For someone like Snoop who rarely takes a break from his production schedule, a recent trip to Jamaica was not an escape but almost a fated journey. As an accompanying piece to the multi-media project of the same name, Reincarnated the book offers a glimpse into how the album, film, and ultimately, Snoop Dogg’s growth into Snoop Lion came to be.
The Reincarnated book gives fans an exclusive look into one of the most controversial journeys of a modern day icon and reveals personal photos that cannot be found elsewhere. The book exemplifies Snoop’s exploration of reggae music and spiritual growth, which includes exclusive material not shown in the film, including a conversation between SnoopLion and Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, personal collages made by Snoop’s wife Shante, and Bunny Wailer’s lyrics to a song which was ultimately cut from the Reincarnated album. Also included with each book is a 7-inch vinyl of “La La La,” the first single released from the album that had previously been distributed to only a few select musical insiders and tastemakers in advance of the album’s release. The endpapers are an illustration of Snoop’s travels in Jamaica, done by Joe Cool who also illustrated the album cover to Snoop’s debut album Doggystyle, which celebrates its twentieth anniversary in November. Even though his reggae album is a foray into uncharted waters for Snoop, he states, “I don’t feel detached from any of the music I made. It’s still me. This is just the growth of a dogg who is becoming a full-grown, wiser man.” Reincarnated documents this growth through the shared thoughts of Snoop himself, as well as the others who witnessed and assisted in his reincarnation into Snoop Lion.
