During his trip to Australia next month for the AFL grand final, it has been confirmed that Snoop Dogg will head to Sydney.
Straight after his performance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, September 27th, the legendary US rapper will fly to Sydney to perform a DJ set at the brand new Bella LIVE venue in Bella Vista.
Opened earlier this month, Bella LIVE, designed by Archebiosis Architects, features a 17.5-metre bar, a 10 x 8-metre stage, VIP booths, and two fully-appointed green rooms that meet rider expectations for A-list touring artists. The venue is equipped with a custom audio system, dynamic LED stage lighting, and modular spaces designed for everything from live gigs to corporate events.
It has already hosted performances from the likes of Will Sparks and and Set Mo, while Bag Raiders are also scheduled to play there next weekend.
Tickets for the performance go on sale from 10am on Tuesday, September 2nd. Click here for more details.
Snoop Dogg will also take his DJ set to Greenwood Hotel in North Sydney on Sunday, September 28th.
It comes as the AFL has been pressured to drop Snoop Dogg from the coveted AFL performance this week. In the Senate on Monday (August 25th), Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young claimed that Snoop’s history of misogyny and homophobia should have precluded him from performing at the Grand Final, arguing that the AFL should have instead looked towards homegrown talent for the headline slot.
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“Why is it that the AFL is bringing in an international artist — a slur merchant — paying them $2 million, rather than backing Aussie talent?” she asked. “The AFL has decided for the grand final, rather than putting on an Australian artist, they’re going to pay Snoop Dogg $2 million to play at the Grand Final.
“The AFL is a cultural institution, and cultural institutions like this should be backing the rest of our cultural institutions. Our artists, our musicians, our music industry, right here at home.”
Hanson-Young further pointed out the hypocrisy at the heart of Snoop’s booking.
“The irony is not lost on many of us that while Izak Rankine gets dumped, Snoop Dogg gets $2 million to play his misogynistic, homophobic music on our turf,” she noted, referencing Adelaide Crows forward Izak Rankine, who was issued a five-game suspension over the use of a homophobic slur. (Rankine’s suspension was later downgraded to four games.)
“We need investment in Australian and Aussie talent. We need investment in our music industry, and we need to say that if it’s an Aussie game, it’s an Aussie artist playing.”
Snoop continued his long history of homophobic remarks on a recent episode of the It’s Giving podcast, revealing the discomfort he felt at watching Disney’s Toy Story spinoff film Lightyear when his grandson asked questions about the same-sex couple in the film.
“They move on into the space years, and as they move down the line they’re like, ‘Then, she had a baby with a woman,’” Snoop said. “Now, my grandson, in the middle of the movie, is like, ‘Papa Snoop? How she have a baby with a woman? She’s a woman.’ Ah shit, I didn’t come in here for this shit. I just came to watch the goddamn movie.”
Prior to this, AFL CEO Andrew Dillion defended the decision, saying: “We cannot vouch for every lyric in every song ever written or performed by any artist who has appeared on our stage — Australian or international. What I can say is that our pre-match entertainment on AFL Grand Final day will be family-friendly and consistent with the audience at the MCG and those watching the broadcast.”
Rolling Stone AU/NZ has contacted the AFL for comment.
