Rapper Snoop Dogg has sparked a furious backlash after using a photo of Paul Gascoigne as a reason not to abuse alcohol.
The US star, 47, was branded a ‘disgrace’ when he posted a photo of the former England footballer in his younger playing days and aged 47.
The pictures, which were captioned ‘alcohol abuse’ showed him alongside a shocking photo taken in 2014 just before he was admitted to hospital following a drinking binge.
Gascoigne, affectionately known as Gazza to fans, now 52, has battled alcohol addiction for years.
In the same post, a set of pictures entitled ‘marijuana abuse’, the Sweat hitmaker shared a snap of himself aged 20, alongside one of him today at 47, looking like he had barely aged.
It is not known if Snoop Dogg is aware who Paul Gascoigne is or of the former midfielder’s well-documented battles with alcohol addiction, drugs and mental health.
Backlash: Snoop Dogg has been branded a ‘disgrace’ by fans after using a photo of Paul Gascoigne as a reason not to abuse alcohol
Outrage: In the same post, a set of pictures entitled ‘Marijuana abuse’, the Sweat hitmaker shared a snap of himself aged 20, alongside one of him today at 47, looking like he had barely aged
The post invoked the ire of fans who branded the star a ‘bully’ and ‘disrespectful’ and lambasted him for using the photo in light of Gazza’s medical issues.
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Snoop Dogg and Paul Gascoigne for comment.
Broadcaster Piers Morgan posted an image of the tweet and wrote: ‘This is nasty. Shame on you Snoop.’
Another wrote: ‘Snoop Dogg disrespecting Paul Gascoigne considering he suffered with alcoholism and other issues. F*****g disgrace.’
Another tweeted: ‘Wow I can’t believe what #SnoopDogg tweeted about Paul Gascoigne when he has an illness and Snoop chooses to be a stoner and not for medical reasons.’
One added: ‘No-one disrespects Gazza and gets away with it’ while another wrote: ‘Snoop Dogg is cancelled after going after Gazza like that.’
Fury: The post invoked the ire of fans who branded the star a ‘bully’ and ‘disrespectful’ and lambasted him for using the photo in light of Paul’s medical issues.
The former footballer has had several stints in rehab for drugs and alcohol addiction – the latter of which he has suffered from for more than 20 years.
In 2011 the sporting legend revealed he used to down nine brandies and snort cocaine before a match.
Earlier this week Gascoigne caused controversy when he led a chorus of boozy Benidorm holidaymakers in belting out ‘f*** the Pope and the IRA’ during his £18-a-ticket singalong bash.
Fans flocked to see the star perform at the Ibrox Bar in the Costa Blanca Spanish resort on Saturday where he was filmed joining in the foul-mouthed chant.
Gascoigne, who played for historically Protestant-supporting club Rangers, sang an adaptation of Tina Turner’s Simply The Best which hit out the the leader of the Catholic Church and the predominantly Catholic Irish nationalists.
Others called Snoop Dogg’s tweet ‘bullying and unacceptable’
A video published by the bar on their social media shows the retired footballer, dressed in a bright blue shirt, make his way through a crowd of merry and shirtless fans.
At the start of June 2019, the PFA and the Sporting Chance Clinic reached out to Gascoigne after footage emerged showing the former England star apparently drunk and asking a man for cocaine.
Gascoigne was caught on camera seemingly offering money for the Class A drug.
The star later attempted to allay fears, later tweeting that he was ‘well and safe’.
Alongside a picture of himself kissing the England shirt in his pomp, Gascoigne wrote: ‘I love you all from the bottom of my heart.’
Return: The star returned to the pitch at Tottenham Hotspur in March for the Legends v Inter Forever match earlier this year
The most recent photos of the former England midfielder were taken this week and show him relaxing in Spain, enjoying a ride on a jetski and a round of golf
Heyday: Gazza is known as one of the greatest footballers the country has ever produced (pictured 1991)
Snoop has long been a proponent of marijuana smoking, which is legal in the state of California, and once boasted of lighting up in the White House.
Gascoigne played for Lazio and won 57 England caps during an eventful career but went back in rehab after ending up in hospital following a two-day binge.
He started his football career at his boyhood club Newcastle when he joined the youth set-up aged just 13. He went on to join the first team in 1985.
He scored 21 goals in 92 appearances for the Magpies, then joined Tottenham in 1988 for a then-record British fee of £2.2million and played 92 times for the club.
Snoop has released 16 studio albums since being discovered by Dr. Dre in 1992 and has sold over 23 million records in the United States and 35 million worldwide.
He has also appeared in numerous films and television episodes, including Baby Boy, Scary Movie 5 and Starsky & Hutch