Snoop Dogg Shares His Favorite Memory of Kobe Bryant

As the one-year anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s heartbreaking death inches closer, Snoop Dogg is recalling his favorite memory he has with the NBA legend. In an interview on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, he noted the time that Bryant “flew to come and see me and hang out with me for a day.” Recalling the special moment between the two, the rapper said that he ended up gifting his friend a little something special at the end of the day.

“I picked him up in my lowrider and brought him back to my studio and when he left, I gave him the lowrider,” the 49-year-old said. “It became a part of his car collection.” He then added, “I’m like a little kid just thinking about it, that was the greatest moment ever.” Snoop then gushed over the fact that Bryant was so kind to everyone in Snoop’s studio, saying he was “so hospitable to everybody” from the rappers to the janitors. “I’m talking about the people that take the trash out to the rappers … everybody, they all left there saying, ‘This is a great guy, and I’m happy I met him in real life.’” He then apologized for continuing to talk about Bryant but stated “that’s my guy.”

The first part of the question addressed the tattoo Snoop got after Bryant’s passing. He showed fans back in October the ink he got that included both Bryant and the Lakers in it. He said he “wanted to do something that could represent the championship and Kobe Bryant,” adding, “So combining the two with the trophy and his initials made perfect sense.”

Bryant and his daughter, Gianna Bryant, were involved in a tragic helicopter crash, alongside John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester and Ara Zobayan. The shocking news took the world by storm, leaving millions absolutely speechless. The helicopter crashed into the hillside in dense fog in Calabasas, California, just before 10 a.m. on a Sunday.

The pilot, Zobayan, and his eight passengers were reportedly on their way to Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy for a basketball practice when the helicopter went down. The chopper was flying in foggy conditions, considered to be dangerous enough that local police agencies grounded their own aircrafts.

Just days after the shocking news, a memorial was held for the pro athlete where his wife Vanessa Bryant took the stage to give a speech. Many shocked at how well she held it together, they applauded the 38-year-old for being so strong in such an emotional time. A slew of other celebrities also shared their memories of Bryant with the world as everyone mourned together.