American rapper Snoop Dogg will be among the carriers of the Olympic flame this Friday as it makes its final rounds before the Paris Games’ opening ceremony.
The renowned artist will carry the flame through the streets of Saint-Denis, a diverse northern suburb of Paris that hosts the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre, as confirmed by Saint-Denis’ mayor, Mathieu Hanotin.
Joining Snoop Dogg in the torch relay on Friday will be French actress Laetitia Casta, French rapper MC Solaar, and retired Ukrainian pole-vaulter Sergey Bubka.
The Olympic flame has been traversing France for the past two months, and on Friday morning, it will pass through the athletes’ village, which spans Saint-Denis and neighboring Saint-Ouen, before reaching the Olympic Stadium and the Aquatics Centre.
Snoop Dogg, 52, originally from the Los Angeles area—set to host the 2028 Games—will also serve as an Olympic commentator for NBC during the 2024 Games.
In other news, a video of Lady Gaga in Paris has ignited speculation that the pop star may be part of the opening ceremony. The 38-year-old singer was seen arriving at a hotel in the city in social media posts.
The music lineup for the opening ceremony, to be held along the Seine River rather than in an athletics stadium for the first time in Olympic history, remains partially unannounced. However, Franco-Malian R&B star Aya Nakamura is anticipated to perform, despite facing criticism from far-right politicians like Marine Le Pen, who suggested her participation would “humiliate” France. Additionally, sightings of Celine Dion in Paris have sparked rumors of her potential involvement in either the opening or closing ceremony.
Notably, French electro duo Daft Punk declined an invitation to perform at the opening ceremony, while French DJ David Guetta, much to his dismay, was not selected.
Approximately 6,000-7,000 athletes are expected to participate in the ceremony, sailing down a six-kilometer (four-mile) stretch of the Seine from the Austerlitz Bridge to the Eiffel Tower on 85 barges and boats.
