Snoop Lion Defends Rick Ross' Freedom Of Speech

Snoop Lion has sold it all. From foot-long hot dogs to Cadillac cars, the rapper-turned-reggae-crooner has had a vast array of endorsement and product pitch deals. And given his fair share of controversy, he can provide an interesting take on Rick Ross' recent situation with Reebok.

"When you're buying Snoop Dogg you're buying all that that come with it. When you're buying Rozay, you're buying all that come with it," the newly reincarnated Snoop Lion said Wednesday when he appeared on "RapFix Live." "You know what his lifestyle is about, you know what his music is about, so you have to engulf all of that. If you're not willing to take all that on, then step out of the way and stop playing and acting like he's bringing harm to your company.

"He actually made your company worth something and made and made your company relevant, because who cares about your company if you don't have a rapper connected to it," he continued.

On April 11 Reebok terminated their endorsement deal with Rick Ross after a lyric controversy surrounding the MMG rapper spiraled out of control. With his verse on Rocko's "U.O.E.N.O.," Ross rapped about dropping molly in a woman's drink and having sex with her, without her knowledge. The lyric conjured up images of date rape for protesters who held a rally and collected signatures urging Reebok to dump Ross.

"First of all, we as rappers we have a freedom of speech and our dialect shouldn't be taken so out of context. He has the right to speak on whatever he wants to speak on and that's his perspective," Snoop said in Ross' defense. "Me personally, as a rapper, I don't have no regrets about what I say, so I wouldn't give a damn about endorsement deals or none of that. If y'all cut me loose than y'all weren't meant to be with me — that's what I say."

Back in 1993 when he released his debut album Doggystyle Snoop drew fire from a number of politicians for his violent and misogynistic lyrics. Snoop even went through a high-profile murder trial, and was eventually acquitted of the charges. Still despite the past perception of Snoop, he has emerged as one of music's most bankable artists, as evidenced by his number of business partnerships. "I got endorsement deals left and right because they know how I get down. I smoke, I drink, I get down, you understand me," he barked.

Do you agree with Snoop Lion? Did Reebok buy all that comes with Rick Ross? Sound off in the comments!