It is the kind of phone call no grandparent ever wants to get. In late September 2019, the world learned that Snoop Dogg’s family was dealing with an unimaginable tragedy. His infant grandson, Kai Love, had passed away. He was only 10 days old.
When celebrities go through something this personal, the internet usually goes into a frenzy of speculation. People want answers. They want to know "why" and "how." But for the Broadus family, the story wasn't about a scandalous headline; it was about a tiny life that left a massive hole in their hearts.
Honestly, it's a story that still resonates because of how the family handled the grief. They didn't hide. They didn't lash out. Instead, they shared a message of "love and light" that felt surprisingly grounded for a family constantly in the spotlight.
The Short, Impactful Life of Kai Love
Kai Love was born on September 15, 2019. He was the son of Corde Broadus, Snoop’s eldest son, and his partner Soraya Love. For those keeping track of the family tree, Kai was Snoop’s fifth grandchild.
He didn't make it home.
Kai spent his entire ten days of life in the hospital, specifically in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). On September 25, 2019, he passed away. Corde later shared the heartbreaking detail that the little boy actually died in his arms.
"My son did all he needed to do in his 10 days here on earth," Corde wrote in a post that later went viral. "He has now graduated and is continuing to do work."
It’s a perspective that sounds almost spiritual. Corde talked about the "feeling of energy" he felt while holding his son during those final moments. While most people would be consumed by the "unfairness" of it all—and surely there was plenty of that—the family leaned heavily into the idea that Kai’s soul had a specific, albeit short, mission.
What was the cause of death?
This is where the public often gets frustrated. To this day, the Broadus family has never released a specific medical cause of death for Kai Love.
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When a baby passes away in the NICU, there are dozens of possibilities, from congenital issues to sudden complications. However, the family chose to keep those clinical details private. In the world of celebrity gossip, "private" often leads to rumors, but the Broadus family stood their ground.
- Fact: Kai died in the hospital.
- Fact: He was 10 days old.
- Fact: No official autopsy report was ever made public by the family.
Some health experts and bloggers at the time pointed toward SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) or potential complications from premature birth, but these remain nothing more than educated guesses. The family focused on the "plan for the day" written on the hospital dry-erase board outside Kai's room: Love + Light.
How Snoop and Shante Responded
Snoop Dogg is usually the guy with a joke or a laid-back comment for everything. This time, he was uncharacteristically quiet at first.
He didn't release a formal press statement. He didn't do a sit-down interview with Oprah. Instead, he posted a video on Instagram about trusting God. The message was simple: when you're facing something you don't understand, you have to trust that there's a higher power at work.
Shante Broadus, Snoop’s wife and Kai’s grandmother, took a more emotional route. She posted a video of herself tearfully singing along to "The Love We Had Stays on My Mind" by The Dells. It was raw. It was human. It showed a side of the "Grandma Snoop" persona that fans rarely see—the side that deals with the same crushing grief as anyone else.
Moving Forward as a Family
Grief doesn't just disappear. It changes shape.
In the years since 2019, Corde and Soraya have continued to raise their daughter, Elleven, and their other children. They often mention Kai's "energy" as a guiding force in their home. It’s a way of keeping a memory alive without letting the tragedy define their entire existence.
Even in 2026, the story of what happened to Snoop Dogg's grandson Kai serves as a reminder that fame provides no shield against the basic pains of being human. Whether you have millions of fans or none, the loss of a child is a universal equalizer.
What we can learn from the Broadus family's journey
If you are currently supporting someone through the loss of an infant, or if you are looking for ways to honor a memory, here are a few takeaways from how this high-profile family managed their darkest hour:
- Privacy is a Right: You don't owe the world a medical explanation for your grief. The Broadus family proved you can acknowledge a loss without sharing every clinical detail.
- Focus on the "Energy": Many find comfort in the idea that a life isn't measured by years, but by the impact made.
- Community Support: Lean on your village. Whether it’s through music (like Shante) or spiritual reflection (like Snoop), finding a medium to express pain is vital.
If you want to support families going through similar NICU struggles, consider donating to or volunteering with organizations like Project Sweet Peas or the March of Dimes. These groups provide direct support to parents who are currently navigating the same hospital hallways the Broadus family walked in 2019.
The story of Kai Love isn't just a "celeb news" item. It’s a testament to a family’s resilience and their choice to choose "Love + Light" even when things were incredibly dark.