Snoop Dogg delivers riotous 3Arena performance

“How many people in the house tonight wanna get fucked up with the Dogg!?”, shouted West Coast Gangsta rapper Snoop Dogg to a sold-out crowd at Dublin’s 3Arena Sunday night.

That was indeed a good and relevant question! A heavy layer of what might be best described as 'fog' hung over the stage as Snoop took a big drag on a combustible – and that familiar, sweet smell seemed to hover in the air. With Snoop, the best thing to do is go with the flow. And we did.

Thirty years into his career, Snoop Dogg has seen it all. From No.1 records and running his own production company to a bizarre (yet enchanting) friendship with Martha Stewart, the “Dogg Father” is unequivocally one of hip-hop’s finest. His Ireland and UK tour dates were designed to explore his legacy across a lengthy career, hosting his greatest hits in their classic, swaggering form.

We anticipated in advance that the rapper would dance and smoke casually amidst it all and he did – think pole dancers, a classic 90’s DJ booth and a Supreme branded money gun. At this stage of his life, Snoop is comically mischievous, yet aware of the underlying absurdity of the persona he's built. Tonight, we'd see those tropes writ large. So how would it all go down? We were abut to find out...

GETTING WARMED UP!

Three years delayed by COVID, the night began with an electric performance from Detroit hip hop collective D12. Members Kuniva and Swifty McVay roused the early arrivals with 2001’s classic ‘Purple Pills', featuring touring member DJ Invisible, who donned an Irish flag t-shirt for the occasion.

Photo Credit: Peter O'Hanlon

Second up were Dublin rap duo Versatile – who have come under fire in the past for their sometimes controversial lyrics. No matter. They looked completely at home here on the big stage, as Casper (Casey Walsh) and Eskimo (Alex Sheehan) gave an ambitious and fiery performance for their hometown – with visuals of Dublin to match – performing rocking Irish hits such as 'Prefontaine' and 'Ketamine' to a crowd that seemed to know all the words, and were loving every minute of it.

Notably, the boys also paid tribute to famed rapper Coolio, who passed away tragically back in 2022. They performed their Coolio collaboration ‘Escape Wagon', accompanied by the corresponding video, which was filmed three years ago in Ringsend, Dublin, an area Coolio notably identifies as the “Compton of Europe.” I suspect Coolio knew what he was talking about.

Photo Credit: Peter O'Hanlon

At the comically unpunctual minute of 9:34, the monitor lit up and Snoop Dogg appeared on the big screen in an absurdist, yet bizarrely endearing skit in which he was trying to decide what colour bandana tracksuit to wear for the show – black or blue. Before the audience got to see which suit he chose on-screen, however, the lights darkened and he was gone.

Soon afterwards, the real Snoop arrived onstage: it turned out – guess what? – that he'd chosen blue for Dublin. He also sported sunglasses, dreads and a gold chain that said "Death Row", the name of the record company that Snoop himself owns.

SING IT WITH ME!

The rapper took a large pull from his blunt before opening the set with West Coast hip-hop track ‘The Next Episode'. On stage with him were four pole dancers, two backup singers and a DJ, all performing at maximum intensity. However, the audience were most inspired to go crazy by Snoop Dogg’s own swaggering dance moves, rolled out during the Dr. Dre segments of the song.

Next up was was ‘Deep Cover’, followed by an homage to the 'Godfather of Gangsta Rap', and NWA co-founder, Eazy E, with a ‘Boyz n the Hood’ remix. An image of the late hip-hop icon from Compton, California, was shown on the monitor.

After this came 1992’s ‘Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang'. The track – originally released on Dr. Dre’s debut record – is strongly conflated with cannabis culture, so naturally the stage lit up green. Plumes of smoke seemed to rise above the crowd in sympathy. A performer dressed in a monkey costume danced on the left side of the stage, a symbolic blunt hanging out of its masked mouth.

