Snoop Lion, Unites Mavado & Popcaan In New Video

Recently reincarnated American musician, Snoop Lion (formerly Snoop Dogg) continues to showcase his infatuation for Jamaican culture by shooting his first music video in the island. He is also using it as an opportunity to bridge two of music’s camps together.

Snoop Lion arrived in the island last weekend to shoot his second Reggae video since shifting his moniker earlier this year. The video, for his single Lighters Up, features appearances from prominent ‘Gaza’ artiste, Popcaan and popular ‘Gully’ singjay, Mavado. The trio shot the Andy Capper directed video in Portland, Jamaica.

In an television interview aired Friday, Snoop Dogg admitted that he used Lighters Up as an opportunity to bring together two of the biggest names from the ‘Gaza’ and ‘Gully’ camps, known for their animosity towards each other in recent years.

“What I’d like to do know is I’d like to try to bring brothers together so they can know and understand this is a business; this is not a game,” Snoop said. “The only way this business can grow is if we work with each other….we have to treat this like a business and not be so personal.”

As the story goes, Snoop originally reached out to Popcaan to write a verse for Lighters Up. After Popcaan complied, he was told that Mavado would also appear on the track.

Despite the known hostility between ‘Gaza’ and ‘Gully’ artistes, Popcaan decided to continue working on the track as it would be a giant step for Jamaican music.

“Mi seh ‘Yes,’ cause is good for the music you zimmi,” he said.

Mavado echoed those sentiments, suggesting he truly believed Lighters Up could be a success.

“Mi is not somebody fi jus’ get up and jus’ do a bag a song and den when mi listen dem back, mi she ‘Wah mi really a she inna da song deh.’” he said. “So when yuh see mi do sommen, mi believe inna it.”

Snoop didn’t detail how exactly he got the ‘Gully Gaad’ and ‘Fry Yiy’ to co-exist, but says it was an honor to work with a pair of Jamaican artistes who he respects greatly.

“For the young generation to uphold me and to give me that love...I appreciate me,” he said. “You do it from the heart, you don’t do it for the fans. You do it from the heart and the love and the fans automatically get attached to that.”

Lighters Up, a co-production by Mixpak Records (Dre Skull) and Major Lazer’s Diplo has garnered strong buzz in Jamaica and overseas, with the track garnering nearly 400,000 views on YouTube since its release late last month. The song is currently available for purchase via iTunes.