Snoop Dogg explains the real reason why The Game was not in the Super bowl in February 2022. In an interview with N.O.R.E on “Drink Champs Podcast,” Snoop Dogg explained in detail why he thought the game wasn’t in the Super bowl or why his not being invited warranted any further talks or grudges.
N.O.R.E stated that he thinks having The Game and Scott Storch would have added more meaning and essence to the Super bowl: “I didn’t see Storch Scott, I didn’t see The Game. And that’s the two things that I will like, these two things will be great.” Snoop Dogg cut him short to further elaborate why Dr. Dre had the right to bring whoever he wanted to the Super bowl:
“Let me tell you what you didn’t see that you aren’t saying that about. You didn’t hear G thing. You didn’t hear any f***in thing from the DTH row, what about that area?
That didn’t mean nothing? Okay then, so what about that? So you gotta look at Dr. Dre’s mind state. Whatever he was on, he was on. That was his show, they asked him to perform. So whoever he wanted to bring into the party, he had the right to.
And when he said, ‘I don’t wanna do this song, this song, this song,’ we couldn’t contest that ’cause they didn’t ask us to come. I would have loved to do “G thing,” “Gin and Juice,” “What’s My Name,” “Drop it like it’s hot”… anything out of my catalog… I didn’t get to do any Snoop Dogg songs. Yet I did everything to support Dr. Dre.”
This whole tension stemmed from the 2022 Super bowl LVI halftime show in February where The Game was excluded from the performance due to limited time that made it quite challenging to include everyone. While The Game thinks there was some sort of bias and favoritism going on as some artists who aren’t from the West Coast, especially given the Los Angeles location, the show could simply include more West Coast artists like himself [The Game]. Some artists were included who could simply be substituted with those who were from the West Coast. The halftime show included artists like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige
The game didn’t find it any funny or pleasing as he expressed his frustration and disappointment during interviews and social media outings, stating that it hurt his feelings because he’s from the West Coast and Los Angeles, his city, is strongly connected to his career and identity as a West Coast artist, not only that but also for how far he had come.
In an interview with the “I am Athlete podcast,” The Game stated his reason why he felt hurt by that action from Dr. Dre and the Super bowl organizers and why he wasn’t on the Super bowl:
“The real reason I wasn’t on the Super bowl was because I’m not a safe artist.
You don’t know what game you get under when you’re going up there. So it’s just like “he’s not safe” so they go with the safe artist.”
When asked how he felt about that, The Game said:
“The Super bowl was in LA, it’s a Dr. Dre Super bowl. But it is Jay-Z. But Jay-Z understands the dynamics of West Coast hip-hop very well, right? And I don’t think Jay-Z would have had a problem if Dre had said we bringing Game to the Super bowl.
Number one, outside myself, I also think he should have done the Super bowl. If it was a New York Super bowl, you might have saw Jay-Z, you might have saw Nas, you might have saw Mary J. Blige, you might have Alicia Keys, you might have saw anybody. ‘Cause we on the West Coast are the only mother******s who have this crowd embedment mentality where we wanna keep down or don’t do things based on what some body else might think it looks like.
Snoop was there because Snoop Dogg is safe. He’s a legend. My grandmother knows Snoop Dogg, and so do my children. You know what I’m saying? So it’s like Snoop is an icon, Dre is an icon. 50 Cent is not from LA. I’m not taking the fact that they were on the Super bowl, but LA should have been the first choice. It just wouldn’t have happened as LA, LA LA all round the Super bowl and I don’t get the call.”
The Game was asked the second time he felt. He concluded by saying:
“I was hurt about it” the interviewer interrupts.
The Game continues:
“Look let me tell you something, Snoop didn’t do me like that, Kendrick is not his Super bowl. I talked to Snoop about it and he was like “You know if it was my Super bowl blablabla” you know. That’s my uncle and I love him to death. I feel like Dre should have called and said “Why.” I would understand that ’cause I talk to Dre often and I just know if I was Dre and he was Game, he will be hitting up there.
That’s just it. It’s LA, and I am LA. Like I am in the streets and that’s it. So yeah it hurt. Now am I bothered by it today? No, I’m not bothered by it today. I feel that it was an amazing Super bowl and it was a win for our culture as home. I just felt like it was gonna be in LA then…then maybe you know…Money, power, and media can make you believe everybody’s brave you know what I’m saying. So again Em is an outstanding rapper but I’m just better.”
He concluded.
After all the ranting and agitation, Dr. Dre granted an interview with “The Drink Champs Podcast” and when asked about The Game’s exclusion from the Superbowl performance, he responded that he was fine with those he performed with stating “Nah, I was good. It was perfect,” insinuating that he was totally fine and okay with the lineup as it was and The Game’s exclusion wasn’t by chance or a misfit.
