Dogg

Snoop Dogg told us long ago that he’s got his mind on his money and his money on his mind.

Now he’s got his mind on using some of that money to become the latest American celebrity to invest in an English Football League team.

On Thursday, Welsh club Swansea City announced that the hip-hop legend, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, is joining its ownership group. It was not disclosed what percentage of the club is now owned by Snoop Dogg or how much he invested in the team.

The announcement came days after the “Gin & Juice” rapper helped reveal Swansea City’s uniforms for the upcoming season by posing in the new home jersey in a video posted to Instagram.

“My love of football is well known, but it feels special to me that I make my move into club ownership with Swansea City,” Snoop Dogg said in a statement released Thursday by Swansea City. “The story of the club and the area really struck a chord with me. This is a proud, working class city and club. An underdog that bites back, just like me.

“I’m proud to be part of Swansea City. I am going to do all I can to help the club.”

Swansea City plays in the EFL Championship, the league’s second tier, which means Snoop Dogg’s team will be competing against the likes of Wrexham, which was famously purchased in 2020 by actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, and Birmingham City, which boasts NFL legend Tom Brady as a minority owner.

Other famous Americans who own stakes in EFL teams include Lakers superstar LeBron James (Liverpool) and former NFL star J.J. Watt and his wife and former NWSL star Kealia Watt (Burnley).

Once a polarizing gangsta rapper and now a beloved pop culture icon, Snoop Dogg has expressed interest in owning a soccer team before. The “Drop It Like It’s Hot” rapper told the Daily Record in 2012 that he wouldn’t mind purchasing a stake in a specific Scottish club.

“I see how passionate Celtic fans are about their team,” Snoop Dogg said, “and I could see myself making an investment if any of the board wanted to sell.”

He added: “The boxes at Celtic would never be the same once I have hosted a party there.”

Now Snopp Dogg is finally a club owner, and Swansea City is happy to have him.

“To borrow a phrase from Snoop’s back catalogue, this announcement is the next episode for Swansea City as we seek to create new opportunities to boost the club’s reach and profile,” the club said in a statement.

“Snoop’s colossal global fanbase and audience will certainly help us do that, and he has made clear to us throughout this process just how excited he is at the prospect of joining the club. … We expect his involvement to support us putting as competitive a team as possible out on the field.”

Three months after Luka Modric’s surprise arrival has come the even more eye-catching news that Snoop Dogg is joining the Croatia legend as an investor and co-owner at Swansea City.

Which celebrity will be coming to our club next, Swansea fans might now be forgiven for wondering.

In the current climate, where clubs must find new ways to generate income and stars seem to be attracted to football, they probably should not rule anyone out.

Even if there are no more new faces, Swansea now have their share of glitz in the boardroom, where there was a major change last November following a takeover led by American businessmen Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen.

We wait to see how much involvement Modric – who is known to have spoken to Swansea transfer targets in recent months – and Snoop Dogg – who, as far as we know, has not – will have in the running of the Welsh club.

One conversation that has taken place already was between Modric and Snoop Dogg, with the duo discussing the latter’s potential involvement at Swansea before the deal was finalised.

Snoop Dogg, meanwhile, is understood to be planning a trip to the Swansea.com Stadium to watch a game.

Swansea believe the big names mean a better chance to achieve big things, which in their case means a return to the Premier League.

Should they make it, maybe Snoop Dogg will lead a singsong – Swansea’s answer to the Anfield Rap, perhaps – on the open-top bus parade.

He would surely savour a promotion party given his love of sport.

Here BBC Sport looks at Snoop Dogg’s sporting background and wonders what influence he might have on a Championship club from south west Wales.