Snoop Dogg becomes Snoop Lion after visit to Jamaica

Snoop Dogg strikes a pose on arrival for the Los Angeles Premiere of "Marley," a film by Kevin MacDonald, on April 17, 2012, in Hollywood, Calif.

/ FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

(CBS/AP) Snoop Dogg says he was "born again" during a visit to Jamaica in January and is changing his name to Snoop Lion.

The artist known for gangster rap is releasing a reggae album called "Reincarnated" in the fall.

The West Coast rapper held a news conference in New York on Monday. Later, he played five songs for a small crowd, including one called "No Guns Allowed." It features his daughter.

Snoop told reporters that he is ready to make music that his "kids and grandparents can listen to."

The album will be followed with a documentary of the same name. It features him making music and will include some personal elements of his life, a producer of the film said. It will debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

[gmiller1969]

How about Snoop ******!

[Mays2011]

not quite bold enough to do it are you?

[myopinionpal]

Weed dog fits him better!!

[phwtb100]

I pray he really has been born again.

I admire him for wanting to present a more powerful and positive message to the world regardless of the name he decides to use. I haven't been one of his fans in the past because of, what I felt, was the garbage he put out. But since I am a big fan of reggae, perhaps I will someday have one of his albums join my collection.

Time will tell...

[hypnotoad72]

Agreed.

[myopinionpal]

How about Poop Lion.

[doobiedotoo]

How about Fruit Loop?

[Booleyman]

Good move.. Like I've said for years, you pump your ears full of negative vibes(rap), it will define your thoughts and actions.

Reggae solves this. But I fear he will follow down the dancehall path, which is akin to booty music(no lyrical content, just beats and jibberish).

Lion, please take some time to research: Twinkle Brothers, Ijahman, Aswad, Michigan & Smiley, Misty in Roots, etc etc.. It will greatly increase your reggae prowess.

[doobiedotoo]

I think he should follow Prince's lead and drop a name all together, thereby becoming "The artist formeral known and Snoop Dog, formerly known as Goodbye Kitty formerly known as Maurice Jefferson, Jr.

[hypnotoad72]

Any genre can send positive or negative messages. I don't see how Reggae in of itself is some panacea or generalized stereotype.

[nohater]

probably been doing too many blunts and it finally got him to be born again. he is a very wealthy but extremely silly man.

[hypnotoad72]

Chiding him because he's rich?

You should be praying at his feet because he is, and not because of how he got there...

[sand_pie]

He decided to change because he looked too much like a dog. Now, lampoonists will have a much harder time trying to match him to a lion.

[erasmus111]

Hmmmm, I'm not sure I like that one. Doesn't sound quite right.

[MIO42]

How bout " No Soup for you Snoop"

[waynenipper]

Some people never grow up ...

[expatriate2]

How about Snoop Poop? When you stop having your own line of clothing made in China sweat shops, maybe you can have a man's name.