Snoop Dogg, RZA, Common to Guest in 'Simpsons' Hourlong Episode
The Simpsons are planning a hip-hop homage to
The Great Gatsby, and the show has recruited more names that are great gets.
Snoop Dogg, RZA, and Common will lend their voices
to the animated Fox comedy’s upcoming hourlong episode, EW has learned exclusively. All three rappers will play themselves and join a guest roster that also includes Taraji P. Henson and Keegan-Michael Key. (See above for a peek at the Simpsonized version of the trio.)
Titled “The Great Phatsby,” the episode tips its cap to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Roaring ’20s novel, revolving around the doomed friendship between Mr. Burns and a mysterious hip-hop mogul named… Jay G. The story, which is narrated by Homer instead of Nick Carroway, takes place at Burns’ summer mansion in the Springfield Hamptons, and sees Jay G and Burns becoming friends before Jay G sends Burns into bankruptcy and assumes command of the nuclear plan, prompting Burns, Homer, Bart, “force of nature” Praline (Henson), and Jazzy James (Key) to exact revenge on Jay G.
“We wanted the Mt. Rushmore of rap, and we got it,”
Simpsons producer Dan Greaney, who wrote the episode, tells EW. “They represent different moods and different aspects of the history of hip-hop.”
Jim Beanz — who produces music for Henson’s
Empire — has created original hip-hop songs for this episode, including a betrayal rap and a revenge rap.
“It’s a tale of greed, excess, betrayal, revenge, and ruthlessness,”
Simpsons executive producer Matt Selman told EW, “and there’s a hilarious goose in it. The goose is really funny.”
Snoop, who stars with Martha Stewart in VH1 cooking series
Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party, recently appeared in
Popstar: Never Stop Stopping and
Pitch Perfect 2 as well as on
Empire and
The League. RZA also appeared in
Popstar, as well as on
Gang Related and
Californication, while Common’s credits include
Suicide Squad, the
Entourage movie,
Selma, and
Hell on Wheels.
