Just a West Coast G-funk Legend Bringing the House Down for Indian Cinema
In 2008, the Bollywood film industry and West Coast hip-hop collided in what can only be described as a cultural event so unexpected that it managed to both confuse and delight audiences around the world. That year, Snoop Dogg performed at the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA), held in Miami, Florida—marking the first time the glittering award show had been hosted in the United States. Naturally, the organizers chose Snoop Dogg as one of the headlining performers because why wouldn’t you book Long Beach’s finest to turn up a ceremony honoring Bollywood’s best?
This wasn’t just a one-off appearance either. Around the same time, Snoop had made his Bollywood debut, appearing in a full music video for the film *Singh Is Kinng* starring Akshay Kumar. Dressed in a saffron turban, surrounded by bhangra dancers, and rapping on top of Punjabi beats, Snoop delivered rhymes introducing himself as “Singh” and declaring allegiance to the “king of Bollywood.” The seamless blending of G-funk swagger with desi beats somehow worked, partially because of the beat and partially because Snoop seemed completely unfazed by the cultural jump.
That performance at the IIFA Awards saw Snoop take the stage alongside Indian performers, rapping for an audience that included Bollywood royalty, Indian politicians, and approximately twelve people who knew the lyrics to “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” It was, in all respects, an intercontinental collision of vibes and an early indicator of Snoop’s long-standing commitment to never turning down a collaboration, no matter how geographically or tonally unexpected it may be.
Snoop Dogg’s short but potent venture into Bollywood left an imprint. The song from *Singh Is Kinng* became a massive hit in India, and the music video—to this day—lives on as a relic of the exact moment when hip-hop global dominance expanded to include Bhangra choruses and golden sherwanis. And while he never transitioned into a full-time Bollywood playback singer, the venture stands as another bold entry on the ever-expanding resume of a man who has somehow become both a household name and an ongoing international curiosity.
It remains unclear whether anyone at the IIFA Awards that night expected to hear the phrase “Big Snoop Dogg, Singh is the king” yelled to a dancing sea of sequined sarees and tuxedos in Miami. But then again, nobody should be surprised anymore. This is Snoop Dogg’s world. We all just get the occasional chance to bhangra in it.