Snoop Dogg has spoken out after receiving heavy criticism for comments he made about LGBTQ+ representation in kids’ films.
The rap mogul, 53, went viral for the wrong reasons this month thanks to some bizarre remarks about the depiction of a same-sex kiss in 2022 film Lightyear, which served as a prequel spin-off to the main Toy Story franchise.
Lightyear followed the real-life Buzz Lightyear doll (voiced by Chris Evans) on an intergalactic adventure, but one scene in particular had people talking at the time, as a kiss between two mums was included.
The peck was actually removed from some versions by Disney but restored following widespread backlash from employees.
And one of the people with things to say about the same-sex kiss was Snoop—real name Calvin Broadus Jr.—who recently revealed it provoked his young grandson to ask questions about how two women could have a baby together.
On X, users branded Snoop ‘homophobic’ for stating that he was ‘scared to go to the movies’ because of such scenes and reminded him it’s ‘not hard to explain’ the existence of a gay couple to a child.
Now, the record producer has responded to the criticism, admitting he was ‘caught off guard’.
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The 16-time Grammy nominee commented on a Hollywood Unlocked Instagram post about the story, writing: ‘I was just caught off guard and had no answer for my grandsons all my gay friends no what’s up they been calling me with love 💗 ‘
He added: ‘my bad for not knowing the answers for a 6 yr old 😳teach me how to learn I’m not perfect 🙌🏿🙏🏾🐾 [sic]’.
The reaction to Snoop’s attempt at an apology was mixed, with some assuring him that he said ‘nothing wrong’, while others told him that the movie ‘wasn’t the problem’.
In his original remarks, made on the It’s Giving podcast, the Drop It Like It’s Hot hitmaker said: ‘They’re putting it everywhere.
‘[Did she have] a baby with another woman? Well, my grandson, in the middle of the movie, is like, “Papa Snoop? How she have a baby with a woman? She’s a woman!”‘
Snoop added that he ‘didn’t come to the movies for this s**t’, declaring: ‘I just came to watch the goddamn movie.’
‘Y’all throwing me in the middle of s**t that I don’t have an answer for,’ he also said, baffled.
‘These are kids. We have to show [two women kissing] at this age? They’re going to ask questions, and I don’t have the answer.’
Screenwriter Lauren Gunderson later came out to defend the same-sex couple in the film, revealing that she created ‘the Lightyear lesbians’.
‘In 2018, I was a writer at Pixar – such a cool place, grateful to work there, learned a ton from kind and impressive creatives,’ she said in a social media post.
‘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.” 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.
‘I’m proud of it. To infinity. Love is love. I was one of a few writers they had on it over the years, which is very common for screenwriting of course. I had very little to do with the final script. But I was proud to see a happy queer couple (even for a few seconds) onscreen.’
She added that while the film got ‘a lot of s**t’ because of the representation, she recognises that ‘stuff like this matters because beautiful love like this exists.’
Lead voice actor Evans already spoke out in 2022 about the criticism, telling Reuters of the kiss scene: ‘The real truth is those people are idiots.
‘Every time there’s been social advancement as we wake up, the American story, the human story, is one of constant social awakening and growth, and that’s what makes us good.’
Snoop has seven grandchildren, and ‘Papa Snoop’ is a title he’s fully embraced.
The musician became a grandfather for the first time in 2015, and he now has grandkids: Zion, 10, Elleven, seven, Cordoba, six, Sky, four, Chateau, four, and Symphony Sol, whose birth date is unknown, but her mother announced the pregnancy in December 2022.
Then, five months ago, Snoop’s daughter Cori Broadus welcomed a baby girl, adding to the brood.
Snoop also had a grandchild in the form of Kai Love Broadus, who was born in September 2019 but sadly died 10 days later.
Speaking previously about his family, Snoop told People: ‘My grandkids are my everything, because they all individually get a piece of my heart, and they’re different.’
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