Snoop Dogg’s Bodyguard Opens Up About 1993 Murder Charge
Snoop Dogg’s former bodyguard talks about the 1993 shooting that left one man dead and the Death Row artist facing a murder charge.
In 1993, Long Beach rapper Snoop Dogg, became a household name after appearing on Dr. Dre’s Chronic album. Following this success, the “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” rapper started to record for his debut album, “Doggystyle”. However, in the process, Snoop Dogg became entangled in the life that he was trying to leave behind and almost lost it all.
During this time McKinley Lee Jr was the bodyguard assigned to protect the Crip affiliated Snoop Dogg. One August day, while at Snoops house, a disturbance outside quickly snapped McKinley Lee into protection mode. Watching a “light-skinned” man pull a gun out after an argument with one of the Dogg Pound, Lee swiftly got Snoop Dogg upstairs out of danger.
Later, Snoop Dogg left for the studio with McKinley Lee and Sean Abrams but they forgot the DAT machine. As a result, they turned around when a man associated with what happened earlier flagged them down. He apologized for the incident and said his friend’s diabetic episode didn’t help the violent situation. Speaking with Cam Capone News, McKinley Lee admitted he took precautions to protect Snoop Dogg. He said: “When Snoop pulled over, I take my gun and I set it on my lap. And Snoop was in the driver seat and now I’m looking to my right because the guy is backing up. As he’s backing up, I have my gun on my lap.”
With what happened next, McKinley Lee’s suspicions proved correct as an attacker lurked. Clearly showing emotion throughout, Lee explains the crucial decision to fire his gun. “All of a sudden, the bushes flutter and you see somebody run out of the bushes and it was Philip Woldemariam at the time,” Lee recalled. “He runs and he gets to his guy and his guy grabs him. He pushes him away and when he pushes, he lifts his shirt and he reaches. When I saw him start to reach, that’s when I took my gun and I fired.”
Shortly after the shooting both McKinley Lee and Snoop Dogg surrendered themselves to police. Both of them were charged with first-degree murder but later acquitted. The judge determined that Lee was acting in self-defense. In response to the decision, Snoop Dogg said : “I left it in God’s hands.”