Blog

May 03, 2024

Inside Snoop Dogg's rider: Five bottles of tequila, four 'professional dance poles' and a a smorgasbord of snacks and sweets

Editor Here lately, you may have seen him sipping a Corona from his beachside chair in a TV spot, making meals alongside a famous foodie in the reality show “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party” or

Editor

Here lately, you may have seen him sipping a Corona from his beachside chair in a TV spot, making meals alongside a famous foodie in the reality show “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party” or voicing lead character Bow Wizzle, the purple pooch with the gold chain in the web cartoon series “Doggyland.”

But long before he went Hollywood, Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. — aka SNOOP DOGG, aka D-O-Double Gizzle, aka Snoopzilla — was the chart-topping, lyric-dropping rap icon from the streets of Long Beach with a sound and style all his own.

It’s been a dozen years since he put on a C-U concert, at the Canopy Club, but the co-star of last year’s Super Bowl halftime show is back on tour at 51, closing out a 33-stop summer this weekend.

He’s the focus of Part 36 of Editor Jeff D’Alessio’s ongoing series digging into the details of entertainers’ tour riders. Here’s what’s in Snoop’s, obtained via open-records request through the city of Tacoma, Wash., where he performed in December, part of the avid cannabis consumer’s “Holidaze of Blaze” tour.

— Host venues better check their cable packages in advance of Snoop’s visit. One of the top rules of the rider is that the diehard Pittsburgh Steelers, L.A. Lakers, USC Trojans and Real Madrid soccer fan’s dressing room come equipped with a flat-screen TV at least 40 inches wide that has, and we quote, the “FULL SPORTS PACKAGE.”

“Whichever sports package is available must be capable of broadcasting the major national sporting events occurring on the day (i.e. Sunday Night Football, NCAA baseball),” the rider goes on to say.

— Lest there be any confusion, “please label (the star’s) dressing room as ‘SNOOP’” and ensure that it has in it two portable speakers (at least 12 inches tall) on stands, two glass ash trays, a dedicated IP address with “no firewalls or blocked restrictions,” two Glade scented candles, six black hand towels, two packs of Breath Savers and a smorgasbord of snacks and sweets.

Namely: two large bags of nacho cheese Doritos, two large bags of Lays BBQ chips, one can of Planters Deluxe Mixed Nuts and one large bag of the following: Chewy Sweet Tarts, original Starburst, original Skittles, vanilla Oreo cookies, Wonderful Pistachios and David Sunflower Seeds (ranch-flavored).

Guess it’s my turn, Dogg 🤷🏿‍♂️ 🐾 🤣🔥👏🏿 pic.twitter.com/jBnCA6Huvb

— There’s all kinds of juice but no gin listed in the rider of the 17-time Grammy nominee who made that concoction famous in a 1993 hit. The tour does require the following adult beverages: three bottles of Silver Patron tequila, two bottles of Don Julio Anejo tequila, two bottles of Hennessy V.S.O.P. cognac, one bottle of Grey Goose vodka and six bottles of Bud or Corona.

— A first in this series: a full page dedicated to the four “professional dance poles” (or, as they’re also referred to in the rider, “custom self-standing stripper poles”) required on stage, complete with dimensions, diagrams and descriptions.

You may recall said poles and performers being a part of Snoop’s 2019 show at Kansas basketball’s midnight madness celebration, which prompted a public apology from the university to stunned fans and led Bill Self to say later: “That’s not the direction that anybody at our school would want that to go at all.”

Said Snoop: “When you pay for Snoop Dogg, you’re going to get Snoop Dogg.”

Big Late Night in the Phog announcement 😎🎶 One...Two...3 and to the fo’Snoop Doggy Dogg will be performing live on AFH floor 🎶 @KUHoops x @KUWBball pic.twitter.com/cOZyqWeQdr

— “In the event we need executive transport,” the rider states, one luxury sprinter van — complete with individual captain chairs — shall be provided for Snoop, and only Snoop. It must be stocked with the following: 12-packs of A&W Root Beer and Orange Crush, one large bag of honey barbecue Fritos, one large bag of pretzels and a family-sized bag of Starburst.

