February 17, 2022 • 33 mins
Originally a choir boy from Long Beach, Snoop turned to gangs, guns, and drug dealing in his teenage years. Amid this lifestyle, Snoop impressed Dr. Dre with his mixtapes, leading him to release the hit albums “Doggystyle” and “Tha Doggfather” under Death Row Records. After being charged for murder in a 1993 gang shooting, Snoop turned his back on the “gangsta” lifestyle and distanced himself from Death Row. Eventually, Snoop released multiple albums under No Limit Records and reunited with Dr. Dre for their hit album “2001”. Snoop showed the world that it's possible to escape the mean streets and make mistakes before finding yourself. Now Snoop Dogg is a cultural icon with 17 studio albums, multiple TV roles, business ventures, and product lines.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
His message packs and knockout punch, but his moves are silky, smooth, stylish,
even seductive. Cool cat from the mean Street, Snoop Dogg
was a modern day outlaw who put a wicked new
wrinkle on West Coast wrap. Raised a choir boy, Snoop
was seduced by the glamor of gangs, guns and high
stakes drug dealing. But after two stints in the slammer,
(00:27):
Snoop Dogg went straight and found the mentor that would
make him a star. Paired with pioneering producer Dr Dre,
he was crowned the dog father of gangster Rap. But
then Snoop Dogg was collared for murder. A deadly confrontation
left Snoop facing twenty five years to life. Acquitted but rattled,
(00:53):
Snoop quickly changed his tough guy too. Now the tale
of a dog whose bark is worse than his bite,
Snoop Dogg the story behind the music. It was an irrespectacle,
(01:16):
a lavish, if not bizarre production featuring a gospel choir,
a preacher, and throngs of mourners grieving before a casket
in elaborate and morbid display stage to announce the arrival
of the reigning King of Rap. At MTV Video Music Awards,
Snoop Doggie Dog song was called murder was the case,
(01:38):
and that's exactly what he was, facing twenty five to
life for a cold bloody killing with millions watching Snoop
to five, and he made his plea no innocent on innocent.
You can't really work from violence, you know what I'm saying,
because it tends to come find you when you come
from this lifestyle. And on front, it was just only
(02:00):
three years old and after selling nine million albums, was
the biggest name on the hip hop scene. But he
learned that ruling the world of gangster rap made him
a target for trouble. No matter how much money you make,
how much you got, and you can't change time and
you can't change your destiny. Snoop seemed destined to be
something special from the very beginning. He started his extraordinary
(02:21):
life with an extraordinary name, Cordoza Rhotus. We figured that
nobody with Binasa's real name right, so we decided naming Snoopy.
I used to watch Charlie Brown, and they used to
say I lived back him because I used to watch
him so much. To this day. My MoMA never called
me by my real name. She always called me Snoop.
(02:42):
Born in Long Beach, California, on October twenty one one.
Snoop was the second of three boys. His mom, Beverly Rhotis,
was a struggling single parrot who often worked two and
three jobs just to keep her family alive in one
of southern California's toughest neighborhoods Long Did you spetch you?
Just like any other part of the world, specially you
just had to put a spotlight on it, And that
(03:03):
is shown, But in Snoop's neighborhood, the spotlights blazed down
from police helicopters. The city is home to more than
twenty gangs, unrelenting crime, and rampant poverty. Snoop's mother did
what she could to combat the mean streets, so church
was part of their weekly ritual and attend Snoop joined
the Sunday choir. Becky let some songs inquire Um. That's
(03:28):
when I found out how talented he was. When I
heard him sing. My mama had me leading song. I
didn't really want to do it, but knowing your kids,
you can't really fight your mom. And I mean it
was moorifying guy's name, So I mean, I feel proud
about it now, but I was kind of bearsed back in.
But his mom had an unconventional side. Saturday night, she
and Snoop would spend her favorite records and the strict
(03:49):
rules of the house were loosened for the night. Sometimes
Snoop would be my company, so I'd go to the
store and bous the sixth pack of Slip Mount liquor
and he would with me. We listened to all the
school R and B music. We did to bump, we
drunk sliss month like, oh we party. I mean, we
just had a good time. And that's what life was
about back then. But by the age of twelve, Snoop
(04:12):
was finding his own kind of music. In three, he
discovered the emerging sound of wrap and began inventing rhymes
with his friends. My home with two turner tables, and
he had to record. Now, I should just wrap on
like every day. I just called you mean. He was
tight way back then because he was coming straight off
freestyle and his classmate Warren g encouraged Snoop to develop
(04:35):
his talent. I will tap him on the shoulder and
then I will point at something and then he'd start
freestyle and he pointed out my shoes. I wrapped by
my shoes. Whatever he pointed, I'm just flowing, just busting.
It's like he was training me, you know what I mean.
By the time he reached high school, Snoop was becoming
a schoolyard celebrity and a favorite with the girls. Chante
(04:55):
Taylor was just fourteen years old when she met Snoop.
We can't run in to each other, and he was
just the coolest. I just had to talk to him.
She was nice. Different in order of other girls. You
know what I'm saying. Somebody did I like got custed
on all that. Snoop and Chante dated off and on
as teenagers, but at the time, Snoop's priority was music.
(05:20):
He and his friend Warren hooked up with a kid
named Nate Hale and formed a group called To One three.
We came up with this song called Long Beach as
a Mother, me and him and Wongy, and that was
our first song we did together. And I was just
trying to make music to represent Long Beach because Long
Beach was never getting no props, and I was just like,
I'm from Long Beach, LBC East Side, going to put
(05:41):
it down from my city after school. Two on three
recorded tracks in a tiny studio in the back of
a record store, and every week Warren would take the
tapes to his stepbrother Dr Dre, co founder of the
Seminal gangster rap group in w A. That was our
only hope in w A. Was just the top of
the world, you know, and and and warm. Being Dre's brother, Man,
(06:03):
we just saw that one avenue where we get it.
One was coming at me like in a crazy way
about this group two one three, But you know, it
was like the big brother, little brother kind of thing
going on, like yeah, yeah, okay. I listened to him
when I get a chance. For months, Dray kept the
boys at arms length, tossing their tapes, ignoring their pleas.
(06:23):
It got certain points in the game while I was like, Man,
I give up on this, throw all my wraps in
the trash can. I will go downstairs and I'll take
it out the track, you know, and tell him, man,
we're about to do this. We gotta sacrifice. But the
seventeen year old snoop sacrifice seemed senseless when everywhere he
looked drug dealers were getting rich while he bagged groceries
(06:44):
for minimum wage. I had a job working at Lucky,
and I was getting like eighty five ninety dollars a week,
and my home boy was standing out in front of
my apartment where I lived at making life a night
tall one plus one eagles too. With money is his motive.
(07:06):
Snoop started selling crack cocaine for the Crips, one of
l A's most feared gangs. Before you know what, I
made six and two nights, something I wasn't gonna make
him six to seven weeks and Lucky. So before you
know it, my mama's house becomes a target for being
shot at. And somebody drove by shot and the bullet
(07:27):
went up over my head. And uh, it's just the
point that I had to say, enough is enough. I
just told him that I got two other kids, I
got a raise, you know, and then I'm working hard too,
and m he just made his mind that he's gonna
do what he wants to do, and that's what he did.
