News | Living & Travel
30 Sep 2025 19:46
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Living & Travel

    Snoop Dogg, Baker Boy and Tash Sultana star in AFL grand final entertainment

    The legendary rapper delivered a squeaky clean performance, incorporating local artists and a didgeridoo in a trip through his catalogue.


    International hip-hop superstar Snoop Dogg has brought a slice of Long Beach, California to the MCG for the AFL grand final, flowing through the biggest hits of his three-decade plus career.

    Snoop Dogg, born Calvin Broadus Jr, opened his show with an inspirational video, declaring to the crowd: "It's grand final time baby, greatness is on the line."

    He urged Geelong Cats fans to make some noise, as a marching band in the goal square played the club's song, before a matching band at the other end of the ground did the same with Brisbane Lion's song.

    The selection of Snoop Dogg as the entertainment for the event was not without its critics, with Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young even going as far as labelling him a "slur merchant" in parliament.

    But the 100,000-strong crowd did not seem to mind, roaring for the self-proclaimed "Doggfather" as he strutted out onto the MCG with a full marching band behind him, launching into The Next Episode.

    Dressed in all white as a band leader, the famously foul-mouthed Snoop Dogg performed a slightly more family-friendly set, skipping more than a few four-letter words.

    Moving onto a stage at the centre of the ground, Snoop Dogg launched into his hit Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang.

    The 53-year-old, who popularised phrases such as "fo' shizzle", was blessed with blue skies in Melbourne with no chance of drizzle.

    Much of the set design and costuming was blue, a nod to Snoop Dogg's allegiances in his native Long Beach, California.

    Fans were treated to a more instrumental version of some of the legendary rapper's hits, including a guitar-driven rendition of Drop It Like It's Hot with Australian multi-instrumentalist Tash Sultana shredding at the top of the stage.

    A frequent collaborator with other artists, Snoop Dogg was sadly without some of his most famous artists, performing Sweat sans David Guetta, and bopping along to Signs without Justin Timberlake.

    But Snoop Dogg, nee Lion, brought a little Australian flavour to his hit song Beautiful by subbing out Pharrell Williams with Australian singer Jessica Mauboy.

    ARIA award-winning rapper Baker Boy also had a starring role, debuting his new single Thick Skin earlier in the day.

    He returned during Snoop Dogg's performance to provide the most unique rendition of Still D.R.E of all time, blasting out a didgeridoo accompaniment as Snoop Dogg rapped.

    Snoop Dogg looked right at home in the centre of the Australia's biggest stadium, 18 years after he was banned from the country by the government.

    A cavalcade of his most well-known hits followed, with the lanky Snoop Dogg c-walking to Gin And Juice while smoke machines blasted into the sky. 

    He finished the raucous set by announcing himself to the MCG, telling the tens of thousands of people gathered who he was with Who Am I (What’s My Name)?

    And if Snoop Dogg is to be believed, the MCG performance was a dream come true for him.

    "I was a kid that dreamed of getting to meet athletes, and now I'm actually to perform at the biggest sporting events in the world, so it's a dream come true," he said at a press conference during the week.

    "I know what this means to the culture, I've been coming to this country for years and I understand what this game is and what it means."

    As is tradition, Mike Brady was on hand to perform his 1979 classic Up There Cazaly.

    Brady, 77, sounded as powerful as ever, with the crowd singing along as they have for decades.

    Vera Blue, a former contestant on reality singing show The Voice, performed Advance Australia Fair to round out the musical performances before the bounce. 

    © 2025 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

     Other Living & Travel News
     30 Sep: A man and woman in their 30s have landed in court - after starting kissing as their Air New Zealand flight began to descend
     30 Sep: Grey District Council's urging the owners of two abandoned boats to come forward before they sink and cause environmental damage
     30 Sep: The total number of measles cases in New Zealand now sits at five
     29 Sep: Former Silver Ferns netball coach Yvonne Willering has questioned the silence from the players' association amid the continued absence of incumbent mentor Dame Noeline Taurua
     29 Sep: Two key flight paths of Sounds Air have touched down for the final time
     28 Sep: Silver Ferns midcourter Kate Heffernan has praised the interim coaching staff led by Yvette McCausland-Durie for their efforts during the Taini Jamison Trophy series
     28 Sep: Farmers are knee-deep in a rural connectivity crisis, lacking access to mobile coverage, landlines and internet
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    The All Blacks XV - or New Zealand B - have a new rugby coach More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Timaru dessert company Denheath is in deep custard with creditors More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Savannah Blackstock says losing her father was "something I never imagined or could have possibly prepared myself for". 19:24

    Politics:
    Former British PM Tony Blair named as part of Donald Trump's Gaza recovery authority 19:07

    Law and Order:
    A man and woman in their 30s have landed in court - after starting kissing as their Air New Zealand flight began to descend 18:57

    Entertainment:
    Sir Lewis Hamilton's dog Roscoe has been put into a coma 18:54

    Law and Order:
    Gisborne police are still hunting a person seen fleeing Riverdale - where a man was found critically injured on his lawn early yesterday, before dying in hospital 18:37

    Entertainment:
    What is the Riyadh Comedy Festival? The Saudi Arabia event stirring controversy in Hollywood 18:27

    Entertainment:
    Travis Kelce enjoys being challenged by Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid 18:24

    Cricket:
    Having Kiwis in their midst is no issue for the Australian cricket team 18:07

    Entertainment:
    Tom Holland and Zendaya are reportedly spending around £1,000-a-day on security at their West London house 17:54

    Auckland:
    Police say a bomb squad call-out to a property in northern Auckland, has been resolved without incident 17:27


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd