Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent are teaming up to develop a Starz drama based on Snoop’s infamous murder trial from the 1990s.
Variety has learned that Snoop and 50 will serve as executive producers of “A Moment in Time: Murder was the Case,” the second installment in a hip-hop anthology series.
For Snoop, this series will detail the trial stemming from when the rapper born Calvin Broadus was charged with first-degree murder in the August 1993 slaying of a rival gang member Philip Woldemariam in a park. The trial began in November 1995, two years after he released his debut album “Doggystyle,” which featured the track “Murder Was The Case.” Snoop’s bodyguard, McKinley “Malik” Lee, was the actual shooter, and he and Snoop both were acquitted, successfully claiming self-defense.
“I am excited to finally tell the story of ‘Murder was the Case,'” added Snoop. This was a pivotal moment in my life and career, and I’ve deliberately waited until I found the right partner to bring this to the screen. #GLG. You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge.”
Snoop’s “Doggystyle” hit No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart and sold over five million copies. The lyrics in “Murder was the Case” would overshadow the criminal proceeding against him, which remains one of the most talked-about cases in hip-hop history.
“‘Murder was the Case’ is an incredible story. Snoop had the biggest album in the country and was fighting for his freedom in the courtroom,” said 50 Cent in a statement. “The only place to go on this incredible ride is with G-Unit Film & Television. I’m excited to be working with Snoop to bring it to television. #GLG.”
“A Moment in Time: Murder was the Case” will shed light on Snoop’s time with his defense attorney Johnnie Cochran, who passed away in 2005. A year before Snoop’s trial, Cochran was a part of the “Dream Team” that represented O.J. Simpson in his murder trial.
Snoop’s wife, Shante Broadus, and Sara Ramaker will executive produce “A Moment in Time: Murder was the Case” through Snoopadelic films, alongside 50’s G-Unit Film and Television company.
Variety reported on 50 Cent’s hip-hop anthology series “A Moment in Time” in September 2020, saying then that season 1, titled “Massacre,” will explore the tension between 50 and former G-Unit Records signee The Game, including a murder-for-hire plot. The series is named after 50 Cent’s chart-topping 2005 album “The Massacre.”
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