Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight Reveals Lesson Learned from Snoop Dogg

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight has revealed how an encounter with US rapper Snoop Dogg reshaped his understanding of the series he created as a tribute to his hometown, Birmingham in the UK.

The accomplished writer and producer, whose fanbase includes celebrities like Barack Obama, Tom Cruise, and Brad Pitt, was particularly struck by Snoop Dogg’s admiration for the show. This interaction made Knight realize the global appeal of Peaky Blinders, discovering that people from Eastern Europe to Buenos Aires resonated with its themes.

Peaky Blinders finds its roots in Knight’s own childhood in Birmingham, where his mother worked for local bookmakers during a time when betting was still illegal. The show, inspired by stories of local gangsters known for their distinctive peaked caps, echoes Knight’s personal experiences.

In an interview with BBC’s Desert Island Discs, Knight shared that Snoop Dogg said the show reminded him of his own immersion into gang culture. According to Snoop, it was all about family – being kept in by them, escaping to do the bad stuff, and then dealing with the family’s emotions and loyalties.

“It made me understand that there is something in Peaky that is pretty universal,” Knight confessed, adding that Snoop Dogg was incredibly nice and a pleasure to talk to. Currently, Snoop is gaining new fans as one of the US ambassadors to the Paris Olympic Games, engaging in activities like swimming with Olympic legend Michael Phelps and dancing with a horse at a dressage competition.

Knight’s other works include writing the screenplay for the film Dirty Pretty Things and co-creating the popular TV quiz show Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

A Peaky Blinders movie is in the pipeline, with Oscar winner Cillian Murphy set to reprise his role as Tommy Shelby. Knight is also crafting a new Star Wars script and has recently inaugurated a TV and film studio in Birmingham, where the Peaky Blinders film will be produced.

Reflecting on these developments, Knight told the BBC, “It’s a fitting end to this part of the story, and we’ve got an absolutely fantastic cast. I want it to be a sort of legacy for Birmingham, but also a place where people come who want to do different stuff, brave stuff, bold stuff.”