Snoop Dogg was supposed to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame this year, but the rapper has now pulled out of 2023’s class due to “personal reasons.”
According to Billboard, the Long Beach rapper is still open to being honored but now intends on joining the class of 2024. He isn’t the only person to pull out of the event as Sade will also not be attending the event, and like Snoop, she has expressed her interest in joining a future class.
The news comes just two days before the Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner is set to take place. The organization’s 52nd ceremony is scheduled for Thursday (June 15) at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
The exact cause of Snoop Dogg’s withdrawal is unclear as of now. The “Drop It Like It’s Hot” rapper did, however, express his excitement in an Instagram post soon after the inductees were announced in January. In the video, he also talks about how he has always wanted to work with Sade and that he is honored to be in the same class as her.
“Damn, Songwriters Hall of Fame? That’s big,” he said. “And just to think, I’ve been telling people for the past seven years, ‘Who you wanna do a song with, Snoop?’ I’d always say Sade. And now we going to the Songwriters Hall of Fame on the same day.”
He added: “Just a little kid from the East Side of Long Beach that had a big ass dream. It is true that dreams can come true. If it happened to me, it can happen to you. Keep dreaming, keep believing, keep being you. Keep God in your life. Do more right than wrong. Make your life a song. Thank you.”
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Aside from the Death Row boss and “Smooth Operator” singer, the other five inductees on this year’s card are Glen Ballard, Gloria Estefan, Jeff Lynne, Teddy Riley and Liz Rose. Artists become eligible for a nomination 20 years after their first commercial release, and the Hall of Fame currently boasts over 400 inductees since it was founded in 1969.
Additionally, Post Malone will be honored with the Hal David Starlight Award “to honor gifted songwriters who are at an apex in their careers and are making a significant impact in the music industry via their original songs.”
In other news, Snoop recently spoke about “Gin and Juice” not winning Best Rap Solo Performance at the 1995 Grammy Awards. Though he admitted to being disappointed by the loss in his audiobook, From Tha Streets To The Suites, he revealed that one person was able to cheer him up.
“Queen Latifah approached me about that song,” Snoop Dogg explained. “Me and her was nominated for a Grammy for [‘Gin and Juice’] against ‘U.N.I.T.Y..’ She won and I was hurt, but she was like, ‘N-gga, I love ‘Gin and Juice.’ That’s my favorite shit.’ So then I got unhurt fast.”
He continued: “You know a muthafucka get hurt ’cause he lose and shit. But I’m like, damn this is the Queen, n-gga. Bow down. This is the muthafuckin’ queen, and she told me that. She said: ‘But, I love ‘Gin and Juice,’ that’s my favorite shit.’ So I was like you know what? I can take that L.”
[via]
