Re: Snoop Lion Reincarnated Torrent 11
Carmel Kittell
Third, I am convinced this film was created as a marketing ploy to promote his record. The Rasta way is just something to further market it. Yes Snoop came from the gangs, and has now cleaned up his act. But, he is also a multi-millionaire who needs to market his shit any way he can. Bunny W has a huge point.
The 40-year-old once known for repping Long Beach, Calif., insisted that this wasn't a simple genre change. "It's not that I want to become Snoop Dogg on a reggae track," Snoop said. "I want to bury Snoop Dogg, and become Snoop Lion. I didn't know that until I went to the temple, where the High Priest asked me what my name was, and I said, 'Snoop Dogg.' And he looked me in my eyes and said, 'No more. You are the light; you are the lion.' From that moment on, it's like I had started to understand why I was there."
In an early scene, Snoop meets with reggae legend Bunny Wailer, one of the original members of Bob Marley's group. Wailer smokes with Snoop and rechristens him "Snoop Lion." The lion is a powerful, respected symbol, and the dog is not. This is a compliment of the highest order, so it becomes a permanent moniker. Snoop asks Wailer to sing on his album, and when Wailer does, his excellent singing contrasts strongly with Snoop's attempts.
According to Broadus, the image makeover was a necessary step in fulfilling his musical destiny. "I have always said I was Bob Marley reincarnated," the rapper said, according to The New York Times. "I feel I have always been a Rastafari. I just didn't have my third eye open, but it's wide open right now." (Marley's son, Rohan, 40, gave Broadus his blessing at the press conference, which was held at Caribbean restaurant Miss Lily's.)