10 Reasons Why Snoop Dogg Is the Best Coach on ‘The Voice’

Image via NBC

Season 26 of The Voice has reached the midway point, and it’s shaping up to be quite the competition. Reigning champ Reba McEntire has returned to defend her title, as Season 25 saw her take the crown against Team Niall Horan, Team John Legend and Team Dan & Shay. In recent years, the coaches panel of rotating chairs has been shifting with more frequency without the once-staple coach Blake Shelton present to anchor the competition. But Blake’s wife and longstanding veteran coach Gwen Stefani has returned to the competition with her signature style and impressive resume, ready to reclaim her throne.

The rotating door of personalities on the coaches panel has always been one of the qualities that makes The Voice one of the best competition reality series out there. Bringing in new personalities to engage with the already seasoned coaches enhances the competitive energy, while adding a jocular tone to the panel. As much as the series is about finding the best vocalist each season, it is also entertainment above all else, and seeing the coaches interact with one another, taking moments to tease each other, and also to praise one another’s coaching skills, adds to the experience.

Season 26 boasts two newcomer coaches that are entering the competition to prove they can disrupt Queen Reba’s reign. World-renowned jazz vocalist Michael Bublé‘s bubbly personality was balanced out when the producers of The Voice made possibly the best casting decision in the series’ history, by inviting industry legend Snoop Dogg on as a coach this season. Snoop dominated the Blind Auditions, stacking his team with 4-chair turns and talented vocalists who would benefit from his unique coaching style. Snoop Dogg is an undeniable force on the series, so here are the 10 reasons he is the best coach on The Voice.

The Voice

TV-PG
Competition
Music
Reality

Release DateApril 26, 2011
CastCeeLo Green , Shakira , usher , Miley Cyrus , Alicia Keys , Jennifer Hudson , Nick Jonas , Ariana Grande , Camila Cabello , Chance the Rapper , Niall Horan , Reba McEntire , Dan + Shay
Main GenreReality
Seasons26
StudioNBC
Creator(s)John de Mol

Expand

1Snoop’s Legacy Is Undeniable

Snoop’s career in hip-hop took off when he was discovered by rapper and producer Dr. Dre, who featured him on his single “Deep Cover” in 1992. At twenty-two years old, Snoop had earned his first Grammy nomination that year for his collaboration on another of Dre’s singles, “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang.” Snoop Doggy Dogg’s first studio album, Doggystyle, came out in 1993, followed by The Doggfather in 1996. He created a reggae album under the new moniker Snoop Lion in 2012, and has charted on singles in multiple genres across the world during his decades in the industry. Snoop also branched into film and acting early in his career, with his role in the short film Murder Was the Case.

While he continued to produce new music throughout his career, Snoop has always been a multi-faceted entertainer. He has done voice work, his reality TV credentials are impressive, and he has stepped into the role of director, producer, fundraiser, and host in a series of other ventures. He landed a 4-chair turn in Season 26 of The Voice when Dreion chose to join his team, and when Snoop commented that winning him over to the team was “like the Super Bowl to me,” he was speaking from experience, having performed with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar at the 2022 Super Bowl half-time show. Snoop’s legacy in the entertainment industry is undeniable, and the expertise that he offers to the contestants on The Voice this season is invaluable.

2Snoop Has Indisputable Swagger

Image via NBC

When it comes to swagger, Snoop can’t be beat. From how he leans back in his chair, his smooth banter with the other coaches, or the way he somehow makes the cheesy skits the coaches film together suddenly cool, there really is no one who can eclipse Snoop’s swagger. It’s standard practice that the coaches on The Voice will bring a bit of swag to tempt the competitors to join their teams in the Blind Auditions.

This season, Michael offered a hockey jersey with The Voice splashed flashily across the chest, Reba has a Funko Pop doll of herself, and Gwen has a matching hoody and sweatpants set with “Team Gwen” branding. But there is no beating Snoop Dogg in the swagger department, as the entertainer gifted his team matching gold chains that were miniatures of his own. Once the team members advanced to the battle rounds, Snoop doubled-down on the gift-giving, offering his team an army green Team Snoop bomber jacket.

