Whenever you think of the West Coast hip-hop scene, Snoop Dogg should come to mind. Endless hits and awards, from “Gin and Juice“, “Nuthin’ but a G Thang” with Dr Dre, to “Beautiful” with Pharrell, Snoop Dogg has been relevant throughout his whole career, but this time around he has a announced not only a name change, but also departure from the genre that made him who he is today. His upcoming album, Reincarnated does not feature any rapping at all, and there’s a movie that will be featured at Toronto International Film Festival that documents Snoop’s transformation.

On July 30th, Snoop Dogg Lion “appeared at a jam-packed press conference—along with his manager Ted Chung, producer Diplo, VICE Media co-founder Suroosh Alvi, who produced a film about the project, and Sway Calloway of MTV—to talk about Snoop’s latest album, Reincarnated.” During the conference, Snoop said that he was tired of rap and that a spirit had called him to go to Jamaica and become involved in the Rastafari movement. Furthermore, Snoop has even called himself “Bob Marley reincarnated”, while he may have said this in reference to weed in the past, this time around Snoop talked to the press about him always being Rastafari, just not being fully aware of it until going to Jamaica.

In my opinion, I just want to give Snoop props for doing this because there aren’t that many artists in their forties who are looking for ways to reinvent themselves. I just hope that this isn’t something atrocious as Lil Wayne experimenting with Rebirth, and if the Rastafari approve of this, then I guess we will do too. Also, I can’t wait to read what people say about the film!

Watch the trailer for Reincarnated below:

Listen to Snoop Lion’s first single “La La La” produced by Major Lazer

Source: Complex Magazine