The Truth About Snoop Dogg's Marriage
Snoop Dogg and his wife, Shante Taylor Broadus, aren't just one power couple in the world of music. The two have been together so long that even casual fans of the "Gin and Juice" rapper recognize his spouse. Shante is often by Snoop's side on red carpets, and fans even had a chance to see their relationship dynamic play out in their short-lived reality show, "Snoop Dogg's Father Hood."
With over 30 years together and 24 years of marriage, there have been many public bumps in the road, but the two have always expressed that they are sticking together no matter what. Snoop has never been shy about declaring the importance of his wife and all the sacrifices she's made for him. In a 2013 interview on "The Queen Latifah Show," the West Coast rapper revealed the mistakes he's made in the relationship. "You gotta understand that the turmoil and the stuff that I put her through in my journey on becoming successful," he said. "I had no understanding of what I was doing her, how I was hurting her, and how I was betraying myself." They both admit that their love story hasn't been perfect, but they believe they're stronger together.
They were high school sweethearts
Before he was Snoop Dogg, a multi-platinum rapper with a long list of hits, he was simply Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. from Long Beach, California. While walking the halls of Long Beach Polytechnic High School, he not only famously sold weed to Cameron Diaz, as the actor herself revealed on "Lopez Tonight," but he also crossed paths with his future wife.
The young couple first met through a mutual friend at a high school football game, where Snoop asked Shante Taylor for her number. However, Shante told Showbiz Cheat Sheet it wasn't until their second meeting that the future star obtained her phone number. Snoop hasn't changed much since his high school days, according to Diaz. "I remember him. He was very tall and skinny, wore lots of ponytails in his head," she told George Lopez. In 2019, the rap legend took a trip back to those halls and gave a special performance for his fellow class of 1989 graduates at their 30th high school reunion, per Page Six. It's clear that the school holds a special place in Snoop's heart, and it's probably because he met the girl who stole his heart there.
Snoop Dogg spent months wooing Shante Taylor Broadus
Snoop Dogg's music may make him sound like a ladies' man, but it took a lot of work to win the heart of Shante Taylor Broadus. In an interview on "The Feature Presentation" radio show, the hip hop star revealed all the romantic gestures he made while courting Shante, saying, "I had to call her on the phone. I had to write love letters. I had to do all of that."
Those gestures definitely earned him brownie points with Shante's mother. In an interview with ShowBiz Cheat Sheet, Shante revealed that Snoop and his future mother-in-law immediately hit it off. "We started talking on the phone, and then he started becoming close with my mom — talking to my mom more than he'd talk to me," she recalled. "I would come home, and he would be at my house talking to my mom!" Her mother may have been keen on Snoop, but Shante played it cool. Snoop told "The Feature Presentation" host DJ Suss One that it took over four months of courting her before the two would even kiss!
The couple married in 1997
The high school sweethearts tied the knot in 1997, three years after the birth of their first son, Cordé Broadus. Though Shante Taylor Broadus was around Snoop Dogg in the early days of his career, adjusting to his growing popularity in the industry wasn't easy. When troubles arose early in their relationship, all the members of his inner circle encouraged him to dump Shante, except one — Tupac Shakur.
"It was a point in time when me and my girlfriend at the time, we were having ups and downs. And a lot of my friends was telling me that I should just go ahead and be solo because I was Snoop Doggy Dogg, and I could have any woman that I wanted," he told the ladies of "The View." "And Tupac pulled me to the side and was like, 'Forget what they talking about! That girl loves you. You need to marry her.'" His friend's advice turned out to be some of the most valuable he'd ever receive, as taking it paid off in a marriage that has endured for over two decades. It even survived Snoop temporarily having a change of heart about "'til death do us part."
Snoop Dogg filed for divorce in 2004
In 2004, the high school sweethearts hit a low point in their relationship. Snoop Dogg shocked fans by officially filing for divorce from Shante Taylor Broadus and citing "irreconcilable differences." However, there was still hope in the couple's love story after the rapper decided not to go through with the split. The stress of the industry played a role in tearing them apart, but in the end, he chose to keep his family together.
Snoop told MTV (via E! News), "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." In 2010, Shante recalled to Sister 2 Sister magazine (via Bossip) that Snoop actually asked her for advice when he was thinking about leaving her, saying, "So he didn't know, it was just a lot." After he had a change of heart, she said he apologized to their kids and shared what he'd been feeling. Shante also seemed certain that Snoop wouldn't be filing more divorce papers in the future. "We're used to one another," she said of their relationship. "We're older now and I know that he's not going anywhere, I'm not going anywhere."
The couple renewed their vows in 2008
After coming back from the brink of divorce, Snoop Dogg knew he had to go above and beyond to prove his love for Shante. A close friend of his, Charlie Wilson, suggested that he make a grand gesture to his wife and renew their vows in 2008. Wilson offered up his 20-acre ranch and invited over 200 guests to watch Snoop Dogg surprise his wife and ask her to marry him again, per The Knot News. The party even featured guest performances from Shante's favorite artists, Teddy Riley and the music group Guy, and the sweet ceremony was filmed for the couple's reality series. The shock on Shante's face was evident when Snoop got up on stage and revealed why all their dearly beloved were gathered together.
"It was such a beautiful surprise because my wife didn't know what was going on. And Charlie worked with me on this because we was having tough times," Snoop told HipHollywood. The romantic gesture worked, and the rap star credits Wilson and other people around him who always encourage him to do the right thing for helping him keep his marriage intact. "You need a lot of help. But you gotta be willing to receive that help, and be willing to get checked," Snoop said. "And a lot of people ain't willing to get checked because when they get to a certain point in their life, they feel like they're uncheckable."
They share three kids together
Snoop Dogg and Shante Taylor Broadus share three kids together. Their oldest, Cordé Broadus, is 27 years old and a father of three. He made headlines in 2021 when he announced the tragic passing of his 10-day-old son, per TMZ. On Instagram, Snoop's wife mourned the loss of their grandson and celebrated his short life by sharing an emotional video of herself singing.
The couple's middle child, Cordell Broadus, took the football field at UCLA by storm as a student-athlete, per Hollywood Life. The 24-year old now dabbles in modeling and has walked the runway for major fashion labels including Dolce & Gabbana and Tommy Hilfiger, according to his Models.com profile. He's also the father of two children.
The youngest of the Broadus bunch is Cori Broadus. The 22-year-old is Snoop and Shante's only daughter and has made quite an impression on the world. Fans have heard her voice previously on her dad's 2012 album "Reincarnated," and she's even ventured out with her own solo music career. Snoop has embraced fatherhood every step of the way, telling Esquire in 2008, "Fatherhood is more than a job, it's more than a responsibility. It's a lifestyle. You gotta be prepared to live it." He's since embraced being a cool grandpa too. In a 2015 "Today" interview, months after the birth of his first grandchild, he joked about his new role, saying, "I'm going to be a gullible, get-away-with-everything kind of grandpa."
Snoop Dogg had a son outside of his marriage
Though he has three children with his wife, Shante Taylor Broadus, Snoop Dogg is actually a father of four. He also shares a son with Laurie Holmond. Julian Broadus was born in 1998 after Snoop was already married to Shante. According to Holmond, Snoop was present when the child was born, but their relationship faltered afterward.
When the reality show "Snoop Dogg's Father Hood" premiered, Julian Broadus was noticeably absent, which is something that hurt him. Julian told Star magazine at the time, "I should be with him on the show, but I'm not. I don't want to be an actor; I want to be a basketball player. But I want to be on the show to get to know my family. It would be so nice for all of us to just hang out together. I hope we can do that one day" (via Artisan News). The rumored rift between the two families seems to be in a much better place now. The 24-year-old could be seen on his Instagram posing with his other siblings and nephews. In 2020, The Blast reported that Julian was pursuing a real estate career, and he dabbles in fashion and acting on the side.
The allegations of cheating
In 2019, Snoop Dogg made headlines after socialite and YouTube personality Celina Powell created a tell-all video about their alleged affair. In the now-deleted video, Powell made claims that the rapper "flew her out" to visit him, and the two engaged in unprotected sex, per Capital Xtra. At the time, she shared videos and text messages to back up those claims.
