FUSE TV - Watch: Snoop Dogg Dons Tux for Kennedy Center Gig

It's a new year and Snoop Dogg is making some big changes. Along with throwing his Snoop Lion moniker out the window, he's also shed his standard wardrobe of oversized jerseys for a tux with tails to perform at the Kennedy Center Honors.

Sadly, Snoop was not one of the night's inductees, he was there to perform a tribute to Herbie Hancock, the renowned jazz pianist who was hugely influential on hip hop culture.

The lanky rapper chose a mash-up of Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island" and his own mega-hit "Gin & Juice" for the honorary number, referencing the legend several times in the lyrics.

As the number closes, Snoop shouted out:

"Herbie, you know we love you,  baby! Thank you for creating hip hop!"

Hancock can be seen in the audience with a Cheshire cat grin.

Highlights of the performance include the "Drop It Like It's Hot" rapper's ginormo, blinged-out personalized mic and the Obamas happily singing along.

(The President is clearly a little embarrassed, but Michelle goes all in. It's splendid.)

Speaking of important politicians, this is not Snoop's first posh political rodeo; he hit up a Whitehouse party last month and shared a fist bump with the secretary of state. 

That was also magic.