Snoop Dogg Accepts Ultimate Icon Award At 2025 BET Awards
Dr. Dre presented Snoop Dogg with the ultimate icon award at the 2025 BET Awards on Sunday night (June 9). Dressed in an all black tux with a satin black bandana scarf, Snoop neé Calvin Broadus Jr., took the stage with his 'bosslady' wife, Shante, by his side.
Fresh off a whirlwind year that included serving as a correspondent at the 2024 Paris Olympics and performing at Donald Trump's Inaugural Ball, he opened his speech with heartfelt praise for fellow honorees Mariah Carey, Kirk Franklin, and Jamie Foxx.
He also extended gratitude to BET, his team, and his family, while thanking his brethren in music: Dr. Dre, Warren G, Korrupt, and the late singer Nate Dogg. Snoop even shouted out his Death Row family, including those 'from the beginning.'
Taking a moment to admire Shante, his wife of 28 years, he said, 'This is why I'm so rock solid. This is why I'm able to deal with all the things I'm able to deal with — when I've got God in my life and I've got a queen in my life. She's always been my everything.' Snoop also praised his children and 10 grandchildren, calling them his 'greatest inspiration.'
Further into his speech, the 53-year-old left the audience with a heartfelt message about what Hip-Hop has meant to him. 'Hip-hop, it gave me a voice. It gave me a purpose,' he said. 'It gave me a way out and a way in … Being an icon, it ain't about fame. It's about legacy. It's about what you build, what you leave behind, and who you lift up along the way.'
Following a brief commercial break, Snoop Dogg cemented his Ultimate Icon status with a high-energy medley including his biggest hits like 'Unsung Heroes,' 'Drop It Like It's Hot,' 'Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang,' and others.
Closing out his set, he brought out Charlie Wilson, who joined him for 'Beautiful' before turning the room into a cookout with The Gap Band's 'Outstanding.' Warren G and Kurupt also joined Snoop for 'Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None).'
Check out Snoop Dogg's acceptance speech and iconic performance above.
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