Snoop Dogg’s Biggest Scandal: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes?

Snoop Dogg has long been one of the most iconic figures in the music industry, but his career has not been without scandal. While many of his controversies have involved his personal life or music, one of the most talked-about events in his career came from a much darker side: the 1993 murder trial that nearly derailed his career.

In 1993, just as Snoop Dogg was rising to fame with his debut album Doggystyle, he was arrested for his involvement in a shooting that resulted in the death of a man named Philip Woldemariam. Snoop and his bodyguard, McKinley Lee, were charged with first-degree murder after a confrontation escalated into violence. The incident occurred during a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles, and both Snoop and Lee were accused of shooting Woldemariam from a vehicle.

What followed was a highly publicized legal battle, with the media portraying Snoop as the infamous gangster rapper, feeding into the stereotypes that had already surrounded him due to his lyrics and public persona. The trial, however, would see Snoop’s defense team—led by legendary attorney Johnny Cochran—successfully argue that he acted in self-defense. The charges were eventually dropped, and Snoop was acquitted in 1996, though the case remained a defining moment in his career.

Despite his acquittal, the scandal left a lasting impact on his image, amplifying the tension between his real-life persona and the character he portrayed in his music. The media’s intense focus on the case only fueled debates about the glorification of violence in hip-hop culture, and it forced Snoop to confront the consequences of his lifestyle.

While Snoop Dogg moved past the controversy and continued to build his empire in music, acting, and business, the 1993 shooting remains one of the darkest chapters in his history, a scandal that many fans still reference when discussing his career’s most significant moments.