Personal Life
Snoop Dogg's life has been a constant flux of ups and downs. However, every moment in his life, whether good or bad, has come together to make him the successful individual that he is today. All of the following information was obtained from The Famous People and Bio.com
In The Beginning
Born Calvin Broadus on October 20, 1971, in Long Beach, California. Broadus got the nickname "Snoop" from his mother because she thought he looked like the character in the Peanuts cartoon. From an early age, he had a keen interest in singing, rapping and playing piano. In 1989, he graduated from the Long Beach Polytechnic High School.
He was arrested after being found in possession of drugs and was frequently in and out of the prison for the next three years. During this period, he and his cousins recorded homemade tapes, calling their group ‘213’. One of his early solo freestyles over En Vogue's “Hold On” was heard by the influential producer Dr. Dre, who then invited him to an audition. He started making music as a way out of his troubles.
Legal Troubles
Since achieving fame, the popular gangster rap artist has had a number of brushes with the law. In 1990, he was convicted of cocaine possession. Three years later, he pled guilty for gun possession. Snoop was also tried and acquitted of murder charges in 1996. The case involved the killing of an alleged gang member who was shot by someone in the vehicle Snoop was riding in. In 2005, Snoop was sued for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman at the taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2003.
Snoop made legal news again in 2006. He and his posse were taken in custody at a London airport in April after the group got into a fight at the terminal. Later that year, he was arrested at the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California, after officers found marijuana and a gun in Snoop's vehicle. In 2007, the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship, citing his prior criminal convictions, banned him from entering the country and appearing at the MTV Australia Video Music Awards.
Love of His Life
In 1997, Snoop Dogg married his high school sweetheart, Shante Taylor. The couple has three children together: two sons, Cordé and Cordell, and a daughter named Cori. In 2004, Dogg filed for divorce from Shante, citing irreconcilable differences. Four years later, the couple renewed their wedding vows in January 2008. According to NY Daily News Snoop said, “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.” The couple is now going nineteen years strong.
Spiritual Awakening
In early 2012, Snoop announced that he was working for the first time on an all-reggae album, called Reincarnation. Later in 2012, he announced that, in conjunction with his reggae project, he was dropping "Dogg" from his name and becoming "Snoop Lion."
According to the Los Angeles Times, Snoop decided to change his name after traveling to Jamaica (where he worked on his reggae project) and met with a priest, who told him, "You are the light; you are the lion." Moved by the meeting, Snoop immediately changed his name to "Snoop Lion." In August 2012, Snoop released Reincarnation's debut single, "La La La."