Grammy Award-winning rapper Snoop Dogg has sparked a new controversy over LGBTQ+ inclusion in children’s movies by aiming for the Pixar movie Lightyear. During a podcast interview with Sarah Fontenot last week, the Hip-Hop star said he took his grandson to see the 2022 film and had to explain a scene where two women shared a kiss.

Appearing on It’s Giving last Friday, Snoop Dogg said his grandson asked him during a family screening of the animated movie how two women in a same-sex relationship could have a baby. “Why, my grandson, in the middle of the movie, like, ‘Papa Snoop, how does she have a baby with a woman? She is a woman,” he said during the interview. “Oh s—, I didn’t come in for this s—. I just came to watch the g—— movie.”

Lightyear is a spinoff of the Toy Story franchise and follows the journey of the “real” Buzz Lightyear. The Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story films is a toy action figure based on the space-aged super-scientist who originally inspired the character. This version, played by Chris Evans, is introduced in Lightyear as the hero of the animated adventure. At one point, his close friend Alisha Woods is shown as part of a same-sex relationship with fellow flight attendant KW at a party. The two are shown sharing a kiss, which led to a negative response from some members of the audience. Although the original cut of the movie featured a deleted scene, it was later removed amid negative feedback. Disney later reinstated the scene following pushback and demands for more LGBTQ+ inclusion in their animated films.

Snoop Dogg said his grandson, while watching Lightyear with the family, questioned him on why two women would have a baby. “I don’t know, keep watching,” he said to the child. “They just said, and she had a baby. They are both women. How does she have a baby? S—. The movie ain’t over with. I’m scared to go to the movies. Like y’all throwing me in the middle of s— that I don’t have an answer for.”

Snoop Dogg: “It threw me for a loop.”

In a continuation of the interview, Snoop Dogg said children’s movies were no longer just entertaining but also had hidden meanings that adults have to explain to children.

“Y’all are pulling the wool over our eyes,” he added. “It threw me for a loop. These are kids that we have to show that at this age, like, they’re going to ask questions. They are going to ask. I don’t have an answer. And I was just there to go to sleep and watch the movie. That s— woke me up.”

Reaction and Social Backlash

Reaction to Snoop Dogg’s controversial take on family entertainment and LGBTQ+ inclusion has been swift, with many voicing their displeasure online. This is especially the case for Snoop Dogg, who is set to appear at this year’s Australian Football League (AFL) Grand Final to perform. In an interview with PinkNews, AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said the rapper’s upcoming performance will go ahead as planned. “Snoop is still on the program and, by the way, the inclusion of AFL women’s teams and the people who lead them and play in them is all part of it as well,” McLachlan was quoted as saying.

In a related note, the decision to continue with Snoop Dogg at the AFL has been met with some backlash from those on social media. Supporters have also hit back at critics of Snoop Dogg’s podcast comments, defending the rapper as a free thinker who will say what is on his mind. Despite calls for Snoop Dogg’s performance to be canceled, it is highly unlikely the rapper will not be there on the calendar date. He was one of several performers set to perform on the big stage in 2023. The AFL has not signaled any change or wavering on the matter, which seems to suggest the rapper will still take the stage at the Grand Final as scheduled. In a show of solidarity, Snoop Dogg has not issued an apology for his comments nor backed away from his opinion on the social issue.

Lightyear has been at the center of controversies before, and this is not the first time Snoop Dogg has been targeted by the LGBTQ+ community. The inclusion of the same-sex kiss was widely criticized by many who felt the movie was not appropriate for children. Lightyear was released in June 2022, but was quickly embroiled in controversy with online activists taking to social media to demand Disney remove the same-sex couple kiss scene. However, LGBTQ+ activists and Pixar employees pushed back, leading to Disney eventually restoring the scene.

Chris Evans, who voices the character of Buzz Lightyear in the film, was also quick to respond to the backlash at the time. During an interview with Reuters Television in May 2022, Evans expressed his support for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the film. “The real truth is those people are idiots,” Evans said. “There’s always going to be people who are afraid and unaware and trying to hold on to what was before. But those people die off like dinosaurs. I think the goal is to pay them no mind, march forward, and embrace the growth that makes us human.”

Lightyear received mixed reviews from critics upon release. In contrast, the film was a commercial failure with a reported $226 million worldwide box office draw against a $200 million production budget.