Snoop Dogg has held a press conference to outline some of the thinking behind his forthcoming reggae album.

Forget Snoop Dogg... and welcome Snoop Lion. The rapper unveiled plans for a reggae diversion earlier this year, with Major Lazer set to oversee proceedings in the studio.

The resultant album will drop later this summer, and Snoop Dogg (sorry... Lion) recently held a press conference in New York to explain some of the process behind the album. (via Holy Moly)

Issuing a number of quite bizarre statements, Snoop Dogg opened proceedings thus: "I didn't know that until I went to the temple, where the High Priest asked me what my name was, and I said, 'Snoop Dogg.' And he looked me in my eyes and said, 'No more. You are the light; you are the lion.'... I have always said I was Bob Marley reincarnated. I feel I have always been a Rastafari. I just didn't have my third eye open, but its wide open right now".

Continuing, the rapper claimed that "a spirit called him" and added that he wants to "bury" his old persona. "On this particular project, I had no planning on going to Jamaica, making a reggae record. The spirit called me. And, you know, anytime the spirit calls you, you gotta know that it's serious... I basically let them know what I want. It's not that I want to become Snoop Dogg in a reggae track... I want to bury Snoop Dogg and become Snoop Lion."

Stream Snoop Lion's new track 'La La La' below.