Superstar recording artist and business mogul Calvin Broadus, known throughout the world as Snoop Dogg, is the latest “A-Lister” to sit down with “The Pivot Podcast”.
The West Coast don discussed a wide-range of topics touching on sports, hip-hop, mental health and more in the latest episode that debuted on May 23 on the show’s YouTube page.
Joined by co-hosts and former NFL stars Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor, Snoop began the episode explaining the importance of the youth football league he’s run for years. After acknowledging the latest NFL alum from his program, Houston Texans No. 2 overall draft pick C.J. Stroud, Snoop describes how this league has become an integral part of his life.
“I love the fact that I can actually get called coach, when these young men become grown men,” said Snoop. “That lets me know I’ve done my part. I remember as a kid how important coaches were to me. They always had an impact on me because they cared about my life other than sports. So I always wanted to replicate that. Once I got in a position to do that, it was my main purpose.”
Snoop Focuses On The Journey, Not The Rewards
The conversation stays on Snoop’s early years, which he believes are informative to his long-term success as he talks about not just focusing on how far he’s come, but on how he got here.
“Don’t just think of the successful, iconic, financial genius so to speak,” said Snoop. “Think about what it took to get here. Because that’s how you learn to sustain it. I’ve been in this game for 30 years and I’m able to have fun, be relevant and not be a financial disaster. Because I always think with my heart, not my mind.”
Snoop continued to go deep on the selfless mentality behind success, invoking NBA great LeBron James as an example of the principles that he lays out for his own business and personal ventures.
“You gotta have work ethic, and that’s for any profession you’re in,” said Snoop. “I look at LeBron James, 20 years in the game and he’s still able to keep his mind right, his body right and his skills right. It’s about being a student, while still being great. … To sustain, you have to realize that a true king loves to serve rather than be served.”
With the many highlights of his life and career, the co-hosts ask how Snoop was able to navigate the rocky road that many rappers hit when trying to transition beyond music and entertainment.
Snoop Protects His Mental Health While Playing Sports Close
“I know how to lock and load on what I need to be doing,” Snoop said. “If that means cutting you out or getting rid of you because you’re not an asset, then that’s what it is. It’s not personal, it’s business. We gotta learn that. F-ck what they’re gonna say. It’s about you and your mental.”
Snoop also said that people, particularly men, shouldn’t be afraid to seek help.
“Me and my family have sought counseling, because sometimes you need another voice to help you understand,” said Snoop. “There’s no such thing as being weak for asking for help. I’m not afraid to ask. … I like to share vulnerable moments with people to show I’m normal. I’m not always happy and I’m not always up. I feel how you feel.”
Snoop laid out the vision for his latest venture in the sports world, as he was recently announced as part of a potential ownership group for the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. After the success he’s had in youth football, Snoop believes he could make a difference in getting more Black children from underserved communities into the game of hockey.
“Who would of thought we would have done what we did in football?” Snoop asked. “Hockey is a growing sport, and it’s a global sport. I feel like Black kids would love to play it if it were offered to them. If they could just get on the ice at an early age.
The loquacious verb-spitter referenced the two GOATs of their respective sports as an example of what’s possible for Black kids in the sport of hockey with some inspiration and accessibility.
“They didn’t think we knew how to play golf or tennis, but lo and behold, Tiger Woods and Serena Williams f-cked the game up,” Snoop insisted. “If you give a kid a shot, this is what they’re gonna be. There’s so many kids like us who don’t wanna play baseball, football or basketball. They wanna play hockey, because it looks like fun.”
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: Will Chill
To close out the episode, Snoop laid out the plan for his future in “the industry.” He doesn’t ever see himself retiring from the game, but he definitely wants to hang up his hustle cleats and start making money without moving, like the elite entrepreneurs do.
“I’ve watched the greats, and when they’re not doing what they do anymore, they just don’t feel the same,” said Snoop. “I don’t wanna depart from the industry. … I don’t know what my future holds, but I don’t think I’ll ever fully retire. There’s just a time where I’ll pull back more and let others shine. Like going from a player to an owner. Right now I’m a player, you’re used to seeing me scoring. I think I want to be the owner now, sitting back while my players are scoring for me.”
