Snoop Dogg Changes Name To Snoop Lion, Releases Reggae Song Produced By Major Lazer

Earlier this year, producer and electronic musician Diplo of Major Lazer fame reported that he was working on a reggae album with Snoop Dogg, an announcement the rapper enthusiastically began hyping soon after with tweets saying he was "sendin the positive vibes all around!!! jahh!!! rastafari!!!"

Over the weekend, Snoop announced that the record, called "Reincarnated," will be released later this year through Vice records, and he will be dropping the "Dogg" moniker in favor of the reggaeton name Snoop Lion.

The 40-year old rapper from Long Beach, Calif., has long been recognized for his relaxed, playful approach to rapping as well as his well-publicized love of marijuana, both of which are frequently associated with reggae music itself. So, really, a Snoop Dogg reggae record makes perfect sense. The real question is probably why it took so long for him to come up with the idea. Though judging by Diplo's presence, Snoop Dogg was probably just waiting for the right producer to get behind the project.

"It's like Snoop Dogg and Major Lazer together," Diplo said of the record when it was first announced through a picture of a hazy, smoke-filled studio on Diplo's Facebook page. "It's all reggae and he's singing and he's doing a f--king awesome job. I never knew it, but he had his heart in every song. ...We're going to get back into the production of it next month."

Snoop Dogg will make his first live appearance as Snoop Lion at Toranto's Caribana on Aug. 3.
Listen to the song below.