The pole dancers' talents were shown off during the next sequence of tracks, featuring ‘Signs', ‘Gin and Juice', ‘Wet', and ‘All I Do is Win'.

“Let talk to the ladies for a minute,” the rapper declaimed, approaching a pole dancer in a glittering black two-piece. “I’m gonna take my time,” he declared, raising his arm to grind on her. The rest of the dancers continued performing, displaying their strength, as they spun feet above the ground. “Doggy dog is a freak,” Snoop concluded.

The rapper then led the crowd in a chant. “Dublin, Ireland! If you wanna get fucked up, here’s what I want you to do,” he crooned to a backing beat. “Can somebody say ‘I wanna get fucked up? Say I wanna get fucked up'!”

“I wanna get fucked up!” the crowd responded in rhythm. Once again, that sweet smell intensified, and the room became hazier – or was I just imagining it?

Snoop Dogg’s next track thrilled the crowd from the first beats, immediately recognisable as Katy Perry’s 2010 hit ‘California Girls'. The rapper began with what was his verse on the original track, and the audience joined in riotously, some of the loudest crowd participation of the night, trailing in volume and enthusiasm only behind ‘The Episode' and ‘Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang'. Snoop then sang along to Katy’s chorus, shouting out to the California girls – there were a few! – among the crowd.

Photo Credit: Peter O'Hanlon

The next song played was 2002’s ‘Beautiful,’ originally featuring Pharell Williams. “Sing it with me,” shouted Snoop, arriving at the Y2K track’s infamously sappy and yet iconic chorus: "Beautiful, I just want you to know/ You're my favourite girl."

He then left the stage, apparently to take a break.

CALL AND RESPONSE ROUTINE

“This is a very important part of the show,” called out DJ Green Lantern, now solo onstage. “It’s the part of the show where I test your energy, so we can continue with the rest of the show. Do we got enough energy in the building tonight?”

The screaming crowd left us in no doubt.

DJ Green Lantern continued to hype up the audience, playing a slew of classic rap tracks, by the likes of Ice Cube and Dr. Dre. Towards the end of the DJ's set, Snoop Dogg sauntered back onto the stage and danced along with the crowd, wearing a mischievous grin. The show was on again.

“I got one question,” Snoop asked, drawing attention away from the DJ. “Can we do some old school Snoop Doggy Dogg?”

He took a long hit off his blunt before taking on the 1993 hit ‘Lodi Dodi'. The atmosphere became increasingly personal as the track progressed, with a single spotlight on the performer as he traced the edges of the stage, reaching out to the people at the barricade. Lit up blue, the audience appeared to appreciate this rare moment of intimacy, an oasis amidst the otherwise chaotic show.

Next up was ‘Let's Get Blown', a mid tempo, funk-infused track set against visuals of marijuana leaves. As if on cue, blue and green lights illuminated the haze.

The pole dancers returned for ‘Ain’t No Fun (If The Homies Can’t Have None)', the tenth track off of Snoop Dog’s debut album Doggystyle.

Photo Credit: Peter O'Hanlon

The rapper then checked in with the crowd. “I just want to make sure y’all are having a good time tonight,” he said, before opening ‘Snoop’s Upside Ya Head', a nostalgic track built on the Gap Band's '70s hit ‘Oops Upside Your Head'. He led the crowd in a call and response routine, getting the audience to sing “Snoop’s upside ya head" acapella style whenever the spotlight turned their way.

“Goddamn, I’ve been up here so long. I forgot to tell y’all where I’m from,” remarked Snoop Dogg after following track.

“California is in the house,” the Long Beach native proclaimed. “West Coast is in the house!”

He then covered 2Pac’s iconic 1995 hit, ‘California Love', performed in front of visuals of the Los Angeles skyline.

“I see you got a whole lot of California love in the house,” he called out to the cheering crowd.

