Snoop Dogg is mourning the death of his uncle, Portland-based restaurant owner Reo Varnado, who passed away earlier this month on January 14. The West Coast hip-hop veteran made a post to Instagram shortly after Varnando’s passing, sharing a photo of the two of them together. He captioned the post, “Uncle. Reo. U will be missed. Thank u for loving me and the whole world. U were a blessing.” 

Varnando’s brother Ricky confirmed his death in a Facebook post that read, “My heart is hurting badly, my brother Reo Varnado passed away last night @ 10:30pm, I need prayers & comfort to make it through this rough period in my life!!! R I P my brother, I’m going to miss you dearly!!!”

According to KOIN, Reo Varnando owned Reo’s Ribs in Northeast Portland and was subjected to two separate fires, destroying his place of business.  During the first fire in 2017, Varnando was in Los Angeles taping television segments with Martha and Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party co-host Martha Stewart. After learning the fire had destroyed the restaurant, he suspected foul play happening behind the scenes— although fire fighters determined the cause of the blaze to be accidental.

“It’s very hard,” Varnando said at the time. “It’s just sad, man, that you put your whole heart and soul into something that you like in life, that you love.”

In November 2020, the rebuilt Reo’s Ribs was damaged by yet another fire during Portland’s  protests. A suspect was arrested for arson roughly a month later. Reo’s Ribs originally opened in 1999 along the Tualatin Valley Highway outside Portland, where Varnado’s Mississippi-style barbecue ribs, which Gourmet magazine said were “weighted with meat that tugs from the bone in thick ribbons.”

Varnando often sang at local nightclubs or with his gospel group, The Beyonds. He also regularly appeared onstage with his Snoop and was featured on the 2002 song “Just Get Carried Away” by the Doggy Style All Stars, produced by Snoop Dogg himself. 

Our condolences go out to Snoop Dogg and all of Reo Varnado’s family and loved ones.