“She’s probably one of the most interesting athletes and a fantastic talent,” said Michael Johnson in an interview with Olympics.com while talking about Sha’Carri Richardson. Love her or hate her, there’s no arguing that Sha’Carri lets her performance do the talking—and at the Paris Olympics, she made sure it was loud and clear.

In her Olympic debut, Sha’Carri snagged a silver medal in the 200m, right behind Julien Alfred. But she didn’t stop there. As Team USA’s anchor in the 4×100 relay, she powered her squad to Olympic gold, sealing her first-ever Olympic win in true Sha’Carri fashion—fierce and unforgettable. And who else was there soaking up the moment? None other than hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg, who basically turned into Team USA’s unofficial mascot.

He didn’t miss a beat, sitting front and center for every key event, including Sha’Carri’s silver medal race. And their paths had already crossed back in track town Eugene, where Snoop watched her punch her first-ever ticket to the Olympics. So, when the Drop It Like It’s Hot star was asked what he saw in an athlete like Richardson, he couldn’t help but give major props to her Day 1’s.

At the US Olympic Trials, Snoop Dogg gave a shoutout to what he thinks is Sha’Carri Richardson’s secret weapon: her grandma. In an interview with USA Track and Field, he shared his thoughts on how family fuels her fire on the track. He said, “What’s important is that the family. That’s what makes the athlete strong: the family, the support system. I see Big Mom in the crowd, you know? That’s inspiration. If you come from a family that has a grandmother or a big mama, then you understand what that means.” Snoop also believed if one’s grandmother is alive, they’ll do everything in their power to keep them happy. This is what motivates Sha’Carri Richardson to perform so well.

Sha’Carri Richardson has always been a family-first kind of person, but her relationship with her grandmother, Betty Harper, takes things to a whole new level. Raised by Betty from a young age, Sha’Carri hasn’t shared exactly why, but what’s clear is that her grandmother is a rock in her life—a source of comfort and, let’s be real, some seriously good food. Whenever Sha’Carri comes home to Texas, Betty makes sure she’s well-fed with some home-cooked soul food: chicken and smothered potatoes, collard greens with fatback, Texas toast with homemade sausage, and eggs. But it’s not just the meals that have fueled the track star; it’s the attitude too.

Betty Harper proudly shared with Vogue that she’s the one who gave Sha’Carri that world-famous toughness she’s known for. “I made Sha’Carri tough,” she said. “I’m a strong woman, I’ve conquered several things in my life. So I knew exactly what I was talking about when, every now and then, things got tough and she’d want to stop-and I’d say, ‘Don’t start nothing and don’t finish it. You start, you finish.'” That no-nonsense attitude clearly rubbed off on Sha’Carri, and it’s part of what makes her such a force on the track.

Snoop Dogg wasn’t wrong when he highlighted the importance of Sha’Carri’s support system, but it doesn’t stop with Betty. Two other key figures have shaped her life: her birth mother and her aunt, Shay Richardson, whom Richardson affectionately calls “Mom.” Together, these women have played a major role in molding the bold, unapologetic athlete we see today after the countless hurdles that have come her way.

Sha’Carri Richardson’s complicated family bond was soothed with love by her “mom”

Sha’Carri Richardson has always been tight-lipped about her biological mom, keeping that chapter of her life pretty private. While not much is known about their relationship, one thing is clear: her grandmother, Betty Harper, was the one who raised her. Betty stepped in as a parental figure early on, providing the love, guidance, and support that helped shape Sha’Carri into the strong, bold athlete we see today.

However, in a heartbreaking revelation, Sha’Carri publicly shared that her mother had passed away just a week before the Tokyo Olympic Trials. Despite the emotional turmoil, Richardson qualified for the Olympics—but things took a drastic turn soon after. Her drug test came back positive for THC, leading to a suspension that knocked her out of the Tokyo Games. Sha’Carri Richardson later admitted that the marijuana use was her way of coping with her mother’s sudden death, a moment of vulnerability that showed just how much she had been struggling.

While her relationship with her biological mother was complicated, it was her aunt Shay who became her true mother figure. After dealing with deep abandonment issues, Shay made Sha’Carri Richardson a promise she never forgot—she would always be there for her. That promise meant so much to Sha’Carri that she began calling Shay “mom.” In a 2024 interview with NBC DFW, Sha’Carri shared, “My mom—Shay—she’s definitely been a pillar in my life to just be better.”

It was also Shay who first sparked Sha’Carri’s love for track. As a child, Sha’Carri spotted a bunch of medals in her grandmother’s room and later found out they belonged to Shay. The discovery lit a fire in her. She wanted her own collection of medals, and that’s where her track journey began. Looking back now, Sha’Carri Richardson can be proud of the incredible career that’s unfolded—a journey that started with a simple dream to be just like her mom.