“Dublin, Ireland let's see if you got love for this!?” he exclaimed, to the audiences delight, jumping into Biggie Smalls’ ‘Hypnotize'. Visuals of the artist, who died in 1997, showed on the monitor during the tribute, as people danced to the track. “Biggie smalls, rest in peace,” remarked Snoop Dogg as the beats faded out.

The next track was another tribute, this time to Tupac Shakur, who passed away in 1996. ‘2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted’ played over visuals of the rapper. "Say we love you," Snoop Dogg called out to the audience, after taking a long hit.

“We love you," crooned the crowd.

“Say we miss you.”

“We miss you.” The lights then faded to black.

SAY MY NAME

The spectacle picked up for Tha Blue Carpet Treatment’s ‘I Wanna Fuck You,’with the backups, pole dancers and lone monkey all back onstage, performing at full tilt. Snoop then leaned to the garish, grabbing a Supreme branded money gun and ‘making it rain’ over the pole dancers who were grinding on him.

The final tribute of the night was to East Coast hip-hop artist DMX, who passed away in 2021.

“I see Dublin Ireland got a whole lotta California love,” said the rapper. “I see Dublin, Ireland got love for Biggie Smalls. I see Dublin, Ireland got a whole lotta love for my n**** Tupac.

"I wanna see if Dublin, Ireland got love for DMX,” he added, motioning toward the photo of the rapper on the monitor.

“God rest your soul,” he said at the end of his cover of DMX’s ‘Party Up in Here'. “Rest in peace my brother.”

The rapper then crossed his arms in front of his chest, taking a moment of silence for the artist.

Photo Credit: Peter O'Hanlon

To describe the set as eclectic is to understate it. Snoop Dogg performed a cover of House of Pain’s ‘Jump Around', before the arena went dark once more. A black and white video of long-time collaborator Pharrell Williams then appeared on-screen, reminiscent of old Hollywood both in visual and audio quality.

“Snoop Doggy Dogg, Doggy Doggy Dogg,” Williams, resplendent in a suit and hat, sang , asking the crowd to help him sing one of his “favourite songs.”

Snoop Dogg returned to the stage, taking a long hit before opening ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot', his first ever No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. At the beat drop, the pole dancers returned to the stage, now two to a pole. One death-dropped dramatically from the top, catching herself just before landing on her silver-bikini clad partner.

The penultimate track was Doggystyle’s ‘Who Am I? (What's My Name?)'. Under blue and purple lighting, Snoop Dogg led a call and response to his name during the track. “I sorta, kinda want y'all to say my name a little something like this,” Snoop requested at the song’s opening. The audience, in their biggest moment of cohesion of the entire performance, waved their hands side to side, rippling like a dark sea.

SNOOP DON'T GO...

“I will be back to Dublin, Ireland,” shouted Snoop Dogg at the end of the track, all monitors now showing a close-up of his face. “I gotta give a shoutout to all the parents who brought their kids. I gotta give a shoutout to all the people who bought their tickets before COVID. I gotta give a shoutout to all the fans who've been with Snoop Doggy Dogg since 1992. I love y'all."

Photo Credit: Peter O'Hanlon

“Before I leave I gotta sing our national anthem,” the rapper said with a sly smile. “You know what I’m talking about right?”

Wiz Khalifa collaboration ‘Young, Wild & Free’ was played – it was like a final sprint for everyone in the audience. People wrapped their arms euphorically around one another to croon the wistful pop-rap tune in not so elegant harmony. The pole dancers did the same on stage, making it their most PG dance of the night.

“Thank you Dublin,” Snoop Dogg called out, at the song’s conclusion. “Peace, love and soul.”

He then bowed a number of times before leaving the stage, played out by a recording of the track ‘Snoopy Don’t Go'.

Fans continued to sing ‘Young, Wild & Free,’ acapella style as they cleared out of the arena, leaving a floor covered in the familiar debris of a great night out. It was clear Dublin had satisfied the rapper’s wish. We got “fucked up with the Dogg.”