Snoop Dogg – recently re-named Snoop Lion, the reggae artist – has announced that he “will do American Idol.” So far there has been no word from the American Idol officials as to whether or not Snoop Lion will actually be filling the seat of former judge, Steven Tyler, or if he is even being considered for the position.

Part of the problem with having Snoop Lion on as a judge is that the family-friendly show may not mesh well with the former rapper’s personality. Although Snoop promises to clean up his language, his love affair with marijuana may not be toned down enough for the American Idol viewers.

American Idol will start up again in January and they are currently beginning some of the auditions, although not the portions in which they need the judges. The parts in which they record the judges with contestants will begin in fall of this year. So far the show has managed to replace Jennifer Lopez with Mariah Carey who has a one year contract in which she will make $18 million.

Snoop Dogg announced Monday, July 30 that he was converting to Rastafarianism. “I feel like I’ve always been a Rastafari,” he stated. “I just didn’t have my third eye open.” Monday is also when Snoop announced his name change from Snoop Dogg to Snoop Lion. “I want to bury Snoop Dogg and become Snoop Lion”

Prior to the recording of his latest album, “Reincarnation,” Snoop received a blessing from Bob Marley’s son, Rohan, to travel to Jamaica and explore the Rasta culture as well as the life of Bob Marley, immersing himself in the Niyabinghi branch of Rastafarianism. Snoop is also releasing a documentary about his rebirth called ‘Reincarnation’ as well.

So far the reception of the new album has been fairly positive. “If you haven’t seen Snoop recently, he’s gone totally Rasta. He has Bob Marley and Haile Selassie pins – he’s mad Rasta,” Diplo reported to MTV. He also added, “It’s gonna surprise people, but it’s an amazing record. We have some almost rap stuff on the record, but there’s also a lot of singing, because he sings really well and there’s a lot of backing vocals. He was really studying Bob Marley.”

During the press conference in which he discussed his transformation Snoop talked about people who inspired him, “We was looking for the creators, some of the forefathers. Most definitely Bob Marley, off the top, and the Wailers, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Gregory Isaacs, Jimmy Cliff, Barres, most definitely.”

The new Snoop Lion changed his name during a visit to Jamaica, where the Rasta movement began. Ennis Edmonds, scholar and expert on Rastafarianism at Kenyon College, explained Snoop’s sudden name change by claiming, “Rastas would probably see calling yourself a dog as an indication of lack of self-knowledge.”

In Rastafarianism the late Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie is considered the messiah and the descendant of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The lion is symbolic of Solomon’s Tribe of Judah and is thus held in high regard with the Rastafari. Bob Marley often sang of the “lion of Zion” and was usually referring to Selassie.

According to Snoop a Rasta priest gave him his new name. Snoop Lion also came back from Jamaica claiming that he is the reincarnation of Bob Marley.

One part of the Rasta religion that Snoop has been heavily involved with over the past few years is the smoking of ganja (marijuana). According to Edmonds, “Marijuana helps them break through the mental boundaries that Babylon has placed upon them and return to their sense of self.” Marijuana is also supposed to make the user feel more peaceful, introspective, and open to communal harmony, according to the religion. Ultimately, this aspect of the religion may in fact be too controversial for the ‘American Idol’ family-friendly atmosphere, which could prevent Snoop being chosen as a judge.

Image Courtesy of   Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

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Mariah Carey, five time Grammy winner, has announced that she will be the newest “American Idol” judge. After meeting with FOX executives on Monday, July 23, Carey joined in a phone press conference to confirm the news.

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and Jennifer Lopez have both already announced that they will not be returning to “American Idol” after being on the show for two years. According to FOX president Kevin Reilly the decision was mutual. Reilly stated, “we both decided it’s time for a change.” During the past two years the show’s ratings have declined a staggering 23%, leaving FOX very unhappy with executive producer Nigel Lythgoe.

