Snoop Dogg no longer wants to be referred to as Snoop ‘Dogg’. He’s traded in his canine status for that of the ferocious feline, Snoop ‘Lion’.  Whilst reinventions are quite a common avenue for any singer desperately trying to salvage their fading stardom, the rechristened Snoop Lion avoids such clichés by claiming this transformation to be a religious experience: hence the aptly named album title, Reincarnated. Never one for modesty, Snoop asserts himself to be the rebirthed Bob Marley. Does Snoop Lion’s latest musical endeavor live up to the standards of the King of Reggae? Well, no, of course not. A million miles from it. But the album does have its strengths. 

Major Lazer (aka Diplo), the album’s producers, infuse Snoop’s tracks with their trademark catchy reggae rhythms. Although unlike the pumping electro beats we’d expect from Major Lazer, the slower tunes are more in keeping with Snoop’s laid back, stoner-self. ‘No More Guns’ encapsulates the album’s message and is one of the standout tracks, with its anthemic chorus sung by Snoop’s daughter, Cori B. The lyrics, which claim that ‘money makes crimes’ are worlds away from the days of ‘Gin and Juice’, where Snoop would shamelessly rap ‘my mind on my money and my money on my mind’.

Having claimed he is “tired of rapping” Snoop limply sings his way through the tracks. Luckily, the album compensates for his lack of vocal range by enlisting a number of artists to feature. Collaborations are at their best with tracks like ‘Lighters Up’ where the true Jamaican dancehall superstars Mavado and Popcaan show us what it’s all about. It therefore seems a shame that, instead of giving exposure to more Caribbean artists, Snoop’s attempt of breaking into the reggae scene runs alongside his hope of tapping into the tween market. Unfortunately, Miley Cyrus features heavily on the track ‘Ashtrays and Heartbreaks’; the kind of song you’d expect to find on a teenage girl’s break-up playlist alongside Taylor Swift. Tunes like these make the album feel like a very Western attempt at Jamaican dancehall.

Overall, Reincarnated lacks the authenticity one would expect from a man who claims to have totally immersed himself in Jamaican culture. Whether Reincarnated is a testament to Snoop’s new found virtuosity or just a tired marketing ploy is questionable. Regardless, Snoop Lion should be praised for his attempt to send out a more positive message to his listeners than that which was conveyed by Snoop Dogg: it seems that the music maestro has matured beyond a life revolved entirely around sex, weed and cash. Well, apart from the weed. Some things never change.