'Day Shift' on Netflix: Snoop Dogg finally fulfills his long-desired 'True Blood' dream
Rapper Snoop Dogg is famous for his tunes. The rapper is also known for his love for vampires, which he expressed through his tributes to the HBO series 'True Blood.' Come Friday, August 12, he will be seen brandishing a machine gun on the vampire film 'Day Shift' on Netflix alongside Jamie Foxx. The rapper's role is an homage to his fondness for vampires, which he affirmed by paying tribute to them with actual blood. JJ Perry's directorial debut also features Scott Adkins and Dave Franco.
Several great rappers have ventured into acting, and Snoop is no exception. He has had numerous notable appearances in films over the years, including 'Starsky & Hutch' and 'Training Day.' He's been in stoner comedies including 'Mac & Devin Go To High School,' as well as video games like 'Call of Duty: Warzone' and 'Def Jam: Fight for NY.'
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'True Blood' stands out among Snoop's many favorites. In his 2009 song 'Gangsta Luv,' he first mentioned the vampire series. 'Oh Sookie,' a whole song devoted to Anna Paquin's character in the show Sookie Stackhouse, was released in 2010. With the lyrics and music video showing his knowledge of the show, the path for a possible 'True Blood' appearance seemed a possibility. Nevertheless, time passed, and 'True Blood' concluded without the rapper making an appearance. However, to the show's credit, it would have been startling to see such a famous figure appear so casually in Bon Temps.
Snoop will be appearing in 'Day Shift over a decade after 'True Blood' concluded. The Netflix film is unrelated to 'True Blood.' Snoop willdon the character of a vampire hunter rather than a vampire (as the trailer suggests). In a way, 'Day Shift' compensates for Snoop's absence in the HBO series. Even better, his part in the film is substantially larger than any cameo he could have had in 'True Blood.'
Snoop Dogg's obsession with Vampires
In 'Oh Sookie,' Snoop Dogg flirts with Rutina Wesley's Tara Thornton and Sookie while slamming Alexander Skarsgård's Eric Northman. The lyrics are, "Won't trick you like Eric / And make you drink blood." He also takes a shot at Stephen Moyer's Bill Compton, "Bill ain't for real / He ain't true blood." In the music video, Snoop drives into Merlotte's Bar and Grill (where Sookie works as a server) in a car with a 'Tru Pimp' license plate and garlic cloves on the rearview mirror. All through the video, Snoop sports a 'Sookie' gold necklace with other 'True Blood' personalities in the background while declaring his love for the telepath.
'Oh, Sookie' might be attributed to Snoop's obsession with Sookie Stackhouse, although the rapper's fascination with the supernatural is much deeper. He portrayed the titular gambler-turned-ghost Jimmy Bones in the 2001 film 'Bones,' in which he seeks vengeance for his own murder. He also played a preacher vigilante who takes matters into his own hands in the 1999 film 'Urban Menace,' a character that could be called a precursor to his vampire-hunting abilities in 'Day Shift.' This type of role was certainly long overdue.
How did Snoop Dogg become a part of 'Day Shift?'
Snoop Dogg appears in 'Day Shift' as Army vet Bud's (Jamie Foxx) pal Big John Elliott, who is attempting to entice the former back to the vampire slayers union. Perry revealed an unexpected link between himself and the 'Young, Wild, and Free' rapper when he proposed the notion to Snoop: their infantrymen dads.
"My whole pitch to him was, 'I'll make you an action star, brother,'" Perry said. "... 'Well, my father was in Vietnam.’ Snoop said. My dad was in the Army too, so we had this common thread," he added.
Perry pushed Snoop to channel his father. "I basically said, 'I want you to play your father.' I said I want to take away all of that LA swagger and give you more of a country swagger.”
With a 'John Wick' crew on board and promising performances from Foxx, Franco, and Snoop, 'Day Shift' has the potential to become a franchise. There can be sequels, prequels, and possibly a spinoff centred on Snoop's vampire hunter.