3The Green Room Puns Never End

Image via NBC

The jokes about Snoop’s green room have been a source of great humor so far this season. For instance, when Snoop was vying for a contestant he really wanted on his team during the Blind Auditions, he had the other coaches enveloped in a cloud of smoke thick enough that it blocked them from sight.

Snoop jested his competitors were just “blowing smoke,” as he leaned in to speak to the contestant one-on-one about how he was the best coach for the job. Joking aside, Snoop’s green room reputation is part of his laid-back charm. But don’t let the easy-going vibe fool you, because Snoop was remarkably clear-headed when it came to stacking his team with talented vocalists that he could coach into greatness.

4Snoop’s Clever Quips

Image via NBC

Snoop’s quick wit is so charming, it’s clear that the contestants had a hard time resisting him during the Blind Auditions. Fighting for 4-chair turns this season, Snoop’s laid-back energy would suddenly switch to urgency once he sensed one of the other coaches was swaying the vocalist he was fighting for to their side. Snoop is so quick on his feet, he can free-style a rap, or come up with a heart-touching entreaty on the spot. During the first Battle Round face-off of the Season, Snoop was up out of his seat dancing to Gail and Christine’s rendition of “Redneck Woman,” saying the ladies brought out “the gangster holy ghost.”

Snoop’s banter with the other coaches has also brought an additional layer of entertainment this season, especially his rivalry with fellow newbie, Michael Bublé. Snoop is always a gentleman in his exchanges with the ladies on stage, so it seems he enjoys having Michael to tease him on stage as well. Michael has an easy-going way of rolling with Snoop’s banter that inevitably ends the exchange with laughter and love on both sides.

5Snoop’s History with Death Row Records

Image via NBC

Snoop has not been shy about leaning on his impressive resume in the music industry as a coach on The Voice. When he was vying for the first contestant to audition on Season 26, country music singer Jake, Snoop lured him in by emphasizing how much industry experience he has. The legendary coach reminded the country crooner that their industry is called “show business,” and claimed that “right now, I’m the king of show and business.” Snoop then described a marketing strategy he envisioned for the young man, and, confronted with such confidence, Jake was left with no choice but to join Team Snoop.

Snoop is right to boast about his work history. Death Row Records was founded by rap legends The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, and Suge Knight in 1991, and is the record label that released Snoop’s debut studio album Doggstyle in 1993. Although the record label was incredibly influential in establishing a West Coast presence in the hip-hop scene, it began to struggle in the aughts, and eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2006. Snoop had left Death Row by this time, and had gone on to such great heights in his career that he was able to come full-circle and purchase the label in 2022. Snoop’s goal to revive the label that got him started and introduce a new generation of talent to the industry is aligned with the experience of coaching on The Voice, where the goal is to help both young and seasoned artists to develop and grow their talent to prepare them for a career in show business.

6Underneath His Death Row Reputation, Uncle Snoop Is a Softy

Image via NBC

When Kendall auditioned this season on The Voice, none of the coaches turned originally. As she heard each coach express regret for not turning, Reba decided to use her Coach Replay button to bring Kendall onto her team. Snoop was overcome with emotion seeing the young country singer’s reaction, as he broke into tears with the shock that he had suddenly been accepted onto the series. Snoop had to cover his face as he, too, was brought to tears watching the young man accept Reba’s embrace on stage. Snoop may have a gangster history, but the father, grandfather, and business-savvy entrepreneur is able to show his softer side on The Voice, and it is just as charming as his rapper persona.

