From Snoop Dogg To Snoop Lion: A Rapper “Reincarnated”
Snoop Dogg says when the “spirit” calls, you listen—leading him to Jamaica to “bury” himself and become reggae artist Snoop Lion.
With a new attitude toward making music of “love, happiness and struggle” he can perform to all audiences (as opposed to his classic gangsta rap style) he has unveiled the REINCARNATED project, partnering with VICE Media on a new album (produced by Diplo and the Major Lazer production team), feature-length documentary, photo book and “Mind Garden” non-profit initiative.
The name Snoop Lion was given to him by the revered Nyabinghi upon his arrival to the island, derived from the Lion appearing on the Imperial Ethiopian flag and an honored symbol of former Ethiopian Emperor Halie Selassie I and the Rastafarians themselves.
“I didn’t want to be Snoop Dogg on a reggae track; I wanted to bury Snoop Dogg and become Snoop Lion, but I didn’t know that until I went to the temple and received the name Snoop Lion from the Nyabingi priest,” he says. “From that moment on, I started to understand why I was there and was able to create something magical in this project, something I haven’t done before in my career.”
The REINCARNATED documentary will premiere on September 7 and 8 at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Check out the official trailer:
Footage from the press conference held in New York City:
