You generally know when an artist has "made it" when they start having identity issues. Sometimes with drastically dire consequences, sometimes with interesting ones. Well we now know that Snoop is currently in this state. His last three songs have been as different as I could have ever imagined. And while I liked the kitschy look of Sensual Seduction, with its 80s synthesizer vibe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKz-RXSeIYA

I was not so sure about his country ode to Marijuana with Willie Nelson

http://videos.onsmash.com/v/iEbvY2Y2Kj8EmZvJ

And just when you think that he may be going through a midlife crisis, he drops his new song which takes him all the way to India.

Snoop does Mumbai

http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/videos/id.1278/title.akshay-kumar-f-snoop-dogg-singh-is-kinng

The only conclusion I can draw from this is that the guy is having some fun, and fair play to him. Too many rappers spend far too much time being gangster and not really stretching themselves musically. No you do not have to go as far left as SNOOP, but it would be nice if they experimented just a little, and stepped out of their comfort zone to see what they can find.

So thanks to Snoop, and OutKast and even NERD (who I do not like that much, but they try) for experimenting a little and for making an otherwise staid industry, a little more interesting and a little more full of hope.