According to bestmoviesevernews.com Lythgoe is in danger of losing “American Idol” if he doesn’t revamp the show and up the ratings. Randy Jackson, long-time judge and member of Journey, was also in danger of losing his contract. However, as co-manager of Mariah Carey, he was key in cementing the deal between her and FOX, which also seems to have secured his place as judge. Reilly stated, “Randy has been working with Mariah for a long, long time and is in fact her co-manager. Randy was very instrumental in this deal.”

With several other competitive singing shows out there, “American Idol” is getting lost in time. Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe claimed at the Television Critics Association that one way ratings could be improved is to have new judges on the show each season. This strategy may in fact be necessary with new shows climbing in ratings such as “The X-Factor” which just added Britney Spears and Demi Lavato as judges.

Lythgoe also suggested that there is a chance that J-Lo would return to the show, but Reilly stopped those rumors stating, “I think I can say that’s 100 percent that Jennifer won’t be coming back to the show.” However, everyone at FOX, as well as Carey herself, are very excited about this new addition to the show.

Carey stated in the phone conference, “I am so excited to be joining “American Idol.” I wish I could have been there myself to tell you. This kind of all just happened really quickly. I can’t wait to get started in a couple months… I will see you in January.”

Kevin Reilly, president of FOX also added his support. “It’s the biggest recording artist that any of these shows have ever had. It’s an artist many of these contestants have tried to emulate. [The deal] only concluded only hours ago. Not being the only game in town, we need to keep things fresh.”

Simon Fuller, the creator and other executive producer of “American Idol” stated, “we are proud to have one of the world’s greatest-ever female singers join our show. Mariah defines the word ‘Idol’ and will inspire every singer that has the honor of performing in front of her.”

Hopefully for FOX and for “American Idol” the addition of Carey will guarantee that the show will go on.

Image Courtesy of  Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

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What Steven Tyler and Andy Hilfiger show in common, is their passion for music and fashion.

This time both of them are collaborating together to bring a new “musical clothing line”, which will be launching next month.

Andy Hilfiger (Son of Tommy) has always been passionate for music and fashion.  Which lead to the creation of his company named Andy Hilfiger Entertainment (AHE). The company products stand out, since it combines three main sectors such as: fashion, music and entertainment.

Knowing that Steven Tyler is involved in this project as well, the new clothing line is already giving a lot of expectation.  According to the music magazine Rolling Stones : “Tyler will serve as the official ambassador for Andrew Charles, a new “musical clothing line”,

While describing a little bit how the line is going to look like, and what trends should be expected Hilfiger exposed some details to Blackbook by saying : What does Andrew Charles look like? Exactly like what you might expect, it seems. “It’s all very ‘70s, very gypsy, very boho. And that’s what our line is about.”

By knowing Steven Tyler’s style, his appeal for leather and animal prints, he clearly serves as a main visual inspiration for Andre Charles.

The line will provide clothes and designs for both men and women.

The logo of the brand exposes a guitar pick with a star, featuring Tyler’s image on the hangtag.

According to WWD, the women’s line follow a bohemian category: “The women’s line also carries its styling cues from dreamy bohemians like Marianne Faithfull, Stevie Nicks and Anita Pallenberg, and will feature lace, sheer knits, and Indian decorative flourishes”.

But just descriptions and details are not enough, we are eager to try already this stylish and avant-garde  line!

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“The world knows I’m a recovering drug addict and alcoholic,” relates the Aerosmith front man.

The book is an exertion of Steve Tyler’s life. The story narrates a lot of his life experiences; he provides an insight look on how his band Aerosmith, and the situations he had to overcome as a rock star. The first lines of the book start like this: “ Break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that makes you smile”.

The book contains a variety of experiences by the author. He mentions and describes tough situations that he was over passing at the moment, such as his addiction with drugs. “I made no qualms about being a drug addict in the ’80s and getting sober. I have an addictive personality. It’s a daily process, and I’ve got to keep my eyes open. I don’t want it to bite me in the ass. I’ve got to be careful.”

As well, Tyler also describes his experiences by being part of his band Aerosmith. He also portrays his private life mentioning his marriages and children, such as his daughter Liv Tyler.