His decision broke his mother's heart. Beverly took her other
sons and moved out of the neighborhood, severing all ties
(07:48):
with Snoop. Just seventeen and still in high school, Snoop
was on the fast track to trouble. He bounced around,
crashing on couches, sleeping in cars, dealing on the street.
His old partner, Warren G, begged him to clean up
his act and get back to muse it. I will
just tell him, you know, man, we need to try
to do something different. Man, I'm not trying to die
(08:08):
out on the street over nothing. I don't want you
to end up getting killed over nothing. Snoop managed to
graduate in May of but less than a month later,
his dealing days came to an abrupt den. I sold
to an undercover officer and when they finally came back
to get me, and I still had the drugs on me,
so I was like, I want to and just pleading guilty.
(08:34):
And with that, eighteen year old Snoop was sentenced to
four years in the Los Angeles County Jail. Next from
the Big House to the Doghouse, Snoop Doggy Dog charges
to the front of the rat pack when behind the
music continues. Just out of high school, Snoop Dogg was
(09:05):
doing time for selling crack cocaine. Once he aspired to
be a rap star, but by the summer of nineties,
Snoop was resigned to a life as an inmate. A
lot of times it was cool, you know, sneak a
little bit of weed in there, smoke weed, played basketball,
drink coffee, rapping all night. No just having a good time.
I mean, you know, after you get aggested, you adjested,
(09:26):
you know, just his home getting used to it. But
his cellmates urged Snoop to get out and stay out
of prison. He was far too talented to waste his
life behind bars. They was like, man, dog, when you
get up out of here, you need to be wrapping home.
You need to go really seriously put it down and
get you gonna wrap home as you tie. After serving
less than a year, Snoop was released in the spring
(09:46):
of one. Determined to make something of his life, Snoop
steered clear of trouble put all his energy into making music.
The going was tough, but Snoop got by with help
from his friends. They all let me stay with him
and you know, just took care of me and help
me with this rap thing. I wasn't making no money,
but I was just determined to get it done. We
(10:07):
had left the hustle alone, were starving. It was bad,
you know, we didn't have nothing to eat. Desperate for
a break, Warren g tried one last time to get
his stepbrother Dr Dre to listen to the music he'd
been making with Snoop if I called him and I
was asking if I could come hang with him, So
he was like, yeah, one of my buddies having a
bachelor party. Just as the party got rocking, Warren slipped
(10:30):
their demo tape into the mix. Dray was like, who
was that. I was like, that's Snow and I was like,
that's what I've been telling you about the whole time,
that Snow. I was in love with the tape, and
I decided that, you know, I at least have to
get him in the studio and see if we can
bob together at all. The chemistry was electric. Snoop's vivid
(10:51):
lyrics and smooth delivery blended perfectly with gray cutting edge style.
It was just like raw talent, like and unpolished diamond,
you know that I had to work with, and he'd
come right in there. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's tight. That's tight.
Let's say it like this one, two three. It took
the fault. You know what I'm saying, just coaching, but
(11:13):
a dangerous element would soon be added to the mix.
In early dr Dre teamed up with Marion suge Knight
to form Death Row Records. Dre was famous for his
West Coast sound, Sugar was notorious for his strong arm tactics.
Dre and Sugar offered Snoop death Rose debut project, the
title track to the movie deep Cover. I mean we
(11:34):
did the song in a couple of hours, from nothing
out of there and no samples, none of that before
you knew being like that's hot. We just did the
song and this happened and both felt it was my boy,
that is a hit, right the fans of hip hop.
Deep Cover became the soundtrack for the summer of playing
(11:57):
the streets and the clubs and the suburbs and went everywhere,
and it introduced Snoop you know to the whole world.
Is this mysterious laid back character. Deep Cover was hot,
but their next project would ignite a hip hop revolution.
Snoop and Dre recruited an army of talented West Coast
rappers create an album that would take the music industry
by storm. It was all a family thing was Dre
(12:20):
and Snoopy worn das corrupt, raised the well and it
was It was beautiful. The recording sessions were fueled by
large quantities of alcohol and a constant supply of powerful pot.
The clue called the Chronic. I started bringing a Chronic
up team, and no I was like, Draw, you should
call you out in the Chronic. I don't even think
(12:40):
Dre was smoking Chronic who was working on his app.
I'm the one who brought to chronicity to tail and
they I tell you. The Chronic hit the stores in June.
The album celebrated the gritty life of gangsters, but Snoop's
disarming delivery seduced listeners well beyond the boundaries of rap.
It shot to number three on the pop charts, making
The Chronic the biggest crossover in the history of hip hop.
(13:04):
The Chronic was the first commercial gangster rap record. It
was the first gangster rap record that actually got regular airplane.
That also showed that the hardness of the sound was
finally getting to the mass public. At the mass public,
i e. White people were buying Another writer had a
turn for Snoop, Warringy and Dr Dre. After the Chronic
(13:25):
came out, which was gangster life. It had a gangster element,
but it was still hip hop more so than just
you know, mindless gangster rap. The Chronic was the first
West Coast record that I can remember that played immediately
on the East Coast. And I mean that might not
really seem landmark now, but back then it was. It
(13:47):
was incredible. By the beginning of the album had sold
more than four million copies. The sudden fame was at
heady rush for one year old Snoop. The success of
the Crime was overwhelming that you know, it had to
be celebrated on a daily basis. I had never been
in that situation before, so I still would lie. I
(14:08):
was still living off the Chronic, you know what I'm saying.
I was loving that. Then in the spring of ninety three,
Snoop met a kindred soul, a rising rap star named
Tupac Shakur. It was a beautiful thing. The fresh ship
was genuine because I believe we were the same kind
of people, you know, in the same place at the
same time. Everybody out here got cases in the real
brain and real thug loves to master these thug records.
(14:33):
But at the offices of Death Row records. The atmosphere
was anything but gangster light. Sugar Knight rode shotgun over
the operation. According to insiders, he ruled by fear and intimidation.
The FBI was investigating Death Row suspecting widespread corruption, extortion,
and fraud, but found few witnesses who were willing to talk.
(14:55):
There were stories of you know, people being pistol at,
you know, of the people who's being offed up. I
mean people being slapped around. I mean kind of stuff.
You know that you see the reason that you also
you around the street. It's just kind of standard operating practice.
I was a part of the problem too. I had
on these ever gang bang and that was a part
of the problem of the world. Death Row was becoming
(15:16):
a dangerous place. Rival gangs mixed in the hallways, guns, drugs,
and violence were a way of life. Through music, Snoop
had hoped to escape the perils of the street, but
now he was living in a far more hazardous world.
It was too much carelessness around me, you know, whether
it was my carelessness, my record label, my friends, it
(15:37):
just was too much, you know, going on to where
stuff that had to happen, you know, to put everybody
in check. Like Snoop, Tupac was no stranger to Trouble.
He had grown up without a father, spent time behind bars,
and found fame and wrap. Tupac had a record deal,
but Snoop thought he'd fit in well at Death Row.
(15:58):
I think starting in Trouble, you know, you know, because
we didn't have you know, security, and I lived a
gang bang lifestyle, and you know lifestyle he lived. He
had gang bangers whin the phonies with him, you know
what I'm saying. So it was like the lifestyle we
was living was you know, it was wild and five.
It would be another two years before Tupac would join
(16:19):
Death Row, so it was up to Snoop and Dr
Dre to keep the label rolling. In the summer of three,
they teamed up to produce their first All Snoop release.
Our lives were straight up like Okay, we're gonna work
and then we're gonna play, you know what I'm saying.
And I think most of it was like play straight up.
We played like sixty seventy percent at the time. But
(16:42):
the play of Dre Snoop in their Death Row cronies
went well beyond the usual recording studio decadence. There were
reports of weapons being brandish, fist fights, erupting of damaged
and stolen property. He was so chaotic. Malik Lee was
hired to be Snoop's full time bodyguard. A lot of
times when the dumbies come up there, they didn't really
understand that, you know, we gotta work now, we gotta
work for these twelve hours, and so people got restless.
(17:05):
And know that's where a lot of drama happened, where
the chronic took just four months to make Doggie Style
was becoming an epic production. You know, I think we
got kicked out of Hay Studios beating that album because
we were all like having a bunch of fun. And
you know a lot of the people that worked at
these studios didn't understand our type of fund which Snoop's
(17:27):
life was about to take a dangerous turn. It seemed
he couldn't put his gang bag in days behind him,
and trouble was always just around the corner. His bodyguard,
Malik was unconstant alert. He was a crib you know,
and and and and he had passes, you know, true enough,
but still there was people that hate him. No, and
that's kind of how we got involved into the situation.
(17:50):
Malik had successfully diffused several volatile encounters, but on Sunday, August,
his luck ran out, and they just shouldn't have never happened,
you know. That's when people asked me, do you wish
something that never could have happened to you? What have happened?
That's when I always saundurs that day would have never happened.
There are conflicting reports of what exactly happened on that
(18:11):
hot summer afternoon, but what is known is one man's
life came to a sudden and violent end. According to
Snoop and Malik, they were leaving Snoop's apartment for a
recording session when they heard shouting from the street below.
Someone runs upstairs and they said, you know, there's somebody
else with the guns for me. I ran and I
dropped my gun. Malik says when he looked down on
the street from the apartment's balcony, he saw one of
(18:33):
Snoop's friends arguing with three gang members in a car.
He claims one of the passengers, Philip Walda Merriam, had
a gun. This is like the second or third time
where something this drastic has really happened. We were all
kind of petrified. Malik says that within minutes the car
drove away and it seemed the danger had passed. We
figured that it's okay, everything is cool to go. So,
(18:55):
according to Malik, Snoop got behind the wheel of his
suv and they headed for the studio. But just two
blocks from home, Malik says, they saw the same men
sitting in a nearby park. One flagged them down those
new pulls over to the curve, you know, And I'm
already hot, you know, so I already have to take
all my gun and I put it on my lap.
I'm already just anticipating that could possibly be a problem.
(19:16):
Malik says. The gang member was apologizing for the earlier
incident when Philip Walter Merriam suddenly appeared from nowhere out
of the bishous Philip has running up to the car
and his his friend tries to stop him. He pushes
him out of the way. Either he was gonna die,
when I was gonna die, give us up at shuret
and he reaches and I returned. Malik fired two shots
(19:42):
into Walter Merriam's body. He says. They then fled the scene,
not knowing if the mandate shot was dead or alive.
According to Malik, they called then went into hiding. The
only reason why we did not go to the police then,
it's because we had no representation. Our attorney, David Kinner
was in Miami. Attorney David Kenner returned to Los Angeles
and broke shocking news to Snoop and Maliki. Year old
(20:05):
Philip Waldamarian was dead and the police were hunting from
a leak in. Snoop, I just want to and just
told him David Kenna, I want to turn myself in
because I don't want to be you know, looked at
as somebody who did a climb and run it. In
the wake of the fatal shooting, Snoop turned to the
woman who had first warned him about the dangers of
gang life, his mother, Beverly. The two had had little
(20:27):
or no contact for four years. Tell me everything that happened,
And he said, I want you to hear it from me,
because it's going to be on TV and you're gonna
hear a lot of stories. And I could feel it,
and he felt really scared and he just he just
needed me. He just you know, it's like he just
needed that that mother's touched just and no, it's gonna
be all right. With the police still searching for Snoop,
(20:49):
it was rumored that he would come out of hiding
seven days after the shooting. At the MTV Video Music Awards,
the l A p D and the Shriff's Department are
combing the audience looking for Snoop Doggie Dog. They're here
to arrest him. Snoop did appear presenting an award with
longtime collaborator Dr Dre. After the show, he was arrested
(21:11):
and charged with first degree murder. Within hours, Death Row
posted a million dollars bail and twenty two year old
Snoop was back on the street, but the murder charge
would hang over his head for years. Probably the worst
two and a half years in my life. Next Snoop's
trial and tribulations when behind the music continues for Snoop Dogg.
(21:48):
The fall of ninety three was a time of gut
wrenching highs and loads. His long awaited solo album, Doggie Style,
was released and became the first rap album ever to
debut at number one on the pop charts. But at
the same time, Snoop was facing twenty five years to
life for the murder of gang member Philip Walda Marry Him.
Headlines painted Snoop as a cold blooded killer and made
(22:10):
him a household name for people who had never even
heard a rap song. I think murder charge impact of
the record sales greatly, just out of curiosity. He was like,
who is this guy? Is he really all that he
raps about? I think it probably helped the sales, but
it didn't help me because all the publicity I was
getting his megat I just was looked at as a murderer,
(22:31):
some evil person that just go out and just killed
people and then rap about it and glorified, you know,
happy that somebody was dead, you know, and that's not me,
you know. I felt very remorseful, still do. But as
the press condemned Snoop, fans were embracing him, his Doggy
Style album produced hit after hit, selling more than four
million copies. Of course, rap fans automatically assume he's innocent,
(22:55):
you know, because he snooped up. But then there's this
era of you know, mystery, like maybe he did do
it because he's a gang member. Snoop says he tried
to forget his legal problems and trusting them to his attorney,
David Kenner to be real, which I really wasn't focused
on on this case because that's how David Kenny is.
He's like, don't worry about everything. Is everything, So I'll
leave it in his hands and leave it in guy's hand.
(23:17):
Snoop wasn't the only rapper running a foul of the law.
In the summer of nine. His friend Tupac Shakur was
again behind bars, accused of assault and sexual battery. Snoop
convinced death Row to post Tupac's one point four million
dollar bail, then Shook Knight signed him to death Row quickly.
Snoop and Tupac teamed up to exploit their outlaw images
(23:40):
with a song called America's Most Wanted. That's what we
was feeling when we was in the studio, And when
you're in the studio, you didin't really given about what
you know, if it's a good idea and making recordsistions
come from your heart. And at the time me and
Tupac felt like we were two of America's most moment.
You know what I'm saying. For what we've done in
the rap world, for what we done in general. But
(24:02):
in November of n Snoop could no longer ignore his troubles.
