Snoop Lion at the Hoxton in Toronto Aug 3rd 2012. First live performance of Snoop - as the Snoop Lion - ever (badass, I know). Man, did he ever put on a show.
Everyone is familiar with Snoop Dogg (if you aren't I would probably be questioning my existence on this great marble right about now), but recently he has decided to switch things up a bit and go by a new pseudonym enter: Snoop Lion. The reasoning behind the name change is some bit about spiritual growth and love and everything else that goes hand in hand with smoking a ton of weed and reggae culture. Mostly I would say it's a gimmick, but this is Snoop calling the shots, and Snoop will be Snoop and we will love him all the same.
So what's the big deal? Well, it's still the Snoop we know and love this time with a couple reggae tracks added to his set list, topped with a sprinkle of peace and love as opposed to - his oldschool Snoop DOGG self - gangs, violence, and the rest of it. Snoop Lion is all peaceful because if anyone can make lions seem peaceful.. it's Snoop.
The show was at The Hoxton in Toronto, featured "The Jungle" which was the usual crowd, a couple of spike studded bikini clad dancers, and Angela Hunte who wrote most the Lion's new reggae movement material. The set was a nice mixture of old Snoop Dogg classics like Gin & Juice, Who Am I, Snoop Dogg, as well as newer tracks like Young, Wild, and Free (cue Jules almost crying.. no really) all glued together with the Snoop Lion's newest "La la la". Great show, great tunes, incredible.. to say the very least.
Contrary to what people may think after seeing the video (you know the one.. reincarnated) the show was definitely not child friendly in the slightest. In true Snoop fashion, he was passing joints out to the audience for us to smoke. I smoked weed that Snoop Lion smoked and handed me, how many people can say that? Not many. Taking from this - as expected - an awesome show and experience and memories for a lifetime. I really liked his fantasy jungle cut outs, they were way colorful rad.
What's his mother fuckin' name? whatever Snoop wants to call himself today, tomorrow, yesterday, and in the future.. Whether he raps about sex, women, and violence or bounces to some classic reggae tunes and reincarnates as a lion or whatever-the-fuck animal spirit he decides. Gimmick or not, Snoop still holds it down as one of the greatest performers you will ever see.
Young, Wild & Free - Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, Bruno Mars
So what we get drunk So what we smoke weed We're just having fun We don't care who sees So what we go out That's how its supposed to be Living young and wild and free
