Snoop Dogg speaks about the new album Reincarnated and the journey leading to the Rastafarian inspired new moniker Snoop Lion.
What led you on the path to becoming Snoop Lion?
It's all about being loved and giving love. It was about a journey. By going to Jamaica, reggae music with the message about peace and love came very close to me. But Snoop Dogg isn’t gone, he’s grown into Snoop Lion. Whenever I want to make music to express peace, love and struggle I will use Snoop Lion because I can’t do that with Dogg due to the stigma and his persona being so gangsta.
Snoop Dogg is notorious for his thug-talk. Has that changed at all with your reincarnation to Snoop Lion?
If you listen to my new record I don’t use one cuss word because I wanted to see if I could make it without cursing and I did. Those words are an expression in the moment and when I feel they express what needs to be expressed I would use them. On the album Reincarnated there is no cursing, as the message is peace and love, where those words didn't need to be expressed.
Your daughter duet-ted with you on your record. How was that experience?
It’s awesome to have my daughter on my new record. The song is called No Guns Allowed. My daughter is changing me, my music and my way of life because she’s a lady. When you have a young lady to raise you want to be in the right way, so I thank her as she’s making me a better man. She believes in what I believe in and I support her. If she wants to get in the music industry then I’m going to be behind her.
Some Rastafarians questioned your commitment to the faith. What are your thoughts about that?
There’s no man who can make you Rastafari, there’s no one man who runs the boot. It’s a way of life, it’s a reflection of the love and energy that you put out. So one or two of the Rastafarians are mad at me, Bunny Wailer being the most notable, because I’m putting the spotlight on something they’ve been doing their whole lives and now I’m getting attention, but attention brings jealousy. I’m not in it to make money, I’m in it to give real attention to the meaning of reggae music, which is peace and love. So when you have a couple of old Rastafarians pushing negativity, well who’s more Rastafari, me or them???I believe I’m becoming Rastafarian. It’s not something you can become overnight, it’s an everyday growth. It’s a way of life, it’s the way I live now. I feel like I’m Bob Marley reincarnated. I don’t say that in a cocky manner but in that I love peace, like if Bob was here right now he’d be doing what I’m doing. I’m just an extension of him, a continuation.
You feel you lost some street cred after becoming Snoop Lion?
Street cred is based on acting, so nothing has been affected because I'm real. I could never loose street cred by becoming a wiser man who wants to give back.
Reincarnated is out now through Sony Music