After more than two years of motions and hearings, his
trial was finally underway. Snoop and his bodyguard, Malik Lee,
stood accused of killing Philip Waldamarian in cold blood. Found guilty,
they could spend the rest of their lives in prison. Still,
(24:22):
Snoop was shocked when the judge put him under house
arrest for the duration of the trial, till they took
that freedom with me to where I couldn't be out
and partying all night, going to clubs and doing this
that I didn't really understand this case and realized how
vido it was. My heart was beaten like I was
smuggle cracking in the court room every day. Snoop and
(24:45):
Malik had always maintained they had been lured into the
park and acted in self defense, but as the trial opened,
prosecutor headiness and went on the attack. He called witnesses
who testified that Snoop and his crew had pursued the
victim and his associates looking for trouble. To me, in
my mind, the evidence clearly establishes that that they went
(25:06):
looking for these guys. They were the ones who really
provoked the confrontation. Regardless of who provoked whom, the fact
was both men were armed. The question for the jury
was did Malik and Snoop murder Philip Walter Merriam or
were they acting in self defense? The evidence that they
had at the time of the indictment was such that
the d A's office shouldn't know that they didn't have
a case against anybody, let alone Snoop. The point is
(25:27):
that the shooting was occasion simply by the fact that
this kid walked up to the jeep and started to
pull out his gun. That's why I got shot. For Snoop,
the trial was a harrowing experience every time, and they
say he's looking at twenty five life. He just brutally
murdered somebody. You know, just depicted me sideways, you know
(25:49):
what I mean, something that didn't happen. It was it
was tef with his life and his future very clearly
on the line. Snoop's friends and family rallied behind him.
Snoop was our best friends, so we came down to
give up our supportful when we have a break or something,
I would always you know, give him that motherly hug
and let him know him there and it's gonna be
(26:10):
all right. Even a man who barely knew Snoop came
to court to lend his support his father, although the
two had been estranged for much of Snoop's life. Bernell
Varnado left his job in Detroit and moved to l
A to be with his son. I took early retirement,
just come out here to be Snooped. I know for
a fact, if you needed me, if you needed me,
(26:32):
you ever needed me, he needed me there and just
you know, built a relationship on the day instead of
you know what happened last year, why he wasn't there whatnot.
At the end of January nine, after four long months,
the prosecution rested its case. The defense, on the other hand,
believed the state had failed to prove Snoop and Malik's
guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. They felt compelled to call
(26:53):
only a single witness to the stand. I think that
by the end of the case, the jury had had
it and they wanted to go home. And that was
one of the other reasons why we cut short our
presentation on defence. It all went down to the twelve jurls,
so it was their name. On February twenty one, after
(27:15):
six days of deliberation, the jury announced they had reached
a verdict. I was nervous, expecting whatever, ready for whatever
whatever they was gonna get me. I was ready for
probably the scariest day of my life. May see, you
don't know where this sport his down session. They ran
McKinley Leave's name first, we the jury and aboveb and
(27:36):
dial action by the dependent McKinley Lee not guilt the
murder in the first, and then they read my name,
we the jury, abobble tile action by the defending Calvin
Brothers not guilt feel the private murder in the first
violation of punic coat ses. You know, just bowed my
hand and just praying to God, thank you. And it
was finally overweight. He had beaten the murder wrap and
(28:00):
walked away a freeman. But Snoop would never be the same.
Put everything in a right perspective, as far as my life,
as far as not. I wanted to bring no harm
and nobody or to betray myself like that anymore. And
from that day on, I've seen myself turn into a
different person, creating myself into a maid. Twenty five year
(28:21):
old Snoop Dogg had gotten rich by glorifying gangs and guns.
Now he hoped to distance himself from that life. But
at Death Row Records, that was easier said than done.
I wanted to put positivity in it and you know,
make peace with people. And they didn't want to see
it like that. They wanted to keep the Death Row
image the way it was. Snoop's change of heart put
(28:44):
a strain on his friendship with Tupac Shakur. Tupac was
still reveling in Death Rows gangster image and feuding with
rival rappers, a dangerous game. Snoop wanted no part of.
He expected me to be mowed down when he was falling,
like all out. Whoever you got a problem with, I
got a problem with, and I didn't see it like that.
(29:05):
Distancing himself from Death Row was a decision that may
have saved Snoop's life. In September ninety, Tupac and Suged
Night traveled to Las Vegas to see a heavyweight title fight.
Under different circumstances. It was a trip Snoop would not
have missed. As his old friends cruised the Vegas Strip.
A gunman opened fire on their car, but pull at
(29:27):
Gray Shug his head. Tupac was hit four times, twice
in the chest. My heart went out to him that
it had to happen like that, because you know I
had love. Then I was like out have been right
in the car for six days. Tupac fought for his
life in a Las Vegas hospital. Snoop went to his side,
and although Tupac was unconscious, Snoop made peace with his friend.
(29:51):
I let him know I love him. In you know,
he probably didn't hear me, but I know his spirit,
so I'm calling. Snoop left the hospital, but a short
time later he heard the devastating news on the car radio.
Tupac was dead. Immediately started crying and I was driving in.
A few people on the side of me. They looked
(30:12):
at me and they rolled to one of them down.
They was like he was letting me know. It was all.
It was terrible. It was the worst Emotionally, I was lost.
You know, I didn't have dre tupacket. He just got culled.
Suga Knight was in jail and I was on my
own boss you November Snoop, Doggie Dog released dog Father.
(30:36):
The album debuted at number one, but there was little celebration.
His friend Tupac Shakur was dead. Dr Dre had left
Death Row, and Snoop wanted out to label ball. Sugar
Knight was serving time for assault, but Snoop's lawyers managed
to negotiate a deal to free Snoop from his contract.
(30:57):
It wasn't an easy let me go, but you know
that's what Laurie's are for. They go through all that
horrorball battlet. Snoop signed with rapping for Sario master P
and recorded for his label called No Limit. The Game
is to be Sold, I told. Received a lukewarm reception
when it was released, but nothing could dappen Snoop's joy.
(31:17):
He was free at last. Master People was willing to
step up take on anything that was, you know, coming
my way as far as negativity, and I needed that
more than recallabor. I needed a friend, and I needed
love and comfort and space to breathe in a new
environment where I could get back into doing what I do.
(31:38):
I think Snoop came back to being Snoop Dogg as
far as being comfortable with being Snoop when he went
to no limits, he felt more free. I Snoop laid
low for more than a year than reunited with his
mentor Dr Dre. The two headed straight for the studio
to record The Chronic two thousand one, the sequel to
(31:58):
the album that made them this. They didn't even look
behind it. We just moved forward. I tried to do
my thing without him. He tried to do this thing
without me, and it doesn't work. As brother. In the
summer of two thousand, Snoop and Dr Dre we're back
in the spotlight headlining and all star hip hop to
where they called up and smoke. We got a chance,
I really tell each other, you know how we feel
(32:20):
about each other. It's that fond you know when you're
on the road you've seeing each other every day. It's
like it's genuine. It's something that's gonna be what it's
for life. When he's not on the road, Snoop spends
most of his time at home with his family in
the suburbs of Los Angeles. Snoop says he sees himself
as a role model, living proof that an escape from
the mean streets as possible. I come from an environment
(32:43):
where I was surrounded with negativity, and I did right,
and then I did wrong, and now I'm doing right again.
So I proved to him that you can do wrong
and fall down and make mistakes and do right today.
