Berhane — is a Snoop Dogg's new name. One of The Wailers named him Snoop Lion though. Which one is soundable — choose. Berhane is a rap icon. He has made bucks of money making music, and selling drugs. Earlier of his life, I think. I wasn't born in Ghetto, I had very normal childhood with in very normal neighborhood, and all what I was saying in my review — is just another opinion. I think, if one wants to understand Snoop Dogg is to have the same experience he had been going through which I never did. In other words, my opinion is biased here. "Reincarnated" — a huge commercial to expand "smoke every day" culture to every places it's possible to get into all over the Earth. If jokes aside, Snoop Lion is doing another album to find his "truth" while making some music united with Vice Inc. to record the process. Of course, smoking some weed in the first place, Jamaica. There were some unique moments in the movie though. There were some words worth to hear, video tapes worth to see, and Snoop Dogg is a long term showman pimping in every corner of the rap culture to make some show out of his ordinary days. Now, Snoop wants to be a Jamaican and go into its roots as the greatest of all Marley did almost a half century ago. Was it successful? You can go to Netflix and make your own choice — below is mine. Not at all. Rap and Reggae are totally different genres I believe. Snoop Dogg didn't think so. It's up to him. I cannot convince musician of that size as Snoop to hear my voice, it's pointless thing to do. In Jamaica, people are smoking everywhere. The documentary is how to smoke a weed, believe me. How to grow the herbs, where to grow them, and how to smoke them.
... View More"I'm wise, or a bit wiser, like Budweiser," a clearly high Snoop Dogg states when discussing how age has effected his music and his career. At this point, the iconic rapper has gone on to loathe the kind of music he made for over two decades and wants to assume a more insightful, relaxed state with the thesis of getting along and promoting love and happiness. He is inspired by Bob Marley to become "Snoop Lion," a peaceful reggae singer who sings about "peace, love and the struggle - the reincarnation." His film, Reincarnated, named after and paired alongside the release of his twelfth album of the same name, details Snoop's trip to Jamaica where he becomes more acquainted with the reggae lifestyle and the natives of the land. This entire expedition could be viewed as a nice cultural immersion exercise for Snoop, but it is clearly more about finding motivation when you're beginning to enter that stage where what you've done really isn't what you view as admirable or impacting. Of course, Snoop's contributions to the lyricism of the rap game are irrevocable and certainly revolutionary, but he sees himself as someone who can provide something better and more substantial. He wants to adopt a life of a reggae singer to hopefully become the one to promote about such aforementioned topics of life in a new and delightful way.I've had the pleasure of hearing some of Snoop's latest tracks and I regard them with stunning positivity. Reggae is my least favorite musical genre, for I do not smoke or indulge in anything remotely close to the Rastafarian culture. However, Snoop's music really lives up to his thesis of giving listeners an outlet to connect with that focuses on peace, love, and the struggle of life. "No Guns Allowed" has the medley and message to allow its presence in a gospel church, "Remedy" is a wonderful little tune, and "Lighters Up," a song talking about raising the lighters to the sky and unifying the different "sides" of town, is one of my favorite songs I've heard all year.Snoop touches on past demons in his life, upon seeking out new, healthier outlets of inspiration. He talks about the conflicts he had with himself at a young age, being lured into the game of drug dealing as a teenager. When feeling some might regard him negatively for his choices, he states, "I was makin' $80 a week at my regular job and $1,500 a night on the streets. What would you do?" This quote is germane to an essay I wrote not long ago called "On the Outside Looking In: The Hunger for Acceptance in a Hopeless Place," which dealt with the struggles of those in poverty.But I digress, Snoop's charisma and charm is enough to carry any formal documentary on the rapper-turned-reggae-artist's indelible achievements on the music game as a whole. Even when he discusses the darker side of his career and life (which dealt with not only drugs but the loss of his best friend Tupac Shakur) he maintains a disposition that appears wholly unbreakable even in times of an incredible struggle.This is why Reincarnated is such a successful documentary. It paints its lead target as sensitive and just compassionate enough to where we not only like him and respect him, but see his true motivations and feelings as genuinely tender. I'd go as far to recommend Reincarnated to those uninterested in rap/reggae in general. Just like for its leading man, it's a divine cultural experience at the very least.Starring: Snoop Lion. Directed by: Andy Capper.
... View MoreI saw this movie as a press-screening in Amsterdam, loved it. Take this movie / documentary with a little grain of salt and you will like it. It helps when you are into hiphop or familiar with Snoop's work. It takes you from Snoop Dogg to Snoop Lion in a mostly funny but sometimes even very serious way. Combine this with fat beats, nice studio sessions and you got a nice documentary.Be prepared for a lot of weed smoking scene's, with Daz as a funny sidekick who does really nothing in the end. You will get to hear some of the reasons behind some of the album tracks. In the end it's nothing earth-shaking but great for the fans.
... View MoreI went to see this at TIFF2012 with a free voucher as I thought "I'm going for a laugh, I'm not spending money to see this" and I came away thinking, wow - I would spend money to see this. It was an honest journey of Snoop Dogg, told through his eyes and it is clear that he is searching for something ... did he find it in Jamaica? Did he find it through reggae? Does anyone ever find it? The Q&A after made me see that behind all the facade and bling - Snoop is an intelligent man who just wants to love and be loved ... and make music ... he understands the power that he has in terms of his followers. I highly recommend this documentary and not just to marvel at the weed smoked, the views of Jamaica ... but as a redemptive journey of this artiste.
... View More