[Costello:] He changed his name to Snoop Lion and embraced a new reggae style. Now the artist formally known as Snoop Dogg has released this brand new video that couldn't be more at odds with his old gangster rapper persona. Here is A.J. Hammer from New York to explain to us what this new video is all about.
[A.j. Hammer, Anchor, Showbiz Tonight:] Carol, it's a really powerful video from Snoop, singing with his daughter on the track, and as you see, they cut the video up with clips from shootings in the U.S. and around the world. Let's watch a bit more of it. Obviously some really strong images there. And if you're looking at this and wondering yes, why is the former Snoop Dogg singing a mostly reggae track about guns, well, snoop, the gangster rapper, the man who was acquitted of murder, says he has changed his ways. Snoop Dogg embraced the Rastafarian lifestyle after he took a trip to Jamaica. That's when he changed his name to Snoop Lion and there's been a lot of skepticism in the music business and among his fans about this change. But Snoop says he has evolved as he's gotten older and he feels his music should reflect those changes. After all when you think about it he broke on to the music with his album "Doggy Style" back in 1993. So that's some 20 years ago, he's certainly a changed guy. And he's been pushing a gun control message as Snoop Lion. Listen to what he told Piers Morgan about that last month.
[Snoop Lion, Rapper:] It affected me to where I wanted to say something, I wanted to make some music to try to help the next person who was thinking about loading a gun, going to a school and then shooting, maybe helping him put that gun down and think about what he was doing or what she was doing before they did that.
[Hammer:] Yes he's always struck me Carol as a very thoughtful person, and I think that Snoop speaking out and singing about this issue does have the potential to really make a difference in how some people think about it.
[Carol Costello, Cnn Anchor:] I hope so. A.J. Hammer, many thanks. Hold the phones. Facebook is making a big announcement today. The social network giant wants to change the way you get in touch of all of those Facebook friends.