Snoop Dogg is not just a musician, but a trule phenomenon.
With account of seventeen studio albums, he has had a
(33:05):
film and television career to match, including cooking shows and
product lines. With friend Martha Stewart, the unlikely duo has
become a social media sensation. From gangster rapper to one
of pop culture's most beloved icons. Snoop Dogg has proven
that he can and will do it all. Listen and
(33:28):
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His message packs and knockout punch, but his moves are silky, smooth, stylish,
even seductive. Cool cat from the mean Street, Snoop Dogg
was a modern day outlaw who put a wicked new
wrinkle on West Coast wrap. Raised a choir boy, Snoop
was seduced by the glamor of gangs, guns and high
stakes drug dealing. But after two stints in the slammer,
(00:27):
Snoop Dogg went straight and found the mentor that would
make him a star. Paired with pioneering producer Dr Dre,
he was crowned the dog father of gangster Rap. But
then Snoop Dogg was collared for murder. A deadly confrontation
left Snoop facing twenty five years to life. Acquitted but rattled,
(00:53):
Snoop quickly changed his tough guy too. Now the tale
of a dog whose bark is worse than his bite,
Snoop Dogg the story behind the music. It was an irrespectacle,
(01:16):
a lavish, if not bizarre production featuring a gospel choir,
a preacher, and throngs of mourners grieving before a casket
in elaborate and morbid display stage to announce the arrival
of the reigning King of Rap. At MTV Video Music Awards,
Snoop Doggie Dog song was called murder was the case,
(01:38):
and that's exactly what he was, facing twenty five to
life for a cold bloody killing with millions watching Snoop
to five, and he made his plea no innocent on innocent.
You can't really work from violence, you know what I'm saying,
because it tends to come find you when you come
from this lifestyle. And on front, it was just only
(02:00):
three years old and after selling nine million albums, was
the biggest name on the hip hop scene. But he
learned that ruling the world of gangster rap made him
a target for trouble. No matter how much money you make,
how much you got, and you can't change time and
you can't change your destiny. Snoop seemed destined to be
something special from the very beginning. He started his extraordinary
(02:21):
life with an extraordinary name, Cordoza Rhotus. We figured that
nobody with Binasa's real name right, so we decided naming Snoopy.
I used to watch Charlie Brown, and they used to
say I lived back him because I used to watch
him so much. To this day. My MoMA never called
me by my real name. She always called me Snoop.
(02:42):
Born in Long Beach, California, on October twenty one one.
Snoop was the second of three boys. His mom, Beverly Rhotis,
was a struggling single parrot who often worked two and
three jobs just to keep her family alive in one
of southern California's toughest neighborhoods Long Did you spetch you?
Just like any other part of the world, specially you
just had to put a spotlight on it, And that
(03:03):
is shown, But in Snoop's neighborhood, the spotlights blazed down
from police helicopters. The city is home to more than
twenty gangs, unrelenting crime, and rampant poverty. Snoop's mother did
what she could to combat the mean streets, so church
was part of their weekly ritual and attend Snoop joined
the Sunday choir. Becky let some songs inquire Um. That's
(03:28):
when I found out how talented he was. When I
heard him sing. My mama had me leading song. I
didn't really want to do it, but knowing your kids,
you can't really fight your mom. And I mean it
was moorifying guy's name, So I mean, I feel proud
about it now, but I was kind of bearsed back in.
But his mom had an unconventional side. Saturday night, she
and Snoop would spend her favorite records and the strict
(03:49):
rules of the house were loosened for the night. Sometimes
Snoop would be my company, so I'd go to the
store and bous the sixth pack of Slip Mount liquor
and he would with me. We listened to all the
school R and B music. We did to bump, we
drunk sliss month like, oh we party. I mean, we
just had a good time. And that's what life was
about back then. But by the age of twelve, Snoop
(04:12):
was finding his own kind of music. In three, he
discovered the emerging sound of wrap and began inventing rhymes
with his friends. My home with two turner tables, and
he had to record. Now, I should just wrap on
like every day. I just called you mean. He was
tight way back then because he was coming straight off
freestyle and his classmate Warren g encouraged Snoop to develop
(04:35):
his talent. I will tap him on the shoulder and
then I will point at something and then he'd start
freestyle and he pointed out my shoes. I wrapped by
my shoes. Whatever he pointed, I'm just flowing, just busting.
It's like he was training me, you know what I mean.
By the time he reached high school, Snoop was becoming
a schoolyard celebrity and a favorite with the girls. Chante
(04:55):
Taylor was just fourteen years old when she met Snoop.
We can't run in to each other, and he was
just the coolest. I just had to talk to him.
She was nice. Different in order of other girls. You
know what I'm saying. Somebody did I like got custed
on all that. Snoop and Chante dated off and on
as teenagers, but at the time, Snoop's priority was music.
(05:20):
He and his friend Warren hooked up with a kid
named Nate Hale and formed a group called To One three.
We came up with this song called Long Beach as
a Mother, me and him and Wongy, and that was
our first song we did together. And I was just
trying to make music to represent Long Beach because Long
Beach was never getting no props, and I was just like,
I'm from Long Beach, LBC East Side, going to put
(05:41):
it down from my city after school. Two on three
recorded tracks in a tiny studio in the back of
a record store, and every week Warren would take the
tapes to his stepbrother Dr Dre, co founder of the
Seminal gangster rap group in w A. That was our
only hope in w A. Was just the top of
the world, you know, and and and warm. Being Dre's brother, Man,
(06:03):
we just saw that one avenue where we get it.
One was coming at me like in a crazy way
about this group two one three, But you know, it
was like the big brother, little brother kind of thing
going on, like yeah, yeah, okay. I listened to him
when I get a chance. For months, Dray kept the
boys at arms length, tossing their tapes, ignoring their pleas.
(06:23):
It got certain points in the game while I was like, Man,
I give up on this, throw all my wraps in
the trash can. I will go downstairs and I'll take
it out the track, you know, and tell him, man,
we're about to do this. We gotta sacrifice. But the
seventeen year old snoop sacrifice seemed senseless when everywhere he
looked drug dealers were getting rich while he bagged groceries
(06:44):
for minimum wage. I had a job working at Lucky,
and I was getting like eighty five ninety dollars a week,
and my home boy was standing out in front of
my apartment where I lived at making life a night
tall one plus one eagles too. With money is his motive.
(07:06):
Snoop started selling crack cocaine for the Crips, one of
l A's most feared gangs. Before you know what, I
made six and two nights, something I wasn't gonna make
him six to seven weeks and Lucky. So before you
know it, my mama's house becomes a target for being
shot at. And somebody drove by shot and the bullet
(07:27):
went up over my head. And uh, it's just the
point that I had to say, enough is enough. I
just told him that I got two other kids, I
got a raise, you know, and then I'm working hard too,
and m he just made his mind that he's gonna
do what he wants to do, and that's what he did.
His decision broke his mother's heart. Beverly took her other
sons and moved out of the neighborhood, severing all ties
(07:48):
with Snoop. Just seventeen and still in high school, Snoop
was on the fast track to trouble. He bounced around,
crashing on couches, sleeping in cars, dealing on the street.
