Papa Snoop
The Detroit Mailman Vernell Varnardo, (AKA Papa Snoop) is from Magnolia, Mississippi. In 1966 he moved to San Francisco and in 1968 he was drafted into the Vietnam War. He was awarded three purple hearts for his service. Papa Snoop participated in a documentary that is produced by Rob and Lucinda Boyd. In 1970 he started working at the post office in Las Angeles, California and after working there for fifteen years he transferred to Detroit. Papa Snoop worked at the Detroit Post Office for ten years before retiring. Papa Snoop has been with his son Snoop Dogg throughout his whole career, from 1992 until now. He’s been in movies, and videos. Papa Snoop and Snoop are more like brothers than father and son.
China: Being that part of your route was in the area where there were gangs, how did you maneuver that? Papa Snoop: I never had a problem with anyone. I’ve been in some of the worst neighborhoods, but Detroit did have gangs. Now L.A. had gangs, but in Detroit, everyone did their own thing. I called them foot soldiers.
China: What was it like being the mailman in Detroit back in the day? Papa Snoop: I delivered mail for fifteen years in Los Angeles. But it was a whole new world in Detroit, and I didn’t know there would be that many drug dealers. I saw them every day because I was the mailman, and I took a blind eye to them because I was just like them. The only difference was that I was delivering mail and they were selling drugs, and what I mean by that is that I’m a street person. They really game me in Detroit., Detroit is a city that I love dearly. I tell people all the time: don’t ever talk about Detroit if you’ve never lived there. You wouldn’t understand. China: What are your feelings about the current state of them trying to snuff out Black history, and, of all months, for them China: What was the most terrifying experience that you had to make it the full point of the center of Black History Month? in Detroit, and one of the most memorable encounters that you Papa Snoop: I was born in 1949 and I left Mississippi in 1966. had being the mailman in that area? When Emmett Till got killed, I was six years old. Back then, Papa Snoop: After being there for less than six months, I was there was no television – everyone had radios. The turning delivering mail, and it was cold, coming from L.A. As I made point for Black people began in 1968. After Martin Luther my loop, there was a car parked and it was running, and a guy King Jr. got killed, people started getting better jobs, and back got out of the car. He knocked on the door, and two guys ran then, Blacks were unified. out of the side door, towards me. The guy that knocked on the door started shooting at them –, he didn’t kill them, but he China: Can you give a few encouraging words to our readers? shot them. Me being a Vietnam vet, the Vietnam part of me Papa Snoop: I would like to speak to some of the young people. kicked in. I jumped over a bush and rolled on the ground Now, Your journey starts after you graduate high school. The hardest my most memorable encounter is going to all the clubs. My part of your life is from the day you graduate high school until favorite club was UBQ on Van Dyke, Avenue on the East Side you turn thirty because you are lost and you’re searching. Two of Detroit. L.A. didn’t party like Detroit, now I’d never heard years before you finish high school, get a game plan. If you’re of the Calber Ray until I moved to Detroit. All the guys that I going to college, get ready for college. If you’re going to trade worked with; they schooled me in Detroit. Detroit will always school, get ready for that. If you’re going into the military, get be my second home. In 1987, Snoop’s mom sent him to Detroit ready for that, but you must have a game plan. Have some kind for the summer, because she was having problems with him. I of sense of direction for where you are going and what you’re got him a job that was within walking distance from where I going to do in life. You must do it while you’re young, because worked. Now, all the guys that will in my documentary, they as you get older, your body starts changing, and you start getall knew Snoop before he became a rapper. When I was on the ting lazy. road with him whenever we went to Detroit, I would always ride through my old neighborhood.
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