The Michael vs. Prince debate has been going on for decades. Two geniuses. Two completely different visions. And depending on who you ask, you’ll get two very different answers.
But when Snoop Dogg weighed in, he didn’t hesitate.
On the Drink Champs podcast, Snoop was asked about both Michael and Prince and made clear exactly where he stood. He said he respected them both so deeply as musicians that he wouldn’t even smoke around them — and for Snoop, that’s as close to sacred as it gets.
When it came to Michael, the reverence in his voice said everything.
Why Michael Is The King Of Pop
The numbers back up why people like Snoop land where they do.
MICHAEL JACKSON WENT ON TO SELL OVER 500 MILLION ALBUMS WORLDWIDE. IN COMPARISON, PRINCE JUST GOT 150 MILLION IN GLOBAL UNITS SOLD.
And on Spotify, Michael currently has over 22 billion total streams while Prince has over 4.2 billion across his catalog.
But it was never really about the numbers.
It was about what Michael did to a room. What he did to a generation. What he did to pop culture itself in a way that nobody — not even someone as gifted as Prince — was positioned to replicate.
The Prince Vs. Michael Jackson Debate
Michael Jackson was aware of the rivalry. In transcripts from recordings taped for his 1988 autobiography Moonwalk,
he said: “I don’t like to be compared to Prince at all. I have proven myself since I was really little.
Prince was extraordinary. Nobody seriously disputes that.
But Michael operated on a scale that even the most talented artists in history couldn’t reach. The stage presence, the global cultural crossover, the way he made people feel — that combination only existed once.