And why does he throw flaming microphones at enemies?
In the ever-unfolding multiverse that is Snoop Dogg’s extracurricular career decisions, there exists a mobile game released in 2015 titled “Way of the Dogg.” Equal parts rhythm game and animated martial arts spectacle, it features the rapper himself—not as just a voice actor or musical contributor—but as the central kung fu master in a revenge-driven narrative infused with his likeness, music, and unusually serene affirmations between roundhouse kicks.
Developed by 505 Games, “Way of the Dogg” follows the story of America Jones, a smoldering fighter whose life takes a drastic turn when his girlfriend is murdered. Who does America Jones turn to for guidance in channeling his grief through disciplined combat? Naturally, Snoop Dogg. Cast as an all-wise mentor named—wait for it—”Sensei Dogg,” Snoop trains the protagonist through a series of rhythm-based battles that play out over stylized backdrops and pulsing with west coast beats.
The game, available across Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, iOS, and Android, is a hybrid experience that fuses beat-matching gameplay with audiovisual themes straight from a Snoop Dogg mixtape. One moment you’re matching beats to classic tracks like “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?” and the next you’re witnessing animated Snoop in a red gi levitating slightly as he dispenses cryptic life advice and hurls flaming microphones at rival fighters.
Aside from the alarming serenity with which Sensei Dogg guides players through intense kung fu sequences—some of which take place in what appears to be vaporwave warehouses—the game’s true achievement lies in how sincerely it treats its own impossible premise. At no point does the narrative suggest sarcasm. The Snoop-centric martial arts journey is presented with the narrative rigor of a samurai epic, implying that not only is Snoop Dogg your musical inspiration, but also your path to spiritual enlightenment through funk-fueled combat sequences.
Oddly enough, reviews were mixed, yet uniformly baffled. Critics seemed uncertain whether the game was a bold artistic statement or an extended inside joke that no one was fully in on. Yet through it all, Snoop, resplendent in animated form, maintains an unwavering commitment to the game’s premise: that hip-hop and kung fu were always destined to collide—and that he, Snoop Dogg, is their mystical convergence point.
And so, tucked into the folds of App Store archives and faded gamer forums, remains “Way of the Dogg,” the story of a man, his fists, and the gin-and-juice-slick soundtrack that guides them. If nothing else, it’s a timely reminder that when Snoop Dogg decides to become a martial arts mentor in a video game, the only appropriate response is acceptance.