17 Unbelievable Snoop Dogg Facts You Probably Didn’t Know Before
Last updated on September 21st, 2023 at 02:46 pm
“SNOOP DOGG a.k.a. SNOOP LION – Oslo Spektrum 2014“, by NRK P3, is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr, also known as Snoop Dogg, was born on October 20, 1971, in Long Beach, California. He is an iconic media personality, rapper, actor, and football coach. His meteoric rise to fame began in 1992 when he featured his prominent friend Dr.Dre in the famous debut solo single Deep Cover. In return, he also featured in Dre’s debut solo album The Chronic.
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Although there is not much information about how his parents met, his father Vernell Varnado is a famous war veteran who served the United States Army at some point. His mother, Beverly Broadus-Green is an ordained evangelist since 2005, and the co-founder of the renowned non-profit organization called YouthBloc established to educate young people about life and business skills. Without further ado, let’s check out some fascinating facts about Snoop Dogg.
1. The origin of his name
When he was young, Snoop Dogg’s parents nicknamed him Snoopy, because of his close resemblance to Snoopy, the anthropomorphic beagle in the comic strip Peanuts. The name would then evolve to Snoop Dogg, which later became his global identity as an artiste. (Classic Hip Hop Magazine)
2. He used to play the piano in church
While he is famous for rapping, one of the most interesting facts about Snoop Dogg is his passion for playing the piano. When he was a child, he sang and played the piano in Golgotha Trinity Baptist Church. He would then develop his passion for rapping while at Long Beach Polytechnic High School. (Capital Xtra)
3. He has an extremely high IQ
The celebrated artiste is believed to be one of the most intelligent rappers in the industry, with a reported IQ of 147. To put this into perspective, Scientific American claims that the average IQ levels for most people are between 85 and 115. The study reports that only a small percentage of individuals have an IQ of above 130. This, therefore, ranks people like Snoop Dogg in a special elite category, and if his success in music, acting, and business is anything to go by, it is safe to conclude that he is actually a genius. (Scientific American)
4. He was once banned from Australia
If you thought you knew many facts about Snoop Dogg, you’ve probably never heard of this.He was once banned from entering Australia following his convictions for firearms and drug offenses in 2007.At that time, he was expected to participate in MTV’s Australian Video Music Award gala in Sydney. Additionally, he had been accused of overstaying in the country with an expired visa for two days. The ban was later lifted in 2008. (The Guardian)
5. He once attempted to quit smoking marijuana
In 2002, the Drop It Like It’s Hot singer was challenged to stop smoking marijuana for six months straight by his youth football league player. Confirming the reports, Snoop, told Kocktails with Kloe host Kloe Kardashian:
“I went to practice high one day and one of the kids said, ‘Coach, you smell like my mama’s boyfriend,’ and I had to check myself. I stopped smoking from that day for 180 days straight. And it made me a better coach, a better person, and I stopped smoking when I was coaching football. So every year when I coach football around the kids, I don’t smoke, so that’s three months out of the year that I do that.” (Complex Magazine)
6. He married his high school girlfriend
It would be impossible to list facts about Snoop Dogg without touching on his romantic life. The award-winning rapper and his high school girlfriend, Shante Taylor, got marriedin the summer of 1997.
In 2004, however, their future was in jeopardy following allegations that Snoop had cheated on her with a model named Celina Powell.The couple divorced later that year, and then renewed their vows four years later. Speaking to MTV, Snoop explained:
“I was trying to get a divorce, but I went back home, and I fell back in love with my wife and kids. A lot of times you get cloudy. This music industry is a mother, man, and it’ll take your vision and blur it. But God is good, so I understand that I need my wife and my kids in my life—so I threw the papers away. I don’t want to get a divorce. So if you hear about a divorce, it’ll be my wife divorcing me. It won’t be me divorcing her…And I made a mistake, so I’m trying to get back right.” (CheatSheet)
7. He grew up in a life of crime
This is probably one of the least surprising facts about Snoop Dogg if his history of gangsta rap is anything to go by. When he was a teenager, he was allegedly a member of the Rollin’ 20 Crips, one of the most popular gangs in Long Beach at the time. Even though he severally denied being part of any gang, especially after he had become successful in the music industry, he was no stranger to law enforcement authorities. Between 1989 and 1993, for example, Snoop was in and out of jail for multiple offenses, including drug-related charges. (New York Times)
8. He converted to Rastafarianism
In 2012, Snoop Dogg traveled to Jamaica, and shortly after, the rapper announced his conversion to Rastafarianism. Snoop also confirmed changing his name to Snoop Lion. Following his conversion, the rapper released a reggae album called Reincarnated, which highlighted his journey into the reggae genre, and his new identity Snoop Lion. (The Guardian).
