A world famous rapper is rumoured to be replacing Snoop Dogg as the AFL Grand Final entertainment, after claims he will be axed due to his recent comments on same-sex relationships.
Nova presenter Nikki Osborne claimed this week she ‘knows people’ who have revealed that Eminem, 52, is rumoured to be stepping in for the canned Snoop, 53, at the MCG on September 27.
‘Eminem’s the backup,’ Osborne told listeners.
She suggested that if Snoop is axed amid backlash over past homophobic lyrics and recent remarks about same-sex representation in children’s films, Eminem will take his place.
The Lose Yourself rapper has previously played at other sporting events, including the NFL Super Bowl in 2022.
It comes after footy legend Brendan Fevola claimed Snoop Dogg will be dropped as the headline Grand Final entertainment act due to controversy around his songs and comments on women and gay people.
A world famous rapper is rumoured to be replacing Snoop Dogg as the AFL Grand Final entertainment, after claims he will be axed due to his his recent comments on same-sex relationships
The rapper’s selection to perform at the AFL’s showpiece event has divided Aussies, with some saying the league is undermining its commitment to respecting women.
Fevola believes the AFL will backflip and axe Snoop from his headlining gig.
‘On Snoop, I might have some goss about that,’ Fevola told 101.9 The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick on Monday.
‘They’re going to axe him. Because of his lyrics in his songs and he talked about gay parents over the weekend,’ he said.
‘I think he will get the a**e, and they are going to go for an Aussie artist to play at the MCG.
‘That will happen, take that to the bank. He will get the [a**e], which he should.’
Given Snoop’s huge profile, the move would be sure to make headlines outside Australia.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon recently defended the decision to pay Snoop a rumoured $2million to perform at the Grand Final.
Nova presenter Nikki Osborne claimed this week she ‘knows people’ who have revealed that Eminem is rumoured to be stepping in for the canned Snoop
The Lose Yourself rapper has previously played at other sporting events, including the NFL Super Bowl in 2022
‘We cannot vouch for every lyric in every song ever written or performed by any artist who has or will appear on our stage, Australian or international,’ he said.
‘It’s also important to remember that we have engaged Snoop Dogg in 2025 as the person he is today.
‘He has spoken publicly about his past, he has changed, and today he is a grandfather, philanthropist, he helps rehabilitate youth, and he’s a global entertainer who has performed at both the Super Bowl and the Olympic closing ceremony to audiences of more than 100 million people.
‘In those environments, his performances were appropriate and well-received, and his performance this year at our Grand Final will be fitting for the best sporting event in the country.’
However, Snoop proved Dillon wrong when he appeared on a podcast earlier this month.
He was discussing taking his grandson to see the kids’ movie Lightyear, which features two female characters who kiss.
Snoop said his grandson asked him, ‘Papa Snoop, how she have a baby with a woman? She’s a woman.’
He responded, ‘Aw s**t, I didn’t come here for this s**t, I just came here to watch the goddamn movie.
‘F**k me, I’m scared to go to the movies now, y’all throwing me in the middle of this s**t I don’t have an answer for… it threw me. Do we have to show that at that age? They’re going to ask questions. I don’t have the answer.’
Snoop also said, ‘they putting it everywhere’ as he began talking about the depiction of same-sex relationships in popular culture, leading to calls to scrap him from the family-friendly Grand Final.
