Iconic rapper Snoop Dogg has once again courted controversy with his latest remarks on LGBTQ+ representation in children’s films. The hip-hop icon particularly called out Pixar’s 2022 spinoff Lightyear for including a same-sex couple in the animated movie’s storyline.

In an episode of the It’s Giving podcast, hosted by Sarah Fontenot last week, Snoop recounted the experience of having to take his grandson to see Lightyear in theaters. He then opened up about finding it difficult to explain the character’s sexuality, even confessing to being stumped when his grandson asked him how a same-sex couple can have a child.

“It threw me for a loop, ‘cause these are kids that we have to show that at this age, like, they’re going to ask questions. They are going to ask,” the rapper said, per ET Canada. “I don’t have an answer. And I was just there to go to sleep and watch the movie. That s— woke me up.”

Lightyear was a much-anticipated spinoff movie from the Toy Story franchise, following the adventures of the titular Buzz Lightyear, a space adventurer in real life as opposed to the fictional character from the Toy Story universe.

In the 2022 release, one of the central characters is shown in a same-sex relationship with another woman. The character was later the subject of a kissing scene that many conservative commentators said was unsuitable for a children’s film. The scene was temporarily cut from the movie until some Pixar staff raised objections, and the matter was later resolved with the LGBTQ+ sequence restored.

PinkNews reported that conservative audiences were quick to voice their ire at Snoop Dogg’s latest comments. In particular, they pointed to his scheduled appearance at the Australian Football League’s (AFL) Grand Final in October. The rapper was scheduled to take the stage at the match’s post-game entertainment, to the delight of LGBTQ+ advocates.

However, a spokesperson for the league said they were not under any pressure to rescind Snoop Dogg’s invitation to perform. “Gillon and I spoke last night and he said the show is not changing,” said the league’s chair, Emma Matthews, according to PinkNews. The AFL has taken a public stand on initiatives supporting inclusion and diversity in recent years, but it has not issued any statement that Snoop Dogg’s performance at the Grand Final will be in jeopardy.

Snoop Dogg had the final say on the podcast to suggest that he would be unapologetic about his stance. “It’s a different story to me. It ain’t about that, we got all types of kids,” the rapper said. “For you to question how two people have sex in a movie ain’t even about the LGBTQ s—, it’s really about parenting.”

Lightyear Controversy: Film Has History of LGBTQ+ Backlash

Lightyear has already had a controversial run before Snoop Dogg’s latest remarks. Conservative critics had initially assailed the animated children’s film for including a same-sex couple and a same-sex kiss. While some fans were ready to forgive the film for a kiss they thought was appropriate for children, others were not. Snoop Dogg is the latest of a series of filmmakers to target the LGBTQ+ representation in the spinoff film.

The backlash got so intense that the offending scene was initially removed and then restored after Pixar staff pushed back. Disney, which owns Pixar, has also had an internal row over the film, after some senior staff opposed the resumption of the LGBTQ+ kiss scene.

In the film, Chris Evans plays Buzz Lightyear, the real space hero who became the inspiration for the well-known Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story animated franchise. Lightyear, the real-life space-age science-fiction character, remains Buzz Lightyear’s inspiration and namesake. But the film, much like many other Pixar sequels and spinoffs, was not very well received by fans and critics.

It garnered poor reviews online and underperformed at the box office, taking just over $226 million worldwide, despite heavy marketing and fan expectations.

With the AFL Grand Final 2023 around the corner, and Snoop Dogg scheduled to perform on the day, the rapper seems far from backing down or retracting his controversial podcast comments. It is not clear whether or not the rapper’s recent controversy would damage his international reputation, but once again, he has pitted himself in the middle of the cultural war over family entertainment.