The situation got even messier when Powell began directly poking at Snoop's wife and tagging her in shady Instagram posts. As the rumors began to swirl, Shante shared her own cryptic Instagram post, writing, "U ever watch somebody u love turn into somebody u don't know." The broken heart and crying emoji attached to it made fans worry about the state of her marriage with the rapper. Snoop responded to the allegations by making light of them and promising to produce a reality television show about clout chasers. "Be on the look out for my new, new TV show," he joked in a video, per Capital Xtra. "This is a good one. It's called 'Clout Chasers'. First episode, next week. Be sure to check it out."
Snoop Dogg has apologized for cheating through his music
After his alleged affair with Celina Powell was exposed, Snoop Dogg had a lot to get off his chest. In 2020, he hopped on a remix for a track called "Don't Be Mad At Me," and his apologetic lyrics seem to be directed at his wife, as noted by Capital Xtra. In his verse, he raps, "I'm tired of sayin' sorry for the same s***, Damn near lost my queen, f***ing 'round with that lame b***h, Ashamed of myself 'cause I shamed you."
Months later, Shante Taylor Broadus caused a stir when she shared another cryptic message on Instagram, writing, "We all wasted the best versions of ourselves on someone who doesn't give a single f***." But as of now, the two have weathered the cheating storm and seem to still be going strong. In October 2021, Shante marked Snoop's 50th birthday on Instagram with a photo of the couple looking happy, and her caption celebrated their tight bond. She wrote, "Love always. Family forever."
The couple's daughter brought them close together
When she was 6 years old, Cori Broadus developed multiple alarming symptoms, including dramatic weight loss. She was soon diagnosed with lupus, per People. The shocking diagnosis left the whole family heartbroken. The autoimmune disease was something the Broadus family couldn't understand at first, but they knew they had to come together to support their daughter.
Even though it was a difficult time, Snoop Dogg revealed that it's something that saved his marriage. "Cori's lupus showed us we need to be together forever," he told People (via HuffPost). His wife revealed that before the diagnosis, they were on the brink of divorce. "Without [Snoop], I don't know what I'd have done. It's amazing how this all turned out. We were gonna get a divorce. But we wouldn't have gotten through it [the lupus diagnosis] that way," she said (via Hello Beautiful). Since going public with their daughter's diagnosis, both Snoop and Shante have used their platforms to raise awareness in hopes of finding a cure. In 2010, the family partnered with the LA Lupus Foundation.
Snoop Dogg showers his wife in lavish gifts
With over 24 years of marriage behind him, the romantic gestures haven't stopped for Snoop Dogg. Over the years, we've seen him shower his special lady with anniversary and birthday gifts to make her smile. In 2011, TMZ caught the rap star surprising his wife with flowers and a new ride for their wedding anniversary. The two were all smiles as they drove off.
In 2021, for Shante's birthday, Snoop Dogg surprised her with another sweet ride. This time, it was a custom '66 Mustang GT made just for her, per All Urban Central. The all-pink vehicle was a special gift for the special woman Snoop calls "Boss Lady." In the front seat of the car, there was a gorgeous purse waiting for her with stacks of cash inside. The sweet gesture was done in front of all their family members and friends, who cheered as the gift was revealed. Shante's shocked expression in a video that she shared on Instagram showed that the splashy surprise was definitely a hit.
Shante Taylor Broadus became her husband's manager
After calling Shante "Boss Lady" for years, Snoop gave her a fitting new title: manager. In 2021, the rap star revealed that his longtime wife is now managing his career. It all started after he was appointed executive creative and strategic consultant for the iconic Def Jam record label. Shante Taylor Broadus' new role puts her in charge of her husband's various businesses ventures, something that's not new to her, considering she was his manager when his rap career was just taking off.
In a press release announcing her new role, Shante said, "The industry at large is seeing a major shift in more representation of Black women in key executive roles. I am excited to enter this official position, helping to further expand Snoop's wide-ranging empire" (via Atlanta Black Star). Appointing his wife as his manager was important to Snoop. He told GQ, "Well, making my wife my manager was very key, because that's my backbone, that's my heart and my soul, that's the one that I love the most, that I trust the most. That's our problem as Black men sometimes: We get so caught up in our business that we forget to let our spouse in the business." Despite everything they've gone through, this power couple is still doing big things together.