In January 2025, Snoop Dogg stirred controversy by DJing for half an hour at the Crypto Ball—an event tied to President Trump’s inauguration weekend. He defended it as a crypto initiative aimed at bringing financial literacy to underserved communities, not a political endorsement.
The backlash was swift: Snoop lost over 500,000 Instagram followers and thousands on X within days. Critics called him a “sell-out,” accusing him of abandoning his long-held anti-Trump stance after publicly mocking the former president in past songs like “Lavender.”
But Snoop hasn’t backed down. In interviews—including one on *The Breakfast Club*—he doubled down, calling his critics the real problem and insisting he represents the “Gangster Party,” not Republicans or Democrats. He emphasized the event was meant to benefit the inner city, not praise Trump.
He followed the performance with a surprise album, Iz It a Crime?, describing it as “therapy” to process the backlash and defend his legacy.
For hip-hop fans, this was more than a show—it was a headline-making moment that sparked debates about authenticity, loyalty, and the blurred lines between art, activism, and commerce.