9. The infamous murder charges
In the summer of 1993, Snoop and his bodyguard McKinley Lee were charged with conspiracy to commit assault, leading to the death of Philip Woldermariam. However, following hours of deliberation, the duo was acquitted of both first and second degree murder charges for the shooting incident which occurred at Palms Park. Speaking moments after the juror’s decision, a jovial Snoop told reporters:
“They made the right decision, you know what I’m saying? This has been an ordeal that has affected our lives for the past 2 1/2 years. I was just trying to figure out if I was going to be here to raise my son.” (LA Times)
10. His soft voice contributed to his music success
In a genre dominated by hardcore rapping, characterized by rough voices (Ja Rule, DMX, for example), Snoop’s style was distinctive. His soft-spoken approach was not only unique, but also came with a calmersense of gangsta. According to the Rolling Stone magazine, this approach made him stand out in the crowded industry, consequently propelling him to the very top in his hey days.
“Snoop’s vocal style is part of what distinguishes him: where many rappers scream, figuratively and literally, he speaks softly.” (Rolling Stone)
11. He has famous cousins in Hollywood
One of the most little-known facts about Snoop Dogg is the long list of celebrities he proudly calls his cousins. Here are the most notable ones:
Brandy Norwood alias Brandy – American RNB singer known for hit songs such as Afrodisiac, Long Distance, Right Here, Missing You, among others.
William Ray Norwood Jr. alias Ray J – American singer, rapper and television personality, who is also Brandy’s younger brother.
Mercedes Justine Kaestner-Varnado – American WWE SmackDown wrestler, who goes by the ring name Sasha Banks. She is the reigning SmackDown’s Women’s Champion in her first reign.
Delmar Drew Arnaud alias Daz Dillinger – One of the pioneers of gangsta rap at Death Row Records. He was formerly known as Dat Nigga Daz or simply as Daz.
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale alias Nate Dogg – He was popularly referred to as the King of Hooks between 1994 and 2007 thanks to his great vocals in countless hit rap songs.
Eric Dwayne Collins also known as RBX, which stands for Reality Born Unknown. He joined Death Row Records in 1992, alongside his cousins Snoop and Daz. (Entertainment Weekly)
12. He is a beef magnet
From his early days in the rap industry, Snoop has always been at the center of controversy, having been involved in countless feuds with fellow celebrities. The father of four has previously crossed paths with the likes of Donald Trump, Iggy Azalea, Nick Young, Kanye West, Eminem, and even Dr. Dre! (Hollywood Gossip)
13. He was an actual pimp
Snoop once confessed to being an actual pimp from 2003 to 2004. Speaking about his decision to quit pimping, he was quoted as saying:
“(Pimping) was my natural calling and once I got involved with it, it became fun. It was like shootin’ layups for me. I was makin’ em every time.” (The Guardian)
14. He featured in one of Tupac Shakur’s last songs
In 1996, Snoop and the legendary Tupac Shakur collaborated in the making of the single 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted. This single was one of Tupac’s last songs while alive. In September of the same year, Tupac was shot in Las Vegas, and died six days later. (YouTube)
15. He has triple ancestry
Whether you believe in ancestry DNA testing or not, one of the most surprising facts about Snoop Dogg is his triple ancestry. The results of his ancestry test were revealed in 2010 by George Lopez on Lopez Tonight. After a DNA test, it was discovered that Snoop was 71% African, 23% Native American and 6% European. (YouTube)
16. Slammed by Bunny Wailer for alleged culture appropriation
Following his much-publicized three-week trip to Jamaica, and conversion to Rastafarianism at a Nyabinghi shrine, Snoop was accused of defrauding the Rastafari culture. The accusation came from Bunny Wailer.