Snoop was remarkably vulnerable when competing for the young talent on the series during the Blind Auditions, frequently wiping tears from his eyes, and snatching the sunglasses from his face to ensure eye contact was clear when he was deeply invested in convincing someone that he was the coach for them. When competing to have 15-year-old singer Sydney on his team, Snoop was baffled at how talented the young lady was, saying he wasn’t sure what he could offer to someone so gifted other than “some love, and a blank canvas so you can paint a picture of who you really want to be in life.” The tender side that Snoop is showing speaks to the multiple facets the industry legend has developed in his life and career.

7Snoop Has A Habit of Empowering Young Talent

Snoop embracing his softer side this season on The Voice is probably linked to his surrounding himself with his young family members, who inspired his work on Doggyland, a virtual reality experience he created with Emmy-nominated producer of children’s franchise Hip Hop Harry, Claude Brooks. The Doggyland virtual experience is a hip-hop inspired cartoon world where users interact with 3D animated dogs and other animals. The space is intended to act as a break from the world’s stresses, and the character that Snoop voices, Bow Wizzle, is full of positive affirmations like “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf” and “I don’t want to be perfect, I just want to be great.” Speaking to CNN, Snoop said that as a father, grandfather, and longtime youth football coach it has become increasingly important to him to help build “positive and educational environments for children.” This is why he created the series and made it freely available on YouTube, “so all the kids can enjoy it.”

Young content creator “VanVan” aka Savannah McConneaughey went viral for rapping about her chores, impressing Snoop with her skills on social media. He tapped the young talent to record a track for the Doggyland kids album. In May 2024, the industry legend recorded a video free-styling with the dainty diva. At the time of publication, the post had been viewed more than 4,300,000 times on Instagram. Snoop has embraced the role of the nation’s coolest grandpa, and is happy to lend his industry cred to young artists who impress him with their talent.

8Snoop Has An Impressive Knowledge of Music History

Image via NBC

After losing a Blind Audition battle for a contestant that both she and Snoop were going after, Gwen observed that Snoop “is not just a rapper, he’s a producer, an entrepreneur, he can do anything.” Given his start in the music industry as a rap artist, people might have a preconception that Snoop would lean towards hip-hop influences for his team. But Snoop surprised viewers this season with the depth of his knowledge of music history and the evolution of different musical genres in America.

Country singers seem shocked at the depth of his insight into their genre’s history. Snoop expressed his love for Latin music when Latina crooner Kiara Vega auditioned. His insight into how to pair his team’s vocalists with pop classics that will show off their unique sound in just the right way should be studied. And the flow and rhythm of jazz, funk, and R&B are second-nature to him as an artist and producer. Snoop has already labeled himself as the coach of “team soul,” but it will be this impressive knowledge of music history of all kinds of genres that has already made his first season on The Voice a memorable one.

9Team Snoop’s Song Choices Are Unexpected

Image via NBC

So far in the Battle Rounds of Season 26 on The Voice, Snoop has drawn from a range of genres and artists, like a country song by Gretchen Wilson, a pop classic by Vanessa Carlton, and a version of a soul standard performed by Amy Winehouse. When encouraging his team during a Battle Round coaching session, Snoop was explaining his position on genre in the industry: “If you treat your vocals like an instrument, it should be able to travel to any genre of music.”

Snoop explained that he has been able to work in any genre he wanted over the years because of this view that you need to learn to control your voice in the same way you learn to control an instrument. Coupled with his respect for the history of musical genres in America, Snoop’s song choices this season have challenged his team while showing off his love for the industry that he has dedicated his life to.

10Snoop Did Not Come to Play

Image via NBC

When it comes to the competition, Snoop is laser-focused this season on The Voice, despite the plume of smoke that is rumored to surround his green room. He is coaching to win, honing his best vocalists to take on each new stage of the competition. Snoop understands how the music industry machine operates, and he is preparing his team for facing these realities because he has such faith in their talent.

Snoop has let down his guard and opened up to the process of showing his vulnerable side this season, and coaching is possibly showing Snoop at his very best. Whether or not his team takes the crown at the end of the season, Snoop is preparing them with life skills to prepare them for a future in the music industry, and that is truly invaluable.