His old partner, Warren G, begged him to clean up
his act and get back to muse it. I will
just tell him, you know, man, we need to try
to do something different. Man, I'm not trying to die
(08:08):
out on the street over nothing. I don't want you
to end up getting killed over nothing. Snoop managed to
graduate in May of but less than a month later,
his dealing days came to an abrupt den. I sold
to an undercover officer and when they finally came back
to get me, and I still had the drugs on me,
so I was like, I want to and just pleading guilty.
(08:34):
And with that, eighteen year old Snoop was sentenced to
four years in the Los Angeles County Jail. Next from
the Big House to the Doghouse, Snoop Doggy Dog charges
to the front of the rat pack when behind the
music continues. Just out of high school, Snoop Dogg was
(09:05):
doing time for selling crack cocaine. Once he aspired to
be a rap star, but by the summer of nineties,
Snoop was resigned to a life as an inmate. A
lot of times it was cool, you know, sneak a
little bit of weed in there, smoke weed, played basketball,
drink coffee, rapping all night. No just having a good time.
I mean, you know, after you get aggested, you adjested,
(09:26):
you know, just his home getting used to it. But
his cellmates urged Snoop to get out and stay out
of prison. He was far too talented to waste his
life behind bars. They was like, man, dog, when you
get up out of here, you need to be wrapping home.
You need to go really seriously put it down and
get you gonna wrap home as you tie. After serving
less than a year, Snoop was released in the spring
(09:46):
of one. Determined to make something of his life, Snoop
steered clear of trouble put all his energy into making music.
The going was tough, but Snoop got by with help
from his friends. They all let me stay with him
and you know, just took care of me and help
me with this rap thing. I wasn't making no money,
but I was just determined to get it done. We
(10:07):
had left the hustle alone, were starving. It was bad,
you know, we didn't have nothing to eat. Desperate for
a break, Warren g tried one last time to get
his stepbrother Dr Dre to listen to the music he'd
been making with Snoop if I called him and I
was asking if I could come hang with him, So
he was like, yeah, one of my buddies having a
bachelor party. Just as the party got rocking, Warren slipped
(10:30):
their demo tape into the mix. Dray was like, who
was that. I was like, that's Snow and I was like,
that's what I've been telling you about the whole time,
that Snow. I was in love with the tape, and
I decided that, you know, I at least have to
get him in the studio and see if we can
bob together at all. The chemistry was electric. Snoop's vivid
(10:51):
lyrics and smooth delivery blended perfectly with gray cutting edge style.
It was just like raw talent, like and unpolished diamond,
you know that I had to work with, and he'd
come right in there. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's tight. That's tight.
Let's say it like this one, two three. It took
the fault. You know what I'm saying, just coaching, but
(11:13):
a dangerous element would soon be added to the mix.
In early dr Dre teamed up with Marion suge Knight
to form Death Row Records. Dre was famous for his
West Coast sound, Sugar was notorious for his strong arm tactics.
Dre and Sugar offered Snoop death Rose debut project, the
title track to the movie deep Cover. I mean we
(11:34):
did the song in a couple of hours, from nothing
out of there and no samples, none of that before
you knew being like that's hot. We just did the
song and this happened and both felt it was my boy,
that is a hit, right the fans of hip hop.
Deep Cover became the soundtrack for the summer of playing
(11:57):
the streets and the clubs and the suburbs and went everywhere,
and it introduced Snoop you know to the whole world.
Is this mysterious laid back character. Deep Cover was hot,
but their next project would ignite a hip hop revolution.
Snoop and Dre recruited an army of talented West Coast
rappers create an album that would take the music industry
by storm. It was all a family thing was Dre
(12:20):
and Snoopy worn das corrupt, raised the well and it
was It was beautiful. The recording sessions were fueled by
large quantities of alcohol and a constant supply of powerful pot.
The clue called the Chronic. I started bringing a Chronic
up team, and no I was like, Draw, you should
call you out in the Chronic. I don't even think
(12:40):
Dre was smoking Chronic who was working on his app.
I'm the one who brought to chronicity to tail and
they I tell you. The Chronic hit the stores in June.
The album celebrated the gritty life of gangsters, but Snoop's
disarming delivery seduced listeners well beyond the boundaries of rap.
It shot to number three on the pop charts, making
The Chronic the biggest crossover in the history of hip hop.
(13:04):
The Chronic was the first commercial gangster rap record. It
was the first gangster rap record that actually got regular airplane.
That also showed that the hardness of the sound was
finally getting to the mass public. At the mass public,
i e. White people were buying Another writer had a
turn for Snoop, Warringy and Dr Dre. After the Chronic
(13:25):
came out, which was gangster life. It had a gangster element,
but it was still hip hop more so than just
you know, mindless gangster rap. The Chronic was the first
West Coast record that I can remember that played immediately
on the East Coast. And I mean that might not
really seem landmark now, but back then it was. It
(13:47):
was incredible. By the beginning of the album had sold
more than four million copies. The sudden fame was at
heady rush for one year old Snoop. The success of
the Crime was overwhelming that you know, it had to
be celebrated on a daily basis. I had never been
in that situation before, so I still would lie. I
(14:08):
was still living off the Chronic, you know what I'm saying.
I was loving that. Then in the spring of ninety three,
Snoop met a kindred soul, a rising rap star named
Tupac Shakur. It was a beautiful thing. The fresh ship
was genuine because I believe we were the same kind
of people, you know, in the same place at the
same time. Everybody out here got cases in the real
brain and real thug loves to master these thug records.
(14:33):
But at the offices of Death Row records. The atmosphere
was anything but gangster light. Sugar Knight rode shotgun over
the operation. According to insiders, he ruled by fear and intimidation.
The FBI was investigating Death Row suspecting widespread corruption, extortion,
and fraud, but found few witnesses who were willing to talk.
(14:55):
There were stories of you know, people being pistol at,
you know, of the people who's being offed up. I
mean people being slapped around. I mean kind of stuff.
You know that you see the reason that you also
you around the street. It's just kind of standard operating practice.
I was a part of the problem too. I had
on these ever gang bang and that was a part
of the problem of the world. Death Row was becoming
(15:16):
a dangerous place. Rival gangs mixed in the hallways, guns, drugs,
and violence were a way of life. Through music, Snoop
had hoped to escape the perils of the street, but
now he was living in a far more hazardous world.
It was too much carelessness around me, you know, whether
it was my carelessness, my record label, my friends, it
(15:37):
just was too much, you know, going on to where
stuff that had to happen, you know, to put everybody
in check. Like Snoop, Tupac was no stranger to Trouble.
He had grown up without a father, spent time behind bars,
and found fame and wrap. Tupac had a record deal,
but Snoop thought he'd fit in well at Death Row.
(15:58):
I think starting in Trouble, you know, you know, because
we didn't have you know, security, and I lived a
gang bang lifestyle, and you know lifestyle he lived. He
had gang bangers whin the phonies with him, you know
what I'm saying. So it was like the lifestyle we
was living was you know, it was wild and five.
It would be another two years before Tupac would join
(16:19):
Death Row, so it was up to Snoop and Dr
Dre to keep the label rolling. In the summer of three,
they teamed up to produce their first All Snoop release.
Our lives were straight up like Okay, we're gonna work
and then we're gonna play, you know what I'm saying.
