This Veteran’s Day — November 11, 2024 — will be extra special for rapper Snoop Dogg’s family. According to WSB-TV, “The Voice” coach’s father, Vernell Varnado, will receive his third Purple Heart in honor of his military service and wounds he suffered during the Vietnam War.
Ahead of the Veteran’s Day honor, Varnado — known to fans as Poppa Snoop — was celebrated on November 7 at an event with city officials in Atlanta, including Mayor Andre Dickens, where he was presented with a mayoral proclamation honoring his bravery and service.
Atlanta City Officials Honor Snoop Dogg’s Dad for Continued Service to Veteran Affairs
In video captured by Alive11, Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department Fire Chief Roderick Smith presented the proclamation to Varnado at Atlanta City Hall during military recruiting event, explaining that he served as a cannoneer in Vietnam after being drafted into the Army in December 1967.
“He received awards for wounds suffered in action in battle from hostile forces and he embodies the spirit of why we are here today, recognizing our veterans,” Smith said. “You see, many young people go into military not knowing what life has in store for them and they put their lives on the line and they are committed to serve.”
“So we wanna take this day, Mr. Varnado, to recognize you for serving,” he continued, “and being injured in Vietnam. But more importantly, to continue to be a voice and advocate for Veterans across the country. Thank you for all that you are doing.”
Varnado was shot four times during his Vietnam service, according to People. In an Instagram video he posted on October 22, Varando said he received his first purple heart following a shootout in 1968.
After serving in Vietnam, Varnado became a mailman in Los Angeles and Detroit.
Snoop Dogg Has a Close Relationship With His Father
GettyVernell Varnado attend the ceremony honoring his son, rapper Snoop Dogg, with a Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, in Hollywood, California on November 19, 2018.
Varnado wasn’t heavily involved in Snoop’s upbringing, according to People. His mom, Beverly Tate, raised him and his two brothers in Long Beach, California, and was married to his stepfather until 1975.
Snoop’s real name — Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. — is after his stepfather, but he and Varnado reconnected when he was around 12 years old, per NBC.
“Me and my father are real cool,” he told SPIN in 1993. “It wasn’t like he ran out on us. But basically my mama raised me. My mam did raise me.”
In January, v received another mayoral proclamation in the city of Maricopa, Arizona, where a documentary about him, called “The Detroit Mailman,” premiered. The film chronicles his 25-year career as a Michigan mail carrier and his Vietnam War experiences, according to the Maricopa Monitor.
“People are gonna get the chance to see who I am,” Varnado told the paper about the documentary. “I’m everyday people, I just happen to be Snoop Dogg’s father … He’s really talented, he’s always been creative — I’m the same way, I’m just the O.G.”
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