Here is a small preview of Steve Tyler’s new book, published by the NBC:

Semiprologue

If you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

If you’re a singer, everything looks like a song.

“Life is short. Break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that makes you smile.” We’re not quantified; there’s no chart of desire. When the roaring flames of your heart have burned down to embers, may you find that you have married your best friend. Hunch, conjecture, instinct … a blind allegiance to anything can get you killed, and always remember … sing as though no one can hear you; live as though heaven is here on Earth. Here I want to say something deep and meaningless, like ‘To thine own self be true,’ but in truth, the first thing we have to do is KILL ALL THE LAWYERS.

When I was a kid and in a gang, my so-called best friend Dennis Dun, would slam me in the arm and say, ‘Pass it on, motherf—-!’ So I turned to Ignacio and punched him in the arm and said, ‘Pass it on!’ Ignacio turned to Footie and punched him in the arm, and Footie punched Raymond, who in turn punched me again. It’s all about fighting for position. Later on in life I was to find that being in a band was not too different. Only in my new gang, Brad punched Tom, Tom punched Joey, Joey punched Joe, and Joe punched me (in the mouth), and that’s the sweetest way I can tell you what happens in every band that ever there was (at least those that lasted more than ten years and got the chance to manifest the light).

I remember once my mother telling me, when I said I wanted to be like Janis Joplin: ‘If you manifest the light, you will become a dartboard for others’ fears, doubts, and insecurities. And if you can handle that, Steven, my little skeezix, you may have your Blue Army.’ And guess what? I got both barrels! I also wish to articulate at the outset here, neighbors and ne’er-do-wells, that my life’s journey has not taken me to place to defile, demoralize, or damage anybody … So all of YOU who have ruffled my feathers and done me wrong for being an inquisitive child or an oversensitive pain-in-the-neck artist, remember, just as they said about Mongo in the movie “Blazing Saddles,” if you shoot Steven, you’ll just make him angry.

When you’re young, you experience everything for the first time, and because it’s happening to you so matter-of-factly, it just is … and you argue your way through it. In midlife, you question f–ing everything, and so much energy is wasted questioning the whys of it all. You want to find that angel of thunderstorms that will put out your internal fire. You start to believe that you made it through six decades because there is an angel on your shoulder.

That’s why I’m a songwriter … because I’ve lived through the changes of not knowing ANYTHING … to knowing EVERYTHING … and now at sixty-two I’m back to NOT KNOWIN’ NOTHIN’. And when your mind is free of so-called knowledge, it is now set free to use its imagination. Like Albert Einstein once said: ‘Knowledge will never replace imagination.’

Radio plays your song; the melody is so catchy that it crawls inside of the people listening and changes their Everything. They start singing it! You got into them. You made love to them. You got into their soul … and vice versa. It’s like Vuja Dé and that’s when the miracle manifests … you’re trading faces, places, spaces, and graces.

Father of four children (loves of my life), a songwriter, got a doctorate at Berkeley and another one at UMass, Boston, a poet, a painter, a drug addict, and a peripheral visionary who learns something new on a daily basis, from the Malibu Home for the Recently All Right to having dinner with Sheikh Nion in Abu Dhab… and now … an author? You gotta be kidding! RoMANtics. SeMANtics. Exotic, neurotic, you got it! Does the noise in my heather bother you … yet? Yeah, really? I’d say we’re off to a good start.

Nowadays Steve Tyler is involved in this year’s T.V show American Idol. His book was completed before he got enrolled in the program, so it does not provide any of his experience as a judge. Now he is enjoying a lot this opportunity, and his presence has definitely spiced up American Idol, bringing to the screen, hilarious, and unforeseen moments.

His new solo single named” It Feels so Good, will be released on May 10. Nevertheless, Aerosmith is coming back with a lot of strength and new projects. The band will be working on a new album this summer, and they will heat up the stages by the end of the year, giving out concerts in Japan and South America.

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