And I think most of it was like play straight up.
We played like sixty seventy percent at the time. But
(16:42):
the play of Dre Snoop in their Death Row cronies
went well beyond the usual recording studio decadence. There were
reports of weapons being brandish, fist fights, erupting of damaged
and stolen property. He was so chaotic. Malik Lee was
hired to be Snoop's full time bodyguard. A lot of
times when the dumbies come up there, they didn't really
understand that, you know, we gotta work now, we gotta
work for these twelve hours, and so people got restless.
(17:05):
And know that's where a lot of drama happened, where
the chronic took just four months to make Doggie Style
was becoming an epic production. You know, I think we
got kicked out of Hay Studios beating that album because
we were all like having a bunch of fun. And
you know a lot of the people that worked at
these studios didn't understand our type of fund which Snoop's
(17:27):
life was about to take a dangerous turn. It seemed
he couldn't put his gang bag in days behind him,
and trouble was always just around the corner. His bodyguard,
Malik was unconstant alert. He was a crib you know,
and and and and he had passes, you know, true enough,
but still there was people that hate him. No, and
that's kind of how we got involved into the situation.
(17:50):
Malik had successfully diffused several volatile encounters, but on Sunday, August,
his luck ran out, and they just shouldn't have never happened,
you know. That's when people asked me, do you wish
something that never could have happened to you? What have happened?
That's when I always saundurs that day would have never happened.
There are conflicting reports of what exactly happened on that
(18:11):
hot summer afternoon, but what is known is one man's
life came to a sudden and violent end. According to
Snoop and Malik, they were leaving Snoop's apartment for a
recording session when they heard shouting from the street below.
Someone runs upstairs and they said, you know, there's somebody
else with the guns for me. I ran and I
dropped my gun. Malik says when he looked down on
the street from the apartment's balcony, he saw one of
(18:33):
Snoop's friends arguing with three gang members in a car.
He claims one of the passengers, Philip Walda Merriam, had
a gun. This is like the second or third time
where something this drastic has really happened. We were all
kind of petrified. Malik says that within minutes the car
drove away and it seemed the danger had passed. We
figured that it's okay, everything is cool to go. So,
(18:55):
according to Malik, Snoop got behind the wheel of his
suv and they headed for the studio. But just two
blocks from home, Malik says, they saw the same men
sitting in a nearby park. One flagged them down those
new pulls over to the curve, you know, And I'm
already hot, you know, so I already have to take
all my gun and I put it on my lap.
I'm already just anticipating that could possibly be a problem.
(19:16):
Malik says. The gang member was apologizing for the earlier
incident when Philip Walter Merriam suddenly appeared from nowhere out
of the bishous Philip has running up to the car
and his his friend tries to stop him. He pushes
him out of the way. Either he was gonna die,
when I was gonna die, give us up at shuret
and he reaches and I returned. Malik fired two shots
(19:42):
into Walter Merriam's body. He says. They then fled the scene,
not knowing if the mandate shot was dead or alive.
According to Malik, they called then went into hiding. The
only reason why we did not go to the police then,
it's because we had no representation. Our attorney, David Kinner
was in Miami. Attorney David Kenner returned to Los Angeles
and broke shocking news to Snoop and Maliki. Year old
(20:05):
Philip Waldamarian was dead and the police were hunting from
a leak in. Snoop, I just want to and just
told him David Kenna, I want to turn myself in
because I don't want to be you know, looked at
as somebody who did a climb and run it. In
the wake of the fatal shooting, Snoop turned to the
woman who had first warned him about the dangers of
gang life, his mother, Beverly. The two had had little
(20:27):
or no contact for four years. Tell me everything that happened,
And he said, I want you to hear it from me,
because it's going to be on TV and you're gonna
hear a lot of stories. And I could feel it,
and he felt really scared and he just he just
needed me. He just you know, it's like he just
needed that that mother's touched just and no, it's gonna
be all right. With the police still searching for Snoop,
(20:49):
it was rumored that he would come out of hiding
seven days after the shooting. At the MTV Video Music Awards,
the l A p D and the Shriff's Department are
combing the audience looking for Snoop Doggie Dog. They're here
to arrest him. Snoop did appear presenting an award with
longtime collaborator Dr Dre. After the show, he was arrested
(21:11):
and charged with first degree murder. Within hours, Death Row
posted a million dollars bail and twenty two year old
Snoop was back on the street, but the murder charge
would hang over his head for years. Probably the worst
two and a half years in my life. Next Snoop's
trial and tribulations when behind the music continues for Snoop Dogg.
(21:48):
The fall of ninety three was a time of gut
wrenching highs and loads. His long awaited solo album, Doggie Style,
was released and became the first rap album ever to
debut at number one on the pop charts. But at
the same time, Snoop was facing twenty five years to
life for the murder of gang member Philip Walda Marry Him.
Headlines painted Snoop as a cold blooded killer and made
(22:10):
him a household name for people who had never even
heard a rap song. I think murder charge impact of
the record sales greatly, just out of curiosity. He was like,
who is this guy? Is he really all that he
raps about? I think it probably helped the sales, but
it didn't help me because all the publicity I was
getting his megat I just was looked at as a murderer,
(22:31):
some evil person that just go out and just killed
people and then rap about it and glorified, you know,
happy that somebody was dead, you know, and that's not me,
you know. I felt very remorseful, still do. But as
the press condemned Snoop, fans were embracing him, his Doggy
Style album produced hit after hit, selling more than four
million copies. Of course, rap fans automatically assume he's innocent,
(22:55):
you know, because he snooped up. But then there's this
era of you know, mystery, like maybe he did do
it because he's a gang member. Snoop says he tried
to forget his legal problems and trusting them to his attorney,
David Kenner to be real, which I really wasn't focused
on on this case because that's how David Kenny is.
He's like, don't worry about everything. Is everything, So I'll
leave it in his hands and leave it in guy's hand.
(23:17):
Snoop wasn't the only rapper running a foul of the law.
In the summer of nine. His friend Tupac Shakur was
again behind bars, accused of assault and sexual battery. Snoop
convinced death Row to post Tupac's one point four million
dollar bail, then Shook Knight signed him to death Row quickly.
Snoop and Tupac teamed up to exploit their outlaw images
(23:40):
with a song called America's Most Wanted. That's what we
was feeling when we was in the studio, And when
you're in the studio, you didin't really given about what
you know, if it's a good idea and making recordsistions
come from your heart. And at the time me and
Tupac felt like we were two of America's most moment.
You know what I'm saying. For what we've done in
the rap world, for what we done in general. But
(24:02):
in November of n Snoop could no longer ignore his troubles.
