Snoop Dogg managed to find himself in the middle of a brewing beef between two hip-hop heavyweights, Kendrick Lamar and Drake. The laid-back West Coast legend had been known for his laid-back disposition and times of diffusing some tension within the rap world. Inadvertently becoming a key player in said feud, Snoop played into the feud when he recently posted Drake’s controversial diss track “Taylor Made Freestyle” to his Instagram account. The move would’ve stirred the pot rather fast, urging a backlash from Kendrick Lamar on the very same wavelength of time and an apology in reciprocity from Snoop. Here’s how it all went down and what Snoop had to say about the whole incidence.
The trouble started in April 2024 with Snoop Dogg going to his Instagram story to repost Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle“. The song would immediately become a lightning rod for controversy, thanks in part to its AI-mimicked vocals of Tupac Shakur and Snoop himself. For many, it wasn’t just the employment of AI that was rubbing them the wrong way – jabs on the song were taken at Kendrick Lamar, who had not been too pleased at the sight of one of his mentors posting it online.
In turn, Kendrick Lamar went to his song “wacced out murals” to respond to the situation. He had rapped, “Snoop posted ‘Taylor Made,’ I prayed it was the edibles.” All that could be derived from this line was he believed Snoop, because of his affinity for edibles, had gotten high before posting such a thing.
Later on, realizing the repercussions his actions had brought about, Snoop Dogg corrected the misunderstanding right away. In an interview with Bootleg Kev, Snoop finally confirmed that he had not seen anything mentioned in the song when it was posted by him: “What had happened was, I did a collab post with somebody. When I do it, I don’t hear the music, I just see Gin & Juice ’cause that’s my brand, right?” Snoop said of the gin brand he co-owns with Dr. Dre. He added that he assumed the post was related to the brand, not a diss track.
Realizing the fallout, Snoop reached out to Kendrick with a contrite voicemail of apology. “Nephew, it’s Uncle Snoop. I got the message. I apologize. I was f**ked up. My bad,” he said. Kendrick, busy working on his own projects, didn’t pick up the phone, but the message from Snoop was clear: he didn’t mean to take sides or incite any beef.
The controversy with “Taylor Made Freestyle” wasn’t just about the diss. The track featured vocals from AI versions of Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg. That raised a few eyebrows, after the estate of Tupac threatened to file a lawsuit over unauthorized use of his likeness.
Although Snoop himself had admitted that he wasn’t even aware of his “appearance” on the track, AI reproduction of voices of dead artists added a layer of complications to the issue that finally brought wider discussions of ethics and legality regarding AI use in music.
But amidst the drama, Snoop said he did not want to get involved in the feud between Kendrick and Drake. An arbiter rather than an aggressor, Snoop simply explained that he likes being out of beefs. “I don’t want to be in nobody’s st, man. I like being in my own st,” Snoop said, really driving the point home, saying he comes in peace and with diplomacy.
He went further to express respect for Kendrick’s feelings expressed through music, having said that Kendrick was only telling his truth. “He’s a rapper, he’s supposed to speak his mind and tell his truth,” Snoop said. “That’s the way he felt, and he has the right to say that.
Reactions from the public regarding his involvement in the drama are mixed, though, as quite a number of fans appreciate Snoop’s willingness to make amends and clear the air. His take on free speech, and the fact artists should express themselves, resounded with many in the industry, as well. “The truth shouldn’t hurt you; it should make you better,” he reflected on the way the most uncomfortable of situations can be breeding blocks of growth.
