Snoop Dogg opened up in a recent interview about why Nipsey Hussle didn’t appear in the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton. The hip-hop veteran stopped by 85 South Show to chat with hosts Karlous Miller, DC Young Fly, and Chico Bean about his exchange with the late rapper. Snoop reveals that Nipsey was worried about being in the rapper’s shadow and thought it would be better to cultivate his own identity.
“I hit him up,” Snoop said. “[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.”
Snoop Dogg reveals why Nipsey Hussle turned down the role of Snoop in “Straight Outta Compton”
pic.twitter.com/Ij4WgnxhWo— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) December 14, 2022
“He 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!’”
The role of Snoop would ultimately go to Oscar-nominated actor Lakeith Stanfield, and Straight Outta Compton went on to gross over $200 million at the box office.
Unfortunately that would be Nipsey’s last opportunity for a role on the big screen. The California rapper was gunned down in front of Marathon Store in his hometown of Los Angeles in March 2019.