Snoop Dogg Addresses Recent Backlash Over LGBTQ+ Representation

Snoop Dogg is walking back comments he made about Disney and Pixar’s 2022 film "Lightyear" after sparking backlash over his reaction to the animated feature’s portrayal of a same-sex couple. The 53-year-old rapper admitted during a recent appearance on the "It’s Giving" podcast that he felt “scared to go to the movies” after being caught off guard by his grandson’s questions about a same-sex family depicted in the film. Snoop Dogg’s remarks drew sharp criticism online, with many accusing the rapper of being homophobic. Now, he's addressing the backlash.

The Pixar spinoff, which features Chris Evans as the voice of Buzz Lightyear, includes Uzo Aduba as space ranger Alisha Hawthorne. In a brief montage, Alisha is shown marrying her partner Kiko, raising a child, and sharing Disney’s first on-screen same-sex kiss. The sequence became a flashpoint before release when it was reinstated following internal outcry from Pixar staff over Disney’s handling of LGBTQ+ content.

“I didn’t come in for this sh-t. I just came to watch the goddamn movie,” Snoop Dogg said. “These are kids. We have to show that at this age? They’re going to ask questions. I don’t have the answer.”

In response to the controversy, Snoop Dogg moved quickly to clarify his stance, emphasizing that his confusion came from being put on the spot by his grandson. Commenting under a Hollywood Unlocked clip of activist T.S. Madison calling him out, he wrote, “All my gay friends [know] what’s up, they been calling me with love. My bad for not knowing the answers for a 6-year-old. Teach me how to learn. I’m not perfect.”

He added, “I was just caught off guard and had no answer for my grandsons. All my gay friends know I support the LGBTQ community.”

Snoop's initial comments quickly drew sharp criticism across social media, with many labeling them as homophobic. Among those weighing in was "Lightyear" screenwriter Lauren Gunderson, who addressed the uproar in an August 27 post on Threads.

“As we wrote early versions of what became 'LIGHTYEAR,' a key character needed a partner, and it was so natural to write ‘she’ instead of ‘he,’” Gunderson wrote at the time. “As small as that detail is in the film, I knew the representational effect it could have. Small line, big deal. I was elated that they kept it.”

As the backlash over Snoop’s "Lightyear" comments continues, social media users have been quick to point out what they see as contradictions in his history. One Instagram critic resurfaced images from Snoop Dogg's 2004 cameo on Showtime’s groundbreaking lesbian drama "The L Word," where he appeared in a scene opposite Jennifer Beals, who played fan-favorite character Bette Porter.

The post featured a four-frame collage presented as dialogue from the episode. In it, Bette tells Snoop she is waiting for her “half-sister.” His reply reads, “Beautiful half, I’m supposing.” When Bette corrects him, “More like the gay half," Snoop’s reaction is shown as, “Is that so? Sexy. Very sexy.”

This isn’t the first time Snoop Dogg has come under fire for comments about the LGBTQ+ community. Back in 2014, the rapper faced sharp backlash after using a homophobic slur in an Instagram caption. That same year, he drew even more criticism for a meme about Caitlyn Jenner, which many fans labeled as transphobic.

While promoting Akon’s solar power initiative in Africa, Snoop shared a side-by-side photo that featured Akon alongside Jenner, who had recently come out as transgender. The text on the image praised Akon for his philanthropic efforts but referred to Jenner as a “science project.” Snoop captioned the post, “News flash. @akon tune in to ggn for some real news.”

The post sparked immediate outrage online, with many blasting the rapper for being disrespectful and dismissive of Jenner’s transition. Critics called the meme “rude” and “distasteful,” and Snoop was inundated with comments from fans who accused him of promoting transphobia.

For now, Snoop Dogg is attempting to move forward, acknowledging the hurt his words caused, while promising to do better in the future.