After 13 Grammy nominations as a rapper, will Snoop Lion finally win a Grammy for his reggae talents? During a spiritual awakening in July 2012 the former rap star evolved into a lion. According to Snoop Lion, a Rastafaian high priest dubbed him a lion during a visit to Jamaica. Snoop says, “He looked me in the eye and said, ‘No more. You are the light; you are the lion.’ I didn’t know that until I went to the temple.”
Snoop Lion, whose birth name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. has spent years in the music industry as an iconic rapper, but his west coast hip-hop had never elevated the rapper to win a Grammy. His music was deemed too violent. It depicted, or as some would say promoted, drug dealing, hustling, and street violence. As a result, his music never gained the popularity of a wider audience, which seemed to cause Snoop to do some soul searching. Hence the trip to Jamaica.
While visiting Jamaica, Snoop embraced the culture. The people had a positive influence on him, and helped bring his music to another level. Currently, Snoop Lion is nominated for best reggae album with Reincarnated. He recorded the album with superstar producer Diplo (Thomas Wesley Pentz) who describes it as a “legacy” album. Diplo states, “He (Snoop) wanted to do real reggae. To sing and find a new voice. It was a dream to work on an entire record.”
Will this dynamic duo succeed at tonight’s Grammy celebration? And put an end to Snoop’s self-proclaimed title of the “Susan Lucci” of the Grammys. Good luck and best wishes!!
