By Emilie St. John
Contributing Writer
INGLEWOOD — Snoop Dogg and Funko celebrated the opening of Tha Dogg House a co-branded store on Jan. 6.
“This new store stays true to who I am as an entrepreneur and rapper,” Snoop Dogg said. “I can’t wait for my fans to experience it, to touch it, to feel it. Once you see it, it’s like no other thing in the world, Tha Dogg House, will blow your mind.”
The store is themed with Snoop’s new collection of Funko Pop! figures and an impressive array of recording artists, athletes and pop culture icons from the collectible giant.
Funko is a leading pop culture lifestyle brand that designs, sources and distributes licensed pop culture products across multiple categories, including vinyl figures, board games, action toys, plush apparel, housewares and accessories for consumers who seek tangible ways to connect with their favorite pop culture brands and characters.
Snoop’s collection consists of five Funko Pop! figurines depicting him in various outfits, including the jerseys of his favorite sports teams — the Los Angeles Lakers and Pittsburgh Steelers — pimp-inspired threads and a plaid shirt-and-Chuck Taylors combo reminiscent of his style in the early 1990s.
The opening was attended by Funko CEO Brian Mariotti, radio host Big Boy, and Inglewood rapper D-Smoke.
Tha Dogg House is located across the street from SoFi Stadium at 913 W. Prairie Ave. in the same shopping center as Snoop’s clothing store, Snoop Dogg Clothing.
He spoke on his connections to Inglewood and how it made sense to open his businesses there.
“Being in Inglewood for the past 15 years it’s been a lovely situation,” Snoop Dogg said. “They’ve always held me high because I’ve always done things in the community from coaching football to giving back and being here in general.”
He spoke of how the city is thriving and although he could have opened his business anywhere, Inglewood is where he wanted to be.
“I spoke with the city before SoFi Stadium was built, and it felt like the best spot to be in,” he added.
Snoop credited the shopping center’s owner with making his vision a reality and said a third store is in the works in the same plaza.
“The owner of the plaza is a cool guy and when I went to get the first store he was very impressed with me and my son, and watching me as a father and a businessman he was on board with what I wanted to do,” Snoop Dogg said.
Snoop Dogg is more than a rapper. He has positioned himself to be savvy businessman having increased his brand recognition after signing an overall deal with WME and the Endeavor Network.
He has partnered with fellow rapper Master P in getting in on the lucrative cereal industry through a deal with Post Consumer Brands, which is known for breakfast table staples Raisin Bran, Honey Bunches of Oats, and Malt-O-Meal.
His first cereal had to be rebranded after some controversy.
“They don’t want us to use Snoop Loopz on our cereal box even though [that’s] my name,” Snoop Dogg said on his social media account.
Under the Snoop Cereal umbrella, there are three different cereals, each with a new name: Frosted Drizzlers, Cinnamon Toasteez and Fruity Hoopz.
“They thought we was going to have one,” said Master P of the cereal, which will be WIC-eligible.
Early last year Snoop made headlines when he purchased Death Row Records from from the Blackstone-controlled company MNRK Music Group.
Emilie St. John is a freelance journalist covering the areas of Carson, Compton, Inglewood and Willowbrook. Send tips to her at emiliesaintjohn@gmail.com.