After more than two years of motions and hearings, his
trial was finally underway. Snoop and his bodyguard, Malik Lee,
stood accused of killing Philip Waldamarian in cold blood. Found guilty,
they could spend the rest of their lives in prison. Still,
(24:22):
Snoop was shocked when the judge put him under house
arrest for the duration of the trial, till they took
that freedom with me to where I couldn't be out
and partying all night, going to clubs and doing this
that I didn't really understand this case and realized how
vido it was. My heart was beaten like I was
smuggle cracking in the court room every day. Snoop and
(24:45):
Malik had always maintained they had been lured into the
park and acted in self defense, but as the trial opened,
prosecutor headiness and went on the attack. He called witnesses
who testified that Snoop and his crew had pursued the
victim and his associates looking for trouble. To me, in
my mind, the evidence clearly establishes that that they went
(25:06):
looking for these guys. They were the ones who really
provoked the confrontation. Regardless of who provoked whom, the fact
was both men were armed. The question for the jury
was did Malik and Snoop murder Philip Walter Merriam or
were they acting in self defense? The evidence that they
had at the time of the indictment was such that
the d A's office shouldn't know that they didn't have
a case against anybody, let alone Snoop. The point is
(25:27):
that the shooting was occasion simply by the fact that
this kid walked up to the jeep and started to
pull out his gun. That's why I got shot. For Snoop,
the trial was a harrowing experience every time, and they
say he's looking at twenty five life. He just brutally
murdered somebody. You know, just depicted me sideways, you know
(25:49):
what I mean, something that didn't happen. It was it
was tef with his life and his future very clearly
on the line. Snoop's friends and family rallied behind him.
Snoop was our best friends, so we came down to
give up our supportful when we have a break or something,
I would always you know, give him that motherly hug
and let him know him there and it's gonna be
(26:10):
all right. Even a man who barely knew Snoop came
to court to lend his support his father, although the
two had been estranged for much of Snoop's life. Bernell
Varnado left his job in Detroit and moved to l
A to be with his son. I took early retirement,
just come out here to be Snooped. I know for
a fact, if you needed me, if you needed me,
(26:32):
you ever needed me, he needed me there and just
you know, built a relationship on the day instead of
you know what happened last year, why he wasn't there whatnot.
At the end of January nine, after four long months,
the prosecution rested its case. The defense, on the other hand,
believed the state had failed to prove Snoop and Malik's
guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. They felt compelled to call
(26:53):
only a single witness to the stand. I think that
by the end of the case, the jury had had
it and they wanted to go home. And that was
one of the other reasons why we cut short our
presentation on defence. It all went down to the twelve jurls,
so it was their name. On February twenty one, after
(27:15):
six days of deliberation, the jury announced they had reached
a verdict. I was nervous, expecting whatever, ready for whatever
whatever they was gonna get me. I was ready for
probably the scariest day of my life. May see, you
don't know where this sport his down session. They ran
McKinley Leave's name first, we the jury and aboveb and
(27:36):
dial action by the dependent McKinley Lee not guilt the
murder in the first, and then they read my name,
we the jury, abobble tile action by the defending Calvin
Brothers not guilt feel the private murder in the first
violation of punic coat ses. You know, just bowed my
hand and just praying to God, thank you. And it
was finally overweight. He had beaten the murder wrap and
(28:00):
walked away a freeman. But Snoop would never be the same.
Put everything in a right perspective, as far as my life,
as far as not. I wanted to bring no harm
and nobody or to betray myself like that anymore. And
from that day on, I've seen myself turn into a
different person, creating myself into a maid. Twenty five year
(28:21):
old Snoop Dogg had gotten rich by glorifying gangs and guns.
Now he hoped to distance himself from that life. But
at Death Row Records, that was easier said than done.
I wanted to put positivity in it and you know,
make peace with people. And they didn't want to see
it like that. They wanted to keep the Death Row
image the way it was. Snoop's change of heart put
(28:44):
a strain on his friendship with Tupac Shakur. Tupac was
still reveling in Death Rows gangster image and feuding with
rival rappers, a dangerous game. Snoop wanted no part of.
He expected me to be mowed down when he was falling,
like all out. Whoever you got a problem with, I
got a problem with, and I didn't see it like that.
(29:05):
Distancing himself from Death Row was a decision that may
have saved Snoop's life. In September ninety, Tupac and Suged
Night traveled to Las Vegas to see a heavyweight title fight.
Under different circumstances. It was a trip Snoop would not
have missed. As his old friends cruised the Vegas Strip.
A gunman opened fire on their car, but pull at
(29:27):
Gray Shug his head. Tupac was hit four times, twice
in the chest. My heart went out to him that
it had to happen like that, because you know I
had love. Then I was like out have been right
in the car for six days. Tupac fought for his
life in a Las Vegas hospital. Snoop went to his side,
and although Tupac was unconscious, Snoop made peace with his friend.
(29:51):
I let him know I love him. In you know,
he probably didn't hear me, but I know his spirit,
so I'm calling. Snoop left the hospital, but a short
time later he heard the devastating news on the car radio.
Tupac was dead. Immediately started crying and I was driving in.
A few people on the side of me. They looked
(30:12):
at me and they rolled to one of them down.
They was like he was letting me know. It was all.
It was terrible. It was the worst Emotionally, I was lost.
You know, I didn't have dre tupacket. He just got culled.
Suga Knight was in jail and I was on my
own boss you November Snoop, Doggie Dog released dog Father.
(30:36):
The album debuted at number one, but there was little celebration.
His friend Tupac Shakur was dead. Dr Dre had left
Death Row, and Snoop wanted out to label ball. Sugar
Knight was serving time for assault, but Snoop's lawyers managed
to negotiate a deal to free Snoop from his contract.
(30:57):
It wasn't an easy let me go, but you know
that's what Laurie's are for. They go through all that
horrorball battlet. Snoop signed with rapping for Sario master P
and recorded for his label called No Limit. The Game
is to be Sold, I told. Received a lukewarm reception
when it was released, but nothing could dappen Snoop's joy.
(31:17):
He was free at last. Master People was willing to
step up take on anything that was, you know, coming
my way as far as negativity, and I needed that
more than recallabor. I needed a friend, and I needed
love and comfort and space to breathe in a new
environment where I could get back into doing what I do.
(31:38):
I think Snoop came back to being Snoop Dogg as
far as being comfortable with being Snoop when he went
to no limits, he felt more free. I Snoop laid
low for more than a year than reunited with his
mentor Dr Dre. The two headed straight for the studio
to record The Chronic two thousand one, the sequel to
(31:58):
the album that made them this. They didn't even look
behind it. We just moved forward. I tried to do
my thing without him. He tried to do this thing
without me, and it doesn't work. As brother. In the
summer of two thousand, Snoop and Dr Dre we're back
in the spotlight headlining and all star hip hop to
where they called up and smoke. We got a chance,
I really tell each other, you know how we feel
(32:20):
about each other. It's that fond you know when you're
on the road you've seeing each other every day. It's
like it's genuine. It's something that's gonna be what it's
for life. When he's not on the road, Snoop spends
most of his time at home with his family in
the suburbs of Los Angeles. Snoop says he sees himself
as a role model, living proof that an escape from
the mean streets as possible. I come from an environment
(32:43):
where I was surrounded with negativity, and I did right,
and then I did wrong, and now I'm doing right again.
So I proved to him that you can do wrong
and fall down and make mistakes and do right today.
Snoop Dogg is not just a musician, but a trule phenomenon.
With account of seventeen studio albums, he has had a
(33:05):
film and television career to match, including cooking shows and
product lines. With friend Martha Stewart, the unlikely duo has
become a social media sensation. From gangster rapper to one
of pop culture's most beloved icons. Snoop Dogg has proven
that he can and will do it all. Listen and
(33:28):
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