Snoop Dogg Brings Out Shaq To Perform “Nuthin But A G Thang”
Snoop Dogg will also be performing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in February 2002 along with a roster of other legends.
Snoop Lion Explains Path to Rastafarianism and ‘Reincarnated’
From his early days with the 213, to his days at Death Row, to his era with No Limit, to his more recent years as an international icon and superstar, Snoop Dogg now Snoop Lion has made his mark on Hip-Hop history forever. There will never be another like Snoop. A true artist and businessman, Snoop has stayed relevant thank in part to his amazing ability to brand and now, rebrand himself. There’s his Adidas deal, his own cigarillos, several clothing lines and the GGN news show. His latest venture, Reincarnated is a spiritual accomplishment. Gone are the days of gang banging and music filled with negativity and violence. Snoop has found a new path; a path of peace, love and respect for his fellow brethren. Don’t get it twisted though, the street savvy Snoop Dogg is somewhere in there, behind the clouds of smoke and his effervescent personality. Snoop clearly still remembers his days running the streets of Long Beach, with the 213 trio of himself, Nate Dogg and Warren G and in the movie he recalls the loss of Nate. In fact in his movie he draws comparisons between 213 and the Wailers, consisting of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. Reincarnated shows the striking similarities and also the pain that Snoop felt from losing Nate Dogg and others in his life. The footage is raw, extremely detailed and emotional. “We were searching for true reggae music and the message of peace and hope it reflects,” says Snoop Lion of his movie and album Reincarnated. “It’s so much a part of who I am, and this record is all about paying homage and giving respect to those who created and love reggae music, and hopefully introducing it to a whole new audience. I feel truly honored to make this album and respect to all who blazed the path for me.” In the film, Snoop shows his whole trip to Jamaica, from the spiritual reincarnation as he is “baptized” by the holy Rastas, to the process of recording his album. As an official selection of the critically acclaimed Toronto International Film Festival, the compelling VICE Films/Snoopadelic Films film chronicles the controversial journey of a modern-day icon in his spiritual awakening. With production and songwriting from some the world’s most renowned songwriters, Snoop orchestrated a reggae and dancehall influenced album with the assistance of executive producer Diplo and the Major Lazer production team. With features from Drake, Chris Brown, T.I., rapper Busta Rhymes, Akon, Rita Ora and dancehall stars Popcaan and Mavado, Snoop pulled out all stops to make this project right. In all reality you won’t truly understand Snoop’s Reincarnation if you don’t see the movie and understand why he choose the path that to Rastafarianism. Snoop is looking to show growth at 40+ years of age and Snoop doesn’t believe in gang banging and violence anymore. This is a turn in a positive direction for Snoop and it shows that he wants to lead by example for the younger generations of rappers and those involved in Hip-Hop. Take at look at our AllHipHop Exclusive interview with Snoop Lion below: [vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/61729857 w=500&h=281]
DVD REVIEW: Mario Van Peebles’ “We The Party” with Snoop Dogg and YG Hits Store Shelves
No doubt about it – We The Party is for the teen/college set. It’s an every-color-kid, posse film set against a suburban, Black family with what seems like not many “real” problems. But, despite the Disney Channel feel of the film, acclaimed actor/director Mario Van Peebles doesn’t spare any of the reality of how teens really interact. They curse, they think about (and have) sex, they plot, lie, steal, have dysfunctional families, fall in and out of puppy love, and party – a lot. This movie has all of the standard ingredients of an older, raunchier film – without a lot of the raunch. We The Party starts slowly, with the necessary introductions to the main and side characters taking a bit longer than necessary, possibly making the viewer forget the plot in the meantime. There is a little bit of everyone represented: every sub-class of Blacks from ‘hoodrats to homies, heavy-accented Latinos, geeky and Black-acting White boys, and even a gay high schooler. For the sake of convenience in these types of movies, they all somehow end up being in the same class. Mario Van Peebles plays a knowledge-dropping teacher (think a softer version of Larry Fishburne in Boyz In The Hood), and it’s clear from the start that he will be the moral fiber that threads the young people together when the inevitable trouble comes. His opening scene in the classroom is poignant and on point; while, it’s crazy formulaic, it’s still nice to see a diverse mix of kids onscreen help convey a lesson. (And the Dad shows that exes can co-exist as he works through parenting issues with the timeless Sally Richardson, who plays Mom.) Malcolm Van Peebles makes a decent showing as character/freestyler, “Obama” – the younger Van Peebles doesn’t have nearly the charisma of his dad, but his good looks and massive head of curly hair make him a standout, nonetheless. His brother Mandela may be the true heir to the family acting ability, as he holds down the lead role of “Hendrix” with relative ease. On the star power side, rapper YG shows up as “CC,” the hoodied, rapping class thug, with Snoop Dogg as the big, bad older brother. Cue the (stereotypical) trouble. Truthfully, We The Party’s theme is all over the place (the other part of the trouble). Is it about family and friends drama? Is it about getting good enough grades for Prom? Or, is it merely about the daily, adventure-filled lives of teens? It’s all of these, and yet none of them very convincingly. Possibly the best thing represented in We The Party is the endearing father-son interaction between Mario Van Peebles and his real-life children, which gives the film a warm authenticity in many scenes. Goodness knows our young people need less “party” and much more of that. Rating: 6.5/10 We The Party is available on DVD online and in stores on July 31. Watch a snippet below: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHkLRQFfaxs]
