Snoop Lion paws at listeners with new prowl

It’s official: America’s favorite red-eyed rapper has transmogrified from canine to feline, from Dogg to Lion.

After a solid 20 years in the music and pop culture scene, Calvin Broadus Jr. a.k.a Snoop Dogg, told the press that this is not just another meaningless name change such as Puff Daddy to P. Diddy, but rather that he wants to “bury Snoop Dogg, and become Snoop Lion,” he said at a press conference back in August.

Snoop Dogg spent a significant amount of time in Jamaica while recording his 12th studio album, and claims that during his trip he underwent a spiritual and artistic transformation. As a result, he has accepted the new name given to him from a Rastafarian priest.

Two months ago, Snoop released a new single, “La La La”, a laid back, simple jam produced by Major Lazer. The new song features a slow tempo and a distinctly retro take on the reggae genre a la Peter Tosh or Eek-A-Mouse. If the single is any indication, this album is sure to have a completely different feel from anything that Snoop has released in the past. A new message of pacifism and love for one another is sure to be instrumental in Snoop’s new venture, which is a bit of a turn around for the ex-death row rapper, a blunt-blazing, flamboyant felon.

Another confirmed track on the new release is called “No Guns Allowed,” which Snoop considers one of the most important songs of his career because of his dedication to not only artistic, but lifestyle changes. Perhaps now, after multiple arrests for everything from cocaine to police batons to countless firearms, Snoop is ready to put aside his violent past and chronic legal problems in search of a new identity. However, a general lack of oxygen to the brain for years could also play a part in Snoop’s newest religious and musical escapade.

This is not the first time that Broadus has announced that he is taking his career in a new direction; in the past it has involved a sudden announcement that he was done smoking weed in 2002, and that he was a member of the Muslim community in 2009.

However, marijuana continues to be a trademark for the hip hop artist and producer, he was even seen passing a blunt while performing with Wiz Khalifa at Coachella earlier this year performing the hit track “Young, Wild And Free.”

Snoop Dogg’s status as a superstar in the global popular culture scene allows him to essentially do as he pleases with any endeavor of his choice. At this point in Snoop’s career there is little that he has not done, from Orbit Gum commercials, to Snoop Dogg Clothing, to a 7–Eleven advertisement, and more recently, promotion for FIFA ’13.

At age 40, Snoop is now launching a new multimedia project that involves a new reggae album, a documentary film of his travels to Jamaica showing the roots of his newest Rastafarian adventure, and a photo book as well, called Reincarnated.

Look for the newest from Snoop, set to release sometime this year. And only time will tell whether Snoop Lion will go up in smoke, or if he is here to stay.