In 2012, Snoop Dogg Temporarily Changed Genres, Identities, and Spiritual Affiliations. It Was Not a Joke—Except Maybe to the Universe.
In the summer of 2012, the iconic rapper known globally as Snoop Dogg underwent a transformation that defied standard career trajectories and aesthetic expectations. After a trip to Jamaica, the artist emerged not only with a newfound appreciation for Rastafarianism, but also with a new name: Snoop Lion. The change was not metaphorical. It was literal. His press materials, album artwork, and interviews explicitly declared the shift. Rap was no longer his vehicle. Reggae now pulsed through his veins.
Snoop Lion was not merely a theoretical persona. He released a full-length reggae album entitled *Reincarnated*, produced in collaboration with Diplo and Major Lazer—a serious effort with real instrumentation, authentic Jamaican collaborations, and an overt spiritual mission. The album included songs like “La La La,” “No Guns Allowed,” and “So Long,” which emphasized themes of peace, love, and gun control—noticeably distinct from his earlier lyrical catalog.
To accompany the album, a full-length documentary—also called *Reincarnated*—was produced, chronicling his journey to musical and personal enlightenment. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and featured scenes of Snoop meditating, touring Jamaican villages, and participating in ritualistic cannabis ceremonies, all while wearing linen tunics and beaded necklaces.
Critics were, understandably, perplexed. Fans were unsure whether to embrace the shift as a heartfelt artistic evolution or a fleeting spiritual sabbatical. Regardless of reception, Snoop Lion was undeniably earnest in his identity during this period. He claimed to have been spiritually reborn and told journalists he no longer identified with the persona of Snoop Dogg.
However, by 2015, the canine had returned. Snoop Dogg released the album *Bush*, reclaiming his signature style and abandoning the reggae-infused detour. The lion was effectively retired, and the Dogg re-entered the building.
The episode remains one of the most inexplicably sincere and deeply strange chapters in modern pop culture. It was not satire. It was not parody. It was, like Snoop himself, simply real—so real, in fact, that it became funny.