Snoop Dogg managed to sneak a toke just before taking the stage with his fellow hip hop legends at the 2022 Super Bowl. 

Production cameras caught the 50-year-old musician and known marijuana advocate discreetly puffing on what appeared to be a large joint shortly before his performance alongside Dr. Dre, 56, Kendrick Lamar, 34, Mary J. Blige, 51, 50 Cent, 46, and Eminem, 49.

A clip of him crouching near the stage and taking a few hits of the supposed joint has been circulating on social media after sports broadcaster Rafa El Alcalde first shared it on Twitter.

‘Warming up before going on stage for the Halftime Show,’ read the tweet, which has garnered 3.2 million views and has been shared 36.7 thousand times.

Snoop Dogg smokes moments before his Super Bowl halftime show

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Snoop Dogg appeared to have smoked weed just before taking the stage at the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show. Production cameras caught him puffing on what appeared to be a joint before performing, as seen in a clip shared on social media

The NFL has strict policies against marijuana use, though recreational weed is legal in California – where the game was played

celebrities and fans alike had hoped Snoop Dogg would light up on stage given his reputation and history of smoking weed while performing. Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre were seen on stage on Sunday night

Snoop Dogg is known to smoke weed on stage and off, admitting in 2014 to lighting up in a bathroom at the White House

While recreational marijuana is legal in California, the National Football League has a strict policy against using the drug. However, celebrities and fans alike had hoped Snoop Dogg would light up on stage given his reputation and history of smoking weed while performing.

Whether Snoop Dogg would get high while performing was such a popular question ahead of the game that betting platform Bovada allowed fans to gamble on it.

Snoop Dogg is known to smoke weed on stage and off, as well as in some unexpected places. He admitted in 2014 to lighting up in a bathroom at the White House, making the confession on his GGN (‘Double G News Network’) Youtube show when asked by comedian and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.

The NFL reportedly had some other concerns about the star-studded Super Bowl performance outside of Snoop Dogg’s marijuana use.

Network execs tried to ‘disgustingly censor’ rap legend Dr. Dre ahead of the show, despite the star shelling out $7million of the show’s $13million budget himself, a source close to the rapper has revealed.

According to the insider, in the weeks leading up to the big game – which saw the LA Rams defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 23 to 20 – the former NWA star had been pressured by league officials about lyrics and content of songs that he planned to perform onstage.

Specifically, officials took issue with the lyrics from the rapper’s 1999 hit ‘Still D.R.E.’ – ‘Still f—- with the beats, still not loving police’ – lyrics the star defiantly uttered during Sunday’s show anyway to the chagrin of NFL brass.

The league also ordered the star not to kneel during the performance – a move that has become a popular method of protest against racism – an order that the performer did reluctantly adhere to, according to the source.

NFL execs tried to ‘disgustingly censor’ rap legend Dr. Dre ahead of Sunday night’s show, even though the star shelled out $7million of the show’s $13million budget himself, a source close to the rapper has revealed

During the production, the rapper’s fellow performer and former mentee Eminem defiantly made the gesture (pictured), which has become a symbol of protest against racism, despite orders from NFL brass to not do so

However, during the production, which was widely hailed as the game’s best in recent history on social media – the rapper’s fellow performer and former mentee Eminem defiantly made the gesture, after he finished his performance of his hit song Lose Yourself.

The revelation concerning the NFL’s attempt at censorship comes as the league continues to struggle with its ability to handle controversy in the wake of its 56th Superbowl.

The halftime show, historically a hot-blooded show of extravagance, has often been scrutinized nearly as much as the game itself, with this year’s Hip-Hop themed performance – led by Los Angeles-born Dre, 56, as well as Snoop Dogg, 50, Kendrick Lamar, 34, Mary J. Blige, 51, 50 Cent, 46, and Eminem, 49 – proving no different.

Eminem, 49; Kendrick Lamar, 34; Dr Dre, 56; Mary J. Blige, 51; 50 Cent, 46; and 50-year-old Snoop Dogg took part in the performance, which was widely hailed as the game’s best in recent history

Dre dished out most of the astonishing $13 million budget required for this year’s performance, shelling out $7million of his own cash despite no immediate financial incentive to do so.

The heavy hitting hip-hop lineup marked a first for the NFL as the show has been historically headlined by pop stars.

The move by the NFL to change the pace of this year’s halftime show is being viewed by some as a smokescreen to detract from some of their most recent race related controversies.

According to a report from Puck’s Eriq Gardner, the NFL had been going back and forth with Dre and his camp concerning some facets of the performance. One large part of the NFL’s ire is a lyric from Dre’s 1999 hit ‘Still D.R.E.’ – ‘Still f—- with the beats, still not loving police.’

Allegedly, league officials wanted the hip-hop mogul to nix the line completely. Dre refused, reciting the lyric during his performance although minus the expletive.

To add insult to injury, Dre’s longtime friend and fellow superstar, Eminem opted to take a knee during the performance, after the league had also requested the performers not do during the show.

Eminem takes a knee to protest police brutality at the Super Bowl half time show, while his long-time collaborator Dr. Dre is on the piano. Dre did not kneel during the performance

Dre and the other stars did not join in on the gesture, nor did any players from the Rams or Bengals kneel during the National Anthem at the start of the game. There was no sign of any other kneeling from the audience either.

The show itself was extremely well-received on social media, with many hailing it as the best ever. Its popularity was credited to the slew of popular hits performed by the entertainers, including Dre’s Still D.R.E., Blige’s Family Affair and Eminem’s Lose Yourself.

All six performers also have a combined wealth of $983 million, with Dre’s new worth comprising more than half of the total sum, at $500 million.

The NFL has struggled in recent years to juggle the many social issues that have come to the forefront for players and fans alike.

Eminem’s on stage act was a painful reminder of the league’s mismanaged attempt to put a stop to Colin Kaepernick’s keeling protest against police brutality and racial inequality in the U.S.

More recently the league has faced backlash over it’s lack of black head coaches; there are currently just two active head coaches in the NFL who are black.

Former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores is currently embroiled in a legal battle with the NFL and several teams over his experiences in his search for a head coaching position in recent years.

The lawsuit alleges that teams, under the leagues ‘Rooney Rule’, brought Flores in for interviews whilst never actually intending to hire the former New England Patriot linebackers coach.

Last year’s halftime act featured The Weeknd, who similarly poured $7 million dollars into his act – though the move wasn’t rife with controversy and was meant to promote a newly released album

Per the NFL’s website the goal of the ‘Rooney Rule’ is ‘to increase the number of minorities hired in head coach, general manager, and executive positions.

This diversity enriches the game and creates a more effective, quality organization from top to bottom,’ the guidance states.

This year’s halftime performance has highlighted the NFL’s struggle to determine it’s official stance on racial injustice in the United States.

Last year’s halftime act featured The Weeknd, who similarly poured $7 million dollars into his act – though the move wasn’t rife with controversy and was meant to promote a newly released album.