Ambitious and profound, the documentary Reincarnated takes viewers on a journey to Jamaica as we follow Snoop Lion’s transformation from gangsterific rapper to peace-loving Rastafarian. The film reveals a candid Snoop who matured amidst a turbulent past, and professes to having been drawn to Jamaican culture for years, but felt unable to explore that path due to his past time constraints and his then-limited spiritual understanding of the Rastafarian culture.
In the heart of Rastafarian culture, Trench Town, Snoop explores its history, and was personally set on learning from reggae icon and Bob Marley bandmate, Bunny Wailer to create his own re-defining album that underlines his newfound identity. While Snoop states himself, that his life has consisted of many stages, the emotion and sincerity of the film makes it hard to think of his journey as another fullt completed ‘stage’ for him—particularly in the light of him having lost so many close friends. He was open and honest about his continued growth as an artist and as a man. He contemplated the meaning of his losses throughout his years in the rap industry.
“We don’t love them while they’re here and I wanna be loved, and the only way to get love is to give love,” Snoop confesses. Hard to disagree with such a philosophy. -Natacha Pavlov
*Reincarnated will premiere in San Francisco at the Opera Plaza Cinema on March 15, 2013.