News
that Snoop Dogg had taken a smoker's sabbatical from West Coast party rap was
met with a healthy skepticism, bemusement and even derision when it first
started making its way around the web last summer. But now, Snoop has settled
into his newest incarnation: Snoop Lion, a peace-loving, violence-hating reggae
artist who claims to be a descendent of Bob Marley.
His transformation was the subject of "Reincarnated," a VICE
documentary that traced the 41-year-old rapper's trip to Jamaica and subsequent
cultural baptism. The film offers a fresh look at Snoop, best known for hits
like "Ain't No Fun" and "Drop It Like It's Hot," and makes
up what it may lack in cohesion with tender glimpses at a man who appears to be
pondering his place in the world.
The result of said introspection is a
reggae album produced by Major Lazer and also titled "Reincarnated."
The record features songs like "No Guns Allowed," on which Snoop teams with his daughter
Cori B. and Drake for an anti-arms statement that the Snoop of 15 years ago
would have bristled at.
But it's not just guns that he's willing to talk about. HuffPost
Entertainment spoke to Snoop as the Supreme Court heard testimony on
Proposition 8, a California amendment banning gay marriage -- a topic the newly
minted Lion wasn't afraid to tackle.
"People can do what they want and as they please," he said.
"Satisfy yourself accordingly. I have no issues with nobody, I live for me
and I live my life doing what I do, so you should have the right to do whatever
you want to do."
Ahead, Snoop dishes on an array of subjects close to his heart,
including working with Diplo, watching "Cheaters" and which of his
songs he feels could be America's new national anthem.
In the beginning of
the documentary, you say you're going to Jamaica to find a truth. What truth
were you seeking?
I didn't know what to find. I had been to Jamaica many times and I just stayed
in my hotel room and never really ventured out. So, I knew that this time I
wanted to venture out and expect the unexpected. Whatever I saw or did, I was
willing to expect.
Are there any other
countries or cultures you want to explore in a similar way?
I don't know off hand just yet, but I know I had a great time going through
Jamaica, because it was a blessing for me musically, spiritually and
physically.
Were you ever nervous
at all?
Naw, I'm never nervous. Always ready. Stay ready so I don't have to get ready.
"Nervous" has never been one of my traits. I like to be prepared and
go do what I have to do. I love meeting pressure with performance.
I saw you speak at
Miss Lily's in New York when you announced the project, and you spoke about how
folks call you "Uncle Snoop" in the rap game. Have rappers you know
been supportive?
Oh yeah, man. They love and appreciate it, because a lot of them have seen me
go from a young man to a full-grown man, and really be able to lead our troops
in the right direction. But I didn't really have the music to lead them. So now
that I have the music with a positive connection to it, it's going to be easier
to lead everybody to the promise.
Nate Dogg's death
figures prominently in the movie, and some of the documentary's most touching
moments include you discussing the effect it had on you. When did that
reflection happen, and would you say your experiences in Jamaica changed how
you saw the events that made you who you are?
That was all after the fact. We had time to reflect on [the death]. But yeah, it
just opened my third eye and gave me a chance to really examine what I am and
who I am, and why am I doing this? Why am I so blessed with the position of
being a lyricist that people listen to? Am I going to take advantage of this
power and put out something that means something and does something, or am I
just going to continue to make party rap?
In the film, you spend
a good amount of time explaining why you rapped about certain subjects, like
pimping.Do you ever get tired of explaining things like why rappers rap about
crime, and do you think American culture will ever understand that those raps
came from what it was like to live in that world?
No, never. To me, the proof is in the pudding. I could do a million interviews,
but if I don't make good music, ain't nobody going to want to do a fucking
interview. So my thing is that as long as I do my job and do the music side of
it, the interviews and all that comes are a part of the job. I've learned how
to deal with it, I've been doing this over 20 years and I've kind of mastered
it.
Are you familiar with
Diplo's other music? Are there any artists on Mad Decent you particularly
enjoy?
Everything Diplo does, I'm down with. I love his energy, his production and his
spirit in the studio. For me to give him the right to do my whole record and
have control over that says a lot about me and his trust. It means that I trust
that he knows what he's doing. There are a lot of artists I would love to work
with, and I'll wait for the time for him to pop it on me and bob it on me and
let me do it.
So there's nobody
you'd want to put out there right now? I guess there's no need, since you're
close, you don't need us to tell him.
Everybody is family. We are all connected. Who would you love to see me
perform?
This is a bit obvious
because he's so hot right now, but I think it would be fun to see you on a
Baauer track, even if it's just doing some drops for these guys -- sort of like
what Baauer and Just Blaze did with Jay-Z drops. You have a really distinctive
voice, and at some of these DJ shows or festivals, those moments can be really
fun and powerful.
Gotcha. I like that. I'm going to check into that for you.
You're pretty vocal
about enjoying your mancave. Aside from smoking, what sort of stuff do you do
in there? Any shows you watch?
I watch the first "48 Hours," after that I watch
"Cheaters." [Laughs] I watch basketball, football, ESPN. I like
"Love & Hip-Hop," "Real Husbands of Hollywood" and
don't forget about my cartoons, man.
You also have a DJ
career. How did you decide that's something you should be doing?
That's DJ Snoopadelic. He's the DJ. He loves playing records and making the
people dance. I have alter egos and different personalities, and that's one of
them. My DJ Snoopadelic gig is more about me not being a rapper but me playing
music and finding out what's hot, and playing music that makes me and you feel
good at the same time.
Did you have a good
time down at Ultra?
I'm always impressed with what I see at these big festivals. I always learn
something new every time, so I'm going to take a little game and put it with my
thing and make it work.
There was an official petition on the White House website to
make R. Kelly's "Ignition (Remix)" the new national anthem. How do
you feel about that, and if you had to pick one of your songs instead, which
would you choose?
"Young, Wild and Free." [Sings] "So what we get drunk, so what we smoke
weed."That's the perfect song with your hand on your heart. I
could just see all the kids at 8 in the morning in front of the flag. [Sings
again] So what we get drunk, so what we smoke weed,
we are young, wild and free."
What's the word on Dr.
Dre and "Detox"?
[Laughs] I mean… If it was up to me, I'd have been put that motherfucker out! I
don't know when he's going to put it out. I get asked that question more than I
get asked anything. He has great music that's connected to that album. He's got
great songs -- over six, seven years of material that I don't know why he won't
put out. Hopefully he'll do what's necessary, which is to give people what they
want -- a great record.
It seemed like a big
deal for you to smoke with Bunny Wailer in Jamiaca, for obvious reasons. Is
there one person you shared that experience with that you took a lot away from?
Me and Quincy Jones got a special bond, man. Not on smoking, but just on a
bond, like brother-to-brother; fellowship, wisdom and guidance. I cherish
my relationship with him.
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