Superstar Rapper Snoop Dogg Reaches Out to Troubled Youth in 'Bigg Snoop Dogg's Youth Authority: California'

Candid Show Airs on Spike TV on Tuesday, January 16th

NEW YORK, Jan. 12 -- Music icon Snoop Dogg has joined up with documentary director Gabriel London, Oscar nominated filmmaker Jonathan Stack and Spike TV to make a candid show on youth crime and prison entitled "Bigg Snoop Dogg's Youth Authority: California." The idea for the revealing special was created by Snoop Dogg in an effort to help troubled kids and offer a way out of gang life.

Snoop himself spent time inside California's notorious "Youth Authority," which in recent years has come under court order for abusing and failing to rehabilitate youth. In "Bigg Snoop Dogg's Youth Authority: California," Snoop Dogg tells of his own life experiences with gang life and selling drugs. The stories serve as a reminder as to why his voice is so important for the kids to hear. By telling what he has learned, and encouraging them to make different choices, Snoop serves as a credible voice to a serious subject matter that is too often times ignored. The show interweaves Snoop's past stories and experiences from over a decade ago, with trials and tribulations of youth today, who remain caught in the streets-to-prison cycle.

Snoop's reasons for creating the show are explained while the rapper is driving through his old Long Beach neighborhood. "Can we have peace? That's what I am feeling like as I get older. I feel like I gotta go back and do it because there's a youngster out there -- and I can help him," says Snoop.

To drive the point home, Snoop gathered some of his old friends from Long Beach to participate in what director Gabriel London calls "the story swapping shoot." London says "after spending six months filming on and off with Snoop, this was our moment to connect and for us to hear first hand where it all began." What was to be a two hour conversation turned into a lively four hour session that became the basis of the film, taking the viewer on Snoop's path from childhood days to the dark evolution towards drug dealing and eventually prison before turning his life around.

This show is Snoop's attempt to break the cycle that leads to over 10,000 youth being locked up in California alone. During one touching moment in the program Snoop meets a 12 year old who they call "Lil' Tookie," named after famous crip founder, Stanley "Tookie" Williams. Lil' Tookie who has a talent for dancing (or "krumping") is shown getting embraced by Snoop, who encourages him to stay on the right path. He asks Lil' Tookie if he has ever been to jail. Once the youngster shakes his head no, Snoop says, "You're too cool for jail. Jail ain't for cool people, I went to jail, it ain't for me. Since you've never been, don't go. That's my advice to you."

Tune into Spike TV on Tuesday, January 16th at 11:00pm ET/PT to watch Bigg Snoop Dogg's Youth Authority: California.

SOURCE Spike TV
http://www.spiketv.com