From Wu-Tang: An American Saga to The Defiant Ones, as the 1990s become a distant memory, more documentaries and dramas are being made about the era and some of its most significant acts. One of the figures that emerged in the early 1990s was Snoop Dogg, and in 2015, one legend was approached to play him in the film Straight Out Compton but rejected the offer.
Produced by South Los Angeles native Ice Cube (real name O’Shea Jackson), the film’s production team intended to cast West Coast natives to play the various members of NWA, Jackson’s son played his father, and the casting directors approached the late Nipsey Hussle to play Snoop Dogg. However, the emcee rejected the offer.
During an appearance on the 85 South Show with DC Young Fly, Karlous Miller and Chico Bean, Snoop explained how he found out about Nipsey (real name Ermias Asghedom) getting the offer. Recalling the moment, the Doggystyle rapper remembered, “They was doing Straight Outta Compton movie right? So Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, all them n*ggas calling me. [They said,] ‘Man, we trying to get Nip to play you in Straight Outta Compton! He ain’t getting back to us!’ [I’m like] ‘Aight, let me holla at the lil homie.'”
He continued, “I hit him up. “[I said,] ‘Nip, lemme holla at you! Pull up on me!’ He come over to the spot. ‘Cuh, they want you to play me in the Straight Outta Compton movie!’ I’m happy as fuck to tell him.”
However, for personal and career reasons, Asghedom respectively declined. Snoop (real name Calvin Broadus) unveiled what Nipsey, disclosing to the hosts, “He was like, ‘No disrespect big homie, but I can’t play you in the movie ’cause then people just gon’ know me for being you. I gotta be me. All that’s with all due respect.’ And I was like damn, that was gangsta. I [called Dre and Cube back and] said, ‘Y’all gotta go find somebody else!'”
Following the late musician’s rejection, a then-unknown LaKeith Stanfield would go on to play Snoop in the film. He rose to fame the following year with his role in Donald Glover’s iconic Atlanta series.
Straight Outta Compton polarised many, with some saying it was poorly made. However, the film ultimately inspired Dr. Dre to produce his album, Compton, which was released later that year.