Rap legend Snoop Dogg set to light up the Paris Olympics

The American rapper, whose decades of hits include "What's My Name" and "Drop It Like It's Hot", is in the French capital as a special correspondent for American network NBC.

Snoop, whose real name is Calvin Broadus Jr, posted a photo on X of himself standing outside the Hotel de Ville with the caption: "U Ready? Paris 2024 Olympics ya digggg", with gold medal and boxing glove emojis.

Saint-Denis mayor Mathieu Hanotin wrote on X: "Saint Denis: last step before the Eiffel Tower. An international cast @SnoopDogg for the last stretch of the Olympic Flame."

Last month the rapper, who was born in Los Angeles, which will host of the 2028 Games, limbered up for his Olympic stint by posting a time of 34.44 seconds over 200 metres in a special exhibition race at the US trials.

Snoop is not the first rapper to carry the Olympic torch. Sean Coombs, aka Puff Daddy, was the afforded the honour prior to the 2002 Athens Olympics, while Dizzee Rascal and will.i.am were involved in the build-up to London 2012.

The 68th stage of the torch relay will see it travel through the Olympic Village and past both the Aquatics Centre and the Stade de France, before it is taken to the banks of the Seine for the final stage of its journey.

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