Before becoming America’s weed-smoking darling and Martha Stewart’s bestie, Calvin Broadus Jr., known to the world as Snoop Dogg, was a member of the Crips, a notorious LA-based street gang. Prior to his fateful encounter with super-producer Dr. Dre at age 19, Snoop Dogg faced a bleak future, teetering on the brink of prison or death. Born on the tough streets of Long Beach, California, his earliest years were marked by struggle and strife. 

It's hard to imagine now, but Snoop Dogg’s career, one that has cemented his status as a global icon, nearly met a premature end. In September 1993, with his highly anticipated debut album, Doggystyle, poised for release, Snoop was arrested in Los Angeles and accused of being an accessory to murder. If convicted, he faced life in prison. 

On August 25th, Snoop was behind the wheel of a vehicle involved in a deadly shooting that left 20-year-old Ethiopian immigrant, Philip Woldemariam, dead.

The question hanging over Snoop and his entourage was stark: was the shooting self-defense, or cold-blooded murder? The answer would rest with a jury, which held the future of a rap superstar in its hands.

Follow Jami on Instagram & TikTok @JamiOnAir where she comments on true crime cases and reality TV! She also talks about skincare and shares a glimpse into her life as a mid-forties mom, entrepreneur and spicy GenXer who isn’t afraid to speak out on anything.

Subscribe to Jami’s YouTube channel @JamiOnAir: https://www.youtube.com/@jamionair

Sponsors

Gabb Wireless: Visit Gabb.com/MURDERISH for $25 off any device - no contract required.

Manscaped: Visit Manscaped.com and use code MANSCAPED20 for 20% off + free shipping.

Shopify: Visit shopify.com/murderish (all lowercase) to sign up for a $1/month trial period.

Dirty Money Moves: Women in White Collar Crime - Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dirty-money-moves-women-in-white-collar-crime/id1619521092.

Lipstick & Lies - Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lipstick-lies/id1704189120

Research and writing by: K. Brant.

Want to advertise on this show? We’ve partnered with Cloud10 Media to handle our advertising requests. If you’re interested in advertising on MURDERISH, please send an email to Sahiba Krieger [email protected] and copy [email protected]. 

Visit Murderish.com to learn more about the podcast and Creator/Host, Jami, and to view a list of sources for this episode. 

Listening to this podcast doesn’t make you a murderer, it just means you’re murder..ish.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices