Los Angeles, CA – Snoop Dogg is one of countless celebrities and fans mourning the death of retired NBA superstar Kobe Bryant. However, the loyal L.A. Lakers fan appears to be taking his passing particularly hard.
Bryant’s private helicopter crashed on a Calabasas hillside on Sunday (January 26), killing Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and the seven other people onboard. Shortly after the news broke, Snoop headed to Instagram where he wrote a somber post.
“My. Heart is broken,” he wrote. “sending prayers 2 Vanessa and the kids.”
Since then, Snoop’s Instagram account has erupted with photos and videos dedicated to Bryant and his daughter. Much like Bryant, Snoop has played a role in developing his children’s athletic abilities. In 2005, he started the Snoop Youth Football League and has served as a mentor ever since. His son Cordell Broadus previously played for UCLA.
Bryant and his daughter were on their way to a youth basketball game at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, which was established by Bryant and Sports Academy CEO Chad Faulkner in 2018.
In one of his IG posts, Snoop shared a photo of two of his kids and wrote, “Cherish the moments with ya loved ones. Hugs and I love u are in season.”
On Tuesday (January 28), Snoop revealed a text message from his mother that indicated she was empathizing with her famous son. She wrote, “love you so much Son. i am feeling your hurt. i think his passing has wounded us all. you need me i am here for you.”
Snoop captioned the post, “Thank u mamma. Prayers and I love u are in season.”
In the wake of Bryant’s shocking death, Hip Hop came out in droves to express their condolences to the Bryant family. Everyone from Kanye West and Ice-T to Drake and Chuck D collectively mourned the loss on Twitter.
Check out the rest of Snoop’s posts below.