In what is surprisingly only the 2nd most ridiculous story this summer about mid-90s rappers, Snoop Lion is the new alter ego of Calvin Broadus Jr., the artist formerly known as Snoop Dogg. He announced that he’s switching things up with his next studio album, “Reincarnated,” a reggae album which will possibly be produced by Diplo, if this video for a documentary on Snoop’s “spiritual awakening” is any indicator. Diplo generally has some hot beats and he often tosses to reggae dance hall shit in his shows anyway, so I could see this doing well with a niche crowd and with the Snoop diehards, but mass appeal just simply will not be there.

I saw Snoop at Summerfest in Houston this past June and honestly, it was a really shitty show. He lip synced over the backup track and only occasionally shouted out some “yeah!”s and some “Houston!”s. He just seemed like he wasn’t even feeling it. Maybe he was feeling unfulfilled by rap at that time and so smoking a bunch of pot in Jamaica has given him a chance to refocus his sound. I don’t think the name change will take though. After the album ultimately flops, he will be back on tour as Snoop Dogg and people won’t remember this little diversion.

Also, Snoop Lion doesn’t even make any sense, dude. That shit cray.