Snoop Dogg wants to create music festival in dad’s hometown

MAGNOLIA, Miss. >> Rapper Snoop Dogg says he wants to create a music festival in his father’s hometown so he can perform in Mississippi.

“We always stop in New Orleans but we never book a show here. We might as well do it ourselves because my booking agent just won’t do it,” he said during a weekend stop in Magnolia, a south Mississippi city of about 2,400 near the Louisiana state line.

The rapper born Calvin Broadus stopped in Magnolia on his way to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, where he performed Saturday, to discuss his plans for “Snoop Fest” with the mayor, the McComb Enterprise-Journal reported today (http://bit.ly/2pe7x3T).

“We want to try to get it done this year, but if not, we will definitely do it next year,” Mayor Anthony Witherspoon said.

He said Magnolia is a great venue because it’s 90 minutes from Jackson, Hattiesburg, Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

It’s about 17 miles (27.4 kilometers) north of the Louisiana state line and just a few more from Britney Spears’ hometown of Kentwood, La.

Snoop Dogg said the festival’s first day would feature blues, gospel and country acts for the “aunts, grandmas and uncles,” with hip-hop and rhythm and blues on the second day. He would close the festival.

“I think the first should have what the heritage of Mississippi is about and then the second day should be about the generation that took it to another level,” he said.

Snoop said he wants to bring back Mississippi natives Brandy and Ray J Norwood of McComb, David Banner of Jackson, Souljia Boy of Batesville and newcomer La’Porsha Renae, also of McComb, and to give a shot to some performers who are still local.

“We can give the top five hottest artists a chance to open up,” he said.

The rapper said he wants to do something that reaches out to everyone. He said he comes to Mississippi three or four times a year, but only his family sees him.

“I want to do something so that everyone will get to see me,” he said. “If I wanted to do a show and leave, I could’ve done that. I wanted to do something to make a mark here. I just wanted to make an impact on the people here because I know how much I mean to them.”