Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2013

Snoop Dogg went to Jamaica, embraced Rastafarianism, changed his name to “Snoop Lion” and cut a reggae album, which he repeatedly and portentously states is also called Reincarnated. Yeah, well, maybe. Perhaps his gettin’ Rasta religion is a stab at making up for decades of promoting hate, violence, drugs, pimping and misogyny. Don’t work that way, Snoop. First you make the transformation, then you talk it up. Mainly it’s major bong rips, very stoned people and a self-serving Snoop being famous in Jamaica; essentially a spliff-glazed 96-minute promo for the album. Can an old dogg learn new tricks?