The Snoop Lion film "Reincarnated" will be showing locally in Santa Monica March 15. Last year Calvin Broadus, Jr. announced that he had changed his stage name from Snoop Dogg to Snoop Lion. There were snickers and a chorus of "Yeah, right." However, the emerging portrait is that of a man who is actually serious about change.
It's still a bit hard not to think of Joaquin Phoenix who generated a great deal of publicity for his significantly altered public persona in 2009 in order to create publicity for the film "I'm Still Here." David Letterman likened his appearance to falling and hitting his head on the bathtub. This is not the case for Snoop.
Rather than Phoenix's fake downward spiral, Snoop is a changed man on an upward spiral writing songs with positive lyrics about unity, peace, and love. He had a mountaintop moment when he met with Bunny Wailer, Bob Marley's stepbrother and singer with The Wailers. This meeting (and a great deal of ganga) led to Snoop's reinvention from gansta rapper to reggae afficionado.
Though he's not the best singer, some of the songs are fun and many quite positive. There is a celebration of marijuana that means the Christian right won't be embracing Snoop's new persona any more than his last persona. The interesting part is the transformation of the person and the internal journey which no doubt began around the time of his cousin Nate Dogg's passing.
The film will begin showing on March 15, 2013 in Santa Monica at the Laemmle 4-Plex. Advance tickets are available for 1:50 p.m., 4:40 p.m., 7:20 p.m., and 9:55 p.m. For more information please check out "Reincarnated" at the theater's website. The theater is located at 1332 2nd Street, Santa Monica, 90401.
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