— Tour no-nos: Evian, Aquafina or Dasani brand water (“locally sourced and bottled spring water only”); Styrofoam anything; dressing-room doors that don’t lock; fruit punch by a brand other than Minute Maid; sugar-free drinks; a lighting technician who doesn’t speak fluent English; chintzy projector screens (“video content is the heartbeat of our show”); and “meals prepared or served in an unprofessional manner.”

— Breakfast is for a touring party of 25, lunch for 45, dinner for 65, including three vegans. It’s caterer’s choice as far as entrees go, with the tour providing 14 suggestions.

Among the lunch ideas: a meal of grilled wings, turkey burgers, black bean burgers, fries and corn on the cob.

One dinner idea: steak, salmon, fried catfish, fried chicken, collard greens, herb-roasted potatoes, mac and cheese, baked beans and roasted squash.

First time we’ve seen this in the meals section of a rock rider: “Please provide bus trays for dishes, silverware, scraps, etc. We will clean up after ourselves.”

The lengthy list of no-nos for last month's Champaign show included “sugary colorful cereals” for breakfast; The Wall Street Journal in the star's dressing room; mushrooms, onions or pecans in any prepared food; Aquafina, Dasani “or similar reverse-osmosis water”; and armed security guards (“including guns, clubs or knives”).

“Think appetizer,” the rider states, when it comes to shopping for the assorted “easy-to-eat” pre-show munchies. “ltems such as, but not limited to: local specialty, beef or chicken shish kebabs, BBQ ribs (no racks), gourmet meatballs, chicken wings, grilled chicken legs, Little Smokies and sliders with tongs.”

One bonus of booking Lyle Lovett and his Large Band: the after-show promo her often posts on social media, like this from his last local gig: “Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 10/11/18: It was great to be back in Champaign last night. The Virginia Theatre is a warm, clear-sounding room. It’s wider than it is deep, so from onstage you feel as close to the back row seats as any seats in the house.”

Sober since 2009, the 72-years-young Heart star wasn't impacted by the Illinois State Fair's rule about riders for acts playing the grandstand: “All references to alcoholic beverages contained in the contractor’s rider will be stricken. Department (of Ag) will not purchase alcoholic beverages, nor will any of its employees.”

When it comes to meal requirements, the Commodores are easy like Sunday morning. But the sharp-dressed septuagenarians have a lengthy list of rules related to the 36 outfits they typically travel with.

None of the 22 other acts whose riders we’ve detailed in this series has a shorter list of dressing-room needs. Raitt, winner of three Grammys earlier this week, requires just three things: one dark hand towel, one half-pint of organic blueberries and one half-pint of organic raspberries.

“No form of media advertising ... or promotional material, including but not limited to programs, posters, flyers, stickers, decals, keychains, balloons, inflatables, pens, pins, flying discs, hot or cold drink ‘coolies,’ glasses, cups, T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, caps, visors, sunglasses, signs, tickets, billboards or marquees shall contain the word ‘OLDIES.'"

The catering staff is free to stray from the band’s standard breakfast menu — French toast, pancakes or local favorites are welcome substitutes — so long as it doesn’t mess with REO’s one must-have: The day’s first meal “should always include scrambled eggs,” management notes.

Crossed out of the State Farm Center version of the rapper's rider: two bottles of Stoli Vodka, two bottles of Conjure Cognac, two bottles of Patron Silver tequila, a bottle of red, a bottle of white and … one box of Trojan Magnum Ecstasy Condoms.

A thoughtful touch: “Please investigate and execute delivery of all excess food and stocks not used by the production, to a nearby food bank for the homeless or needy. Please make whatever arrangements necessary to share leftover food from the day with those less fortunate.”

On Journey's strictly prohibited list: new potatoes with rosemary. ("There is nothing ‘new’ about them!" management notes in the band's rider).

Under “Dressing Room Accommodations,” the band requests a “secure, lockable door OR a nearby physically intimidating person (muscles, grizzled face, mad staring eyes) to keep out the riff raff.”

With last week’s reopening of downtown’s Punch Bar & Lounge after a short shutdown, Champaign’s active liquor-license count is back up to an even 200. Spread out over 15 categories, the list includes four clubs, three pedal bikes, two BYOBs and one movie theater.

The News-Gazette mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the News-Gazette on your mobile device just as it appears in print.

Pick the brain of veteran News-Gazette columnist Tom Kacich and veteran WDWS/WHMS radio personality Kathy Reiser.