or sports enthusiasts, committed to their local communities or involved in meaningful community projects, the people we call the Forerunners represent the richness and diversity of our society,” Mr. Estanguet shared.
“With them, the Torch Relay will be a wonderful moment of openness, transmission and sharing. Congratulations to all our Torchbearers, and we look forward to seeing you on the roads of France … to experience this fabulous adventure together!”