First he was Snoop Doggy Dogg, and now he’s Snoop Lion. Snoop entered the rap game in 1992 and wowed fans with his smooth flow and witty lyrics. Recently he has stepped out of the hip hop arena and into the realm of reggae and dancehall.

On April 23, Snoop will release his 12th studio album, featuring Drake, Busta Rhymes, TI and Mavado among others; a track list has yet to be released to the public.

Before recording Reincarnated, Snoop spent a period of time in Jamaica studying Rastafarianism. On the album, the former rapper reflects on his experiences in the Caribbean. The new album will not offer the West Coast beats and hardcore Gangsta lyrics that made Snoop famous.

This past July, the first single from the album, “La La La,” was released. In March, a second single dropped, entitled “No Guns Allowed.” Both tracks reveal a more socially conscience musician. Fans will have to wait to see where the singles place on the charts.

With Snoop, Eve and LL Cool J all releasing albums in the coming weeks, hip hop fans are eager to see whether all three artists can comfortably coexist in the ever-changing music landscape. Some of Snoop’s diehard fans have criticized his faux Jamaican accent on the album’s singles. Others have praised Snoop for his ability to mature and step into the position of a positive role model.

Reincarnated is a step in a different direction for Snoop. We’ll have to wait until the album drops on April 23 to see whether his new socially conscience lyrics leave the same powerful impression on fans as his previous West Coast Gangsta rap style.

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