May 12, 2008

Snoop Dogg Shoots A Country-Style Video With His 'Soldier' Willie Nelson

By Shaheem Reid, with reporting by Tim Kash (MTV.com)

Hip-hop, R&B and now country music. Not too long ago, Snoop Dogg had the opportunity to eat out of the same Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket as Willie Nelson. (Nelson appears in Snoop's new video.) They also share an affection for something else.

"Snoop Dogg," the icon replied about who smokes more, him or Nelson. "But Willie's a soldier - stars, stripes and bars."

"Next is 'My Medicine,' " Snoop said of his new single. "It has a country-music feel to it. I shot the video in Amsterdam and Nashville during the Country Music Awards. It feels good to me to be able to make music. It's not a typical hip-hop song, but once people listen to it and see the visual effect to it, they're gonna enjoy it."

Snoop has definitely earned his stripes in hip-hop. That's why he can experiment with other genres as he did on Ego Trippin'.

"I think I have more room than ever to do as I please," Snoop said. "I've made so many records that were true to hip-hop, true to Snoop Dogg and true to the West Coast and gangsta rap in genre. Now it's time for me to make records that feel good to me and [to] venture out.

"I get to be a gun-slinging cowboy with my brim on, my boots on, my jeans on, my long jacket, jumping off a horse," he added. "Walking into a brothel, spitting game, leaving with a dame and the money, mannn."

Snoop's next LP is "temporarily" called Malice in Wonderland and was inspired by a session he had with composer Lalo Schifrin.

"He conducted some music for me that was so sinister, so evil, mean and dark," Snoop described. "I just wanted to make a record like that. That's just the way I feel."

No release date has been set for Malice in Wonderland.