Bunny is one of the original members of the famous reggae group The Wailers, which introduced this genre to the world, thanks to the popularity of the likes of Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, who were also part of the band. Back to the Snoop Dogg story, Bunny had threatened legal action against the American rapper accusing him of engaging in “outright fraudulent use of Rastafari Community’s personalities and symbolism”. He was further accused of failing to meet “contractual, moral and verbal commitments” regarding the Rastafari lifestyle.
The document, obtained by TMZ, revealed the reggae legend informing the rapper that:
“Smoking weed and loving Bob Marley and reggae music is not what defines the Rastafari Indigenous Culture!”
In his defense, Snoop claimed that his beliefs were personal, and that he did not need any approval from outside sources. (TMZ)
17. One of the most decorated hip hop artists in the world
As one of the most influential rappers in the game, Snoop Dogg boasts at least 27 major awards and 96 nominations. He has won the Grammys, MTV Awards, Billboard Hip-Hop awards, BET, among others. In 2016, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Hall’s ‘celebrity wing’. (Rolling Stone)
18. Featured in over 20 movies
One of the most astonishing facts about Snoop Dogg is his role in over 30 movies. Even though acting isn’t the main reason behind his popularity, he has had some decent and popular performances on TV. He is well remembered for his role as Scavenger Smoker in Half Baked, a stoner comedy movie starring Dave Chappelle, Harland Williams, Jim Breuer, Guillermo Diaz, and Snoop! Following his acquittal in the murder chargers explained earlier, he also revealed a movie titled Murder Was the Case, featuring as himself.
Other notable film appearances include Soul Plane as Captain Antoine Mack, The Bing Bang as Puss, Scary Movie 5 as Ja’Marcus, Pitch Perfect 2 as himself, and future World as Love Lord.
These are so far some of the most interesting facts about Snoop Dogg we thought we should share with you. If you enjoyed reading, please leave a comment below and subscribe to our newsletter for more facts about prominent people.
SOURCES:
- Classic Hip Hop Magazine: https://classichiphopmagazine.com/answers/2018/7/19/how-did-snoop-dogg-get-his-famous-nickname-all-the-details-inside
- Capital Xtra: https://www.capitalxtra.com/features/lists/hip-hop-yearbook-photos/snoop-dogg/
- Scientific American: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/iq-and-society/
- The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/apr/26/australia.barbaramcmahon#:~:text=The%20US%20rapper%20Snoop%20Dogg,for%20drugs%20and%20firearms%20offences.&text=The%20star%20had%20been%20due,a%20whole%20string%20of%20convictions.
- Complex Magazine: https://www.complex.com/sports/2016/01/snoop-dogg-quit-smoking-weed-youth-football-players-called-him-out-for-being-high#:~:text=I%20stopped%20smoking%20from%20that,year%20that%20I%20do%20that.%E2%80%9D
- CheatSheet: https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/snoop-dogg-almost-divorced-his-longtime-wife-heres-why-he-didnt.html/
- New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/21/arts/pop-music-snoop-dogg-s-gentle-hip-hop-growl.html
- The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/aug/07/snoop-dogg-rastafari
- LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-02-21-mn-38322-story.html#:~:text=Snoop%20Doggy%20Dogg%2C%20one%20of,member%20at%20a%20Palms%20park.
- Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/snoop-dogg-americas-most-lovable-pimp-67188/
- Entertainment Weekly: https://ew.com/gallery/stars-you-didnt-know-were-related/
- Hollywood Gossip: https://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/stars/snoop-dogg/tags/celebrity-feuds/
- The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/apr/24/urban.britishairwaysbusiness
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL6dWDfs5x8
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2rw6qZe4w8
- TMZ: https://www.tmz.com/2013/01/23/snoop-lion-snoop-dogg-rejected-bunny-wailer-rastarians-reincarnated/
- Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/snoop-dogg-to-be-inducted-into-wwe-hall-of-fame-106813/
