Snoop Lion - Snoop Lion accused of Rastafarian fakery

Snoop Lion accused of Rastafarian fakery

Snoop Lion has been accused of becoming a Rastafarian for profit.

The rapper - who changed his name from Snoop Dogg last year after becoming immersed in the Rastafari movement during a visit to Jamaica - has angered members of the community who believe his new-found spirituality as a gimmick to promote his upcoming reggae album and documentary, both titled 'Reincarnated'.

Bunny Wailer, a former member of Bob Marley and the Wailers, has accused Snoop of ''outright fraudulent use of Rastafari community's personalities and symbolism'' and claimed the 41-year-old star has failed to meet ''contractual, moral and verbal commitments,'' of their way of life according to website TMZ.

Rights group Rastafari Millennium Council also expressed their upset with the 'Drop It Like It's Hot' hitmaker - whose name change to Lion is thought to be inspired by the Lion of Judiah, a symbolic figure in the Rastafarian culture - in a seven-page letter addressed to the star.

In it, they say ''smoking weed and loving Bob Marley and reggae music is not what defines the Rastafari Indigenous Culture.''

Snoop infamously suggested he was ''Bob Marley reincarnated'' following his soul-searching trip to the Caribbean country last year and claimed he has the support of Bob Marley's children over his move.