Snoop Dogg on His New Album, and His ‘Unbreakable’ Friendship With Martha Stewart, and His Massive 2024

Few folks had as big—and as good—of a 2024 as Snoop Dogg. From releasing a movie at the top of the year to stealing the show at the Paris Olympics, the 53-year-old rapper has been busy as hell. And he’s not slowing down. This month, he released his latest album, Missionary, which saw him back in the studio with mentor and producer Dr. Dre. The first album the duo has worked on together since 1995’s Doggystyle, it’s living proof that even three decades after his breakout, Snoop hasn’t lost a step. His flow is as effortlessly energetic as ever as he raps alongside a slew of collaborators like Method Man, Eminem, 50 Cent, Jhené Aiko, and more.

Next up in 2025? A list of projects as long as his achievements this year. So I hopped on a video call with him to talk about his ongoing partnership with Skechers, his “unbreakable” friendship with Martha Stewart, and what we can look out for—including a biopic and a Death Row documentary—in the not-too-distant future.

Snoop with Martha Stewart, who was crucial to the formation of his partnership with Skechers.

How did you decide to start working with Skechers, and how is the partnership going?

Actually Martha Stewart brought this shoe deal to me. She was telling me for months, “You need to get with Skechers. They’re good people. They got my shoe brand.” What we do is a lot of times we bring things to each other that we feel that can get us together. So she brought that partnership. And once I met with the owner, Robert, he was a cool guy that really understood what I wanted to do with my shoe as far as have multiple shoes, different styles. Be able to create sports shoes, performance shoes, work shoes, shoes for girls, for kids—just an everyday lifestyle shoe. And he understood that.

What was the collaborative process like?

They got a great team of creators and innovators and what we do is we work together as far as knowing what is my style, what’s my lane, what feels good to me, and then they take it and they create it in the shoe form and then put color schemes and different designs and patterns around it. I think they’re great at what they do and I’m great at what I do, that’s what makes it such a great partnership.

Snoop’s customized Skechers at the Paris Olympics.

I was actually just listening to the new album and speaking of partnerships, it’s awesome to hear you and Dre putting a record out again.

Hey man, it feels real good to be back with your mentor slash producer who understands you and knows how to produce you better than anybody. So I’m blessed to be back in the position with it.

How are you feeling about the reception? It seems like a lot of people are feeling just as happy as I am about it.

Yeah. A lot of people not used to hearing such a body of work because music has been so microwaved and so watered down lately that the reception has been amazing. But I think it’s going to take a while for people to actually get it who don’t understand it. Those who get it, already got it.

Do you have a favorite track on the album?

“Now or Never.”

Dr. Dre and Snoop at ComplexCon 2024.

It was like 30 years between this and Doggystyle. Did the process feel drastically different, or is it just one of those things like riding a bike when you got back in the studio with Dre?

It was definitely a different process, but the trust was still there and the fun and all of the shit that we do to make this shit feel like it feels, all that was still there.

You had a gigantic 2024. Looking back on it now, how are you feeling about how it went?

I think it was amazing. I think I did everything I said I wanted to do and then some. Just put a whole new spin on me, my business, my life, everything in general just gave people a chance to really get inside the world of Snoop Dogg as opposed to snippets. I gave an actual a deep dive into the world of Snoop Dogg, the wide world of Snoop Dogg.

Are there any highlights that jump to mind?

My movie Underdoggs, when it came out at the top of the year—the effect it had on kids, the effect it had on parents coaching football, families… It was received very well and it was thought that it was going to be not received well because it was profanity and things that they didn’t think that kids should be doing, but this is the world we live in and I just love the way that that project kicked off the year.

Snoop and Martha taking on the Olympics, equestrian style.

The Olympics must’ve been an interesting, fun time. I’m imagining; I’ve never gone.

No, me neither. That was the first time experience for me. So it was a mixed emotions of having fun and having too much fun, just being the biggest kid there.

It seemed like all eyes were on Snoop the entire Olympics. How’d you feel about that?

See, that’s the part that I didn’t know because I was in Paris, hours ahead of y’all, probably filming the next episode or the next segment. So I had no time to enjoy the highlights and see what was going on back in America because I had to be ahead of the clock over here in Paris.

When you got back, was it just kind of onto the next thing?

When I got back, it was time for me to get ready for The Voice. I always do the job that I have to do and I have to always look ahead and think about what’s next, what’s the next game I got to play, what’s the next big moves I’m making.

Michael Bublé and Snoop on the set of The Voice.

You’re not returning for Season 27, but I think you said that this is the sort of thing that you might potentially come back to in the future.

Yeah, I had a great time over there at The Voice, especially if they bring Bublé back. Bublé: Come back, I’ll come back.

Someone’s got to convince Bublé.

Yeah. Michael Bublé loved it just as much as I did. We was the rookies on the show, and our brotherhood got a little stronger and I just feel like if I’m going to do it again I would love to do it with him.

You mentioned that Martha earlier. Have you been in touch a lot over the course of this year?

Oh yeah. Always. Went to her 100th book release, she came to a couple of things that I had this year. And then her documentary that came out, I was there for the premiere for that. Or friendship, it’s unbreakable.

What did she think of the documentary?

I loved it. I don’t know what she thought of it.

I heard that she had some feelings about the second half.

Probably. When it’s your life personally, it’s a certain way you feel about perception and the way people perceive you. You know what I’m saying? But she’s a beautiful spirit, a hell of a soul, a great lady. I’m honored to know her.

Suited up the evening before the start of the Paris Olympics.

What do you have queued up for next year? Anything you can share with me?

Biopic. Death Row documentary. Animated movie called Doggy Dog House, which is based on my Doggystyle album. Doggyland, my animated kids show. Taking it to new horizons and just continuing to do the things I do.

No rest for the weary.

No way. We on it like we want it, doggone it.

One thing that I always try to do is ask if there’s anything that I missed that you’re excited to talk about.

I’m excited to be the Esquire Man of the Year, I’m thinking that’s what this interview was about.

Oh yeah, of course.

Okay, cool. Good then. I think I did enough to meet the requirements for 2024 Esquire Man of the Year: Snoop Dogg.

At the L.A. premiere of Gladiator II with his wife, Shante Broadus.

I’d be hard-pressed to think of someone who’s had a busier and more eventful year than you have.

And we’re not done.

Do you have anything major planned that’ll slide it in right under the wire, before January 1 hits?

Yeah, we may have a video or some drop—some Christmas song or something connected to Missionary. We just dropped the movie The Missionary and the Complex interview showing the behind the scenes with me and Dre creating the album. Missionary is the mission right now, to keep that rolling. Then we did the Gin and Juice commercial with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, which was the real big campaign to push Still G.I.N., which is our new brand of gin that we just released.

Where’s that available?

Everywhere.

So I’ve got to get down to the liquor store like now?

Yes, sir. Right now. Not now, but right now.

Alright. Well, listen, I appreciate you taking the time to chat with me.

Appreciate you. Happy holidays.

You, too. And happy New Year. Here’s to a 2025 that’s as big as 2024 was for you.

I’ll smoke to that.