When I first heard about Snoop Dogg’s plan to leave behind the only genre he’s ever known, I couldn’t help but think of Joaquin Phoenix, whose odd, short-lived rap career left everyone scratching their heads, even after it was revealed to be an elaborate hoax. Parallels aside, we should, in general, refrain from making snap judgments about things like this. But “La La La,” Snoop Dogg’s toe dipping as the reincarnated Snoop Lion, seems fated to pique similar questions, namely: what the hell is he thinking?
Adopting a pseudo-Jamaican accent in his pinched nasal timbre (“them” becomes “dem”), Snoop quickly makes it crystal clear that he cannot sing. Even within the lax confines that reggae often allows for, he sounds hopelessly lost. He feels the need to actually drop the word “Rastafari” during the agonizing intro –just in case you forgot what genre this is supposed to be– before generously sharing some little-known catechisms from his newly-embraced spiritual worldview. “You reap what you sow,” he repeats. Lazy, inane, half-hearted, tuneless, cheesy, and pretty much laughable from the top down, “La La La” ends up being everything you wish it wasn’t. Snoop Lion said late last month that rap was no longer a challenge for him; he sure has his hands full now.
