In Monday\u2019s announcement, venue officials said the event is \u201cmore than a concert \u2014 it\u2019s a cultural milestone.\u201d Snoop will take the stage on Saturday, June 6 in what officials are calling a \u201cdefining cultural moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOpening our doors with Snoop Dogg is the perfect way to celebrate Long Beach’s rich music legacy and signals our commitment to bringing world-class entertainment to this community,\u201d General Manager Tra Jones said in a statement. \u201cThis venue will be built to honor the city’s creative spirit, and there’s no better artist to launch that mission.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adjacent to the Queen Mary, the amphitheater is the city\u2019s first large-scale outdoor music venue and will have capacity for 11,000 people, according to the announcement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The event is billed as \u201cSnoop Dogg and friends,\u201d but no details were given as to who will share the stage. The most obvious candidates, of course, are Dr. Dre, Pharrel Williams and Warren G.<\/p>\n
But, as Jones said, Long Beach has a diverse musical legacy and the event could include surprise guests from different genres. Other acts hailing from the city include War, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Frank Ocean, Vince Staples, Sublime, Cold War Kids, Giveon, Rival Sons, Half Alive, Wargirl and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cLong Beach built the culture \u2014 and now we\u2019ve built the stage for it,\u201d Richardson said in a statement. \u201cFrom our neighborhoods to the global stage, Snoop Dogg has always represented this city \u2014 and now we welcome him home to open a venue that reflects our culture and captures the vibe that defines Long Beach.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/LB-Amp-93-1.jpg\")
Artist’s rendition of the arena courtesy of the city of Long Beach.<\/p>\n
The reception from the public, however, has been incredibly mixed, with social media comment sections lighting up with both positive and negative comments. People were quick to dredge up issues related to Snoop\u2019s shifting views on Trump and the LGBTQ+ community.<\/p>\n
The West Coast rapper had been critical of Trump in the early days of his political career. When Trump won the 2016 election, Snoop took to social media<\/a> saying he \u201cmight be moving to Canada. Fuck this shit.\u201d In another post<\/a> on the same day, Nov. 9, Snoop said it was the second worst day in American history right behind 9\/11.<\/p>\n Days before the start of Trump\u2019s first term, Snoop called out anyone who planned to perform for the president-elect.<\/p>\n \u201cWhich one of you jigaboo-ass [n-words] gonna be the first one to do it? I\u2019m waiting. I\u2019m gonna roast the fuck outta you,\u201d he said in a Jan. 10, 2017 video posted to Instagram<\/a>, adding that any Black artist who does would be an \u201cUncle Tom.\u201d<\/p>\n In March 2017, Snoop released a music video for \u201cLavender,\u201d<\/a> a remix of a BadBadNotGood\/Kaytranada track, in which he mocked Trump. At one point in the video, Snoop points a gun at the clownish Trump character, who is then wrapped in chains in the last scene.<\/p>\n But by 2024, Snoop\u2019s opinion of Trump had done a complete 180. In an interview with London\u2019s The Sunday Times, he praised the then-former president<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe ain\u2019t done nothing wrong to me,\u201d Snoop said. \u201cHe has done only great things for me. He pardoned Michael Harris.\u201d<\/p>\n Harris, who co-founced Death Row Records with Suge Knight and Dr. Dre in the 1990s, was granted clemency by Trump in 2021 after serving 33 years of a 25-to-life sentence for drug trafficking and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf8<\/p>\n Brandon Richardson is an editor, photographer and reporter for the Watchdog. If this work is important to you, please thank him.<\/p>\n \u201cI have nothing but love and respect for Donald Trump,\u201d Snoop added.<\/p>\n One year later, the rapper performed at an inauguration party<\/a> for President-elect Trump and crypto bros. Dubbed the Crypto Ball, the event honored Trump as \u201cAmerica\u2019s first crypto president.\u201d<\/p>\n Months later, Trump granted Harris<\/a> a full and unconditional pardon.<\/p>\n On reddit<\/a>, dozens of commenters lambasted the rapper and the decision to have him perform at the new amphitheater.<\/p>\n \u201cGo perform for Trump again instead. LB doesn\u2019t respect sell out snoop anymore!\u201d one redditor wrote, with another responding by speculating that the inauguration performance was a quid pro quo for Harris\u2019s 2025 pardon.<\/p>\n \u201cLap doggy dog,\u201d another commenter said, while another pointed out previous comments from the rapper that many considered homophobic. Last year, Snoop said he is \u201cscared to go to the movies\u201d<\/a> with his grandson because some children\u2019s films depict LGBTQ+ relationships.<\/p>\n \u201cI’m surprised he feels safe in Long Beach with all the gay people.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs he gonna have his MAGA hat on?\u201d another said. \u201cits a shame that such a diverse city that champions education, diversity, staying authentic, not selling out, primarily working class\u2026 is gonna have this clown performing.\u201d<\/p>\n One commenter noted that the show will almost certainly sell out despite the pushback from some.<\/p>\n The official announcement on Instagram had a few negative comments but overall was far kinder to Snoop, likely in part to the fact that his official account was a collaborator on the post.<\/p>\n \u201cPerfect first show for this venue,\u201d one commenter wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is gonna be epic,\u201d said another.<\/p>\n Dozens of positive comments, the vast majority, were simply emojis, including fire, clapping hands, crowns and hearts.<\/p>\n Artist presale for the inaugural event begins Wednesday, April 1 at 10 a.m., with the venue presale starting the following day at 10 a.m. General sales then open on April 3 at 10 a.m.<\/p>\n