Snoop Dogg is once again pushing boundaries—this time, not with lyrics or collaborations, but with technology. The West Coast rap legend has unveiled the music video for his latest single, Sophisticated Crippin’, from the album Iz It A Crime?, and it’s a surreal blend of generative AI and nostalgia that has the internet doing double takes.

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The video opens with a slick, suited-up version of present-day Snoop conversing with his younger, blue-bandana-wearing self in full Crip regalia. The message? Keep the legacy alive, but do it with finesse. “Keep crippin’, but keep it sophisticated crippin’,” says older Snoop—an oddly poetic mission statement for the wild ride that follows.

And make no mistake: the visuals are unmistakably AI-generated. The video quickly moves to a concert marquee that reads “Snoop Dogg” in glowing lights, accompanied by nonsensical, glitchy text underneath—classic telltale signs of generative AI. From there, things only get stranger.

Directed by Jesse Wellens, the rest of the video is a deep dive into a digitized dreamscape. Viewers are met with uncanny valley renderings of late icons like Kobe Bryant, Tupac Shakur, Nate Dogg, Michael Jackson, and even NBA greats LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Some are eerily lifelike. Others feel like warped memories flickering in a virtual fever dream. Intercut with these AI hallucinations are classic photos of Snoop Dogg himself, animated and reimagined using the same generative tools.

The results are as fascinating as they are unsettling. Depending on your view of AI’s place in art, the video is either a cutting-edge showcase of what’s possible or a jarring reminder of what we may be losing in the process.

This isn’t Snoop’s first foray into AI-generated visuals. In April, he released the video for Last Dance with Mary Jane featuring Tom Petty and Jelly Roll. That project, powered by Temple Caché’s AI software, blended machine-generated imagery with human artistic intervention. Each frame was manually enhanced, reanimated, and composited to maintain consistency—a hybrid approach that balanced tech innovation with traditional animation craftsmanship.

But Sophisticated Crippin’ leans harder into AI, with far fewer human touchpoints, making it a flashpoint in the ongoing debate about artificial intelligence in music and film. With Hollywood still reckoning with the ethical and creative ramifications of AI-generated performances and likenesses, Snoop’s embrace of the technology is bold—and a little provocative.

Still, there’s no denying the appeal of accessibility. For fans and aspiring artists, the message is clear: tools that once felt like science fiction are now at your fingertips. If Snoop can remix the past and future using AI, maybe you can, too.

As for the video? It might not be for everyone—but in typical Snoop fashion, it’s original, fearless, and impossible to ignore. Whether it’s a preview of music’s digital evolution or just another weird flex from one of hip-hop’s most enduring icons, Sophisticated Crippin’ proves that Snoop Dogg is still rewriting the rulebook—even if it’s written by an algorithm.