Ghanaian reggae star Blakk Rasta is roaring in protest over the recent Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album of American gangsta rapper (Snoop Dogg)-turned-reggae artiste (Snoop Lion)-turned-funk practitioner (Snoopzilla).
The dreadlocked African reggae singer made no attempt to keep his objections low-key, judging from a report in ghanaweb.com.
“Yes, everybody would say Snoop Dogg has tried and produced good reggae songs, but I don’t feel that qualifies him to be in that league of artistes nominated for the Grammys,” Blakk Rasta reportedly said.
“It surprises me that a rapper who suddenly metamorphosed in a reggae genre within a year has been voted into that category.
“I am not disputing the fact that he might have made enormous sales with it, but I think somebody would have to explain to me more what criteria was used to put him there,” the Ghanaian musician continued.
“So if all of a sudden Blakk Rasta or Rocky Dawuni, Cocoa Tea or Black Prophet decides to do pure rap music, will they be nominated to the Best Rap or Hip Hop album at the Grammys? No wonder it is an American thing,” he concluded.
Albums by Ziggy Marley, Snoop, and Fortunate Youth have advanced in the preliminary list and are generally thought to be the most likely contenders for Best Reggae Album at the Grammy Awards in February.
Snoop Dogg claimed to have exchanged his gangsta persona for the more spiritual Rastafarian path last year. The rapper changed his name to Snoop Lion as part of his conversion to Rastafarianism, releasing the hit album Reincarnated under that name.
Now, Snoop, who was born Calvin Broadus Jr, has again rechristened himself – this time to Snoopzilla – and rebranded himself for a new funk band called 7 Days Of Funk.
The move comes with yet another about-turn in genre after forming a collective with Dâm-Funk. Snoop’s latest name pays tribute to legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins who referred to himself as Bootzilla.
7 Days Of Funk will release their debut album on December 10, with a report in metro.co.uk quoting Snoopzilla as saying of the project: “We’re the babies of the Mothership. I’ve had funk influences in my music my whole career.
“Dâm-Funk is cold. He’s keeping the funk alive and I knew I had to get down with him.”
The American entertainer’s flirtation with reggae was documented in a film shot in Jamaica, ostensibly to explore the genre’s roots.
Whether or not his search for the funk will also get the full movie treatment remains to be seen
SOURCE: Caribbean360.com
