BOWIE had Ziggy for half a decade, Beyonce had Sasha Fierce for just one album,
So how long will Snoop keep up the Lion act ?
He is shrewd businessman who knows how to grab headlines and "Snoop Lion" is a great headline
Everyone is now talking about his transformation and, more importantly, his new album, Reincarnated.
Snoop is leaping into the unknown; Reincarnated is an all-reggae album, which will have his fan base scratching their heads.
The press conference was Snoop's flamboyant way of telling them, "Don't be scared, reggae won't bite", but it also allowed him to reach out to new fans.
Telling the world that he was casting aside rap and its gun culture and now doing the sort of music that his family and children can listen to plays well with K-Mart and other Middle America stores.
And his embrace of Rastafarianism and Bob Marley keeps the reggae crowd on side and shores up his artistic credentials.
But the headline-grabber is his spiritual rebirth.
"I went to the temple, where the High Priest asked me what my name was, and I said, 'Snoop Dogg'. And he looked me in my eyes and said, 'No more. You are the light; you are the lion.'
"I have always said I was Bob Marley reincarnated. I feel I have always been a Rastafari. I just didn’t have my third eye open, but it's wide open right now.
"When I make records I like to come from the heart. On this particular project, I had no plans on going to Jamaica, making a reggae record. The spirit called me. And, you know, anytime the spirit calls you, you gotta know that it’s serious.
"I basically let them know what I want. It's not that I want to become Snoop Dogg in a reggae track ... I want to bury Snoop Dogg and become Snoop Lion."
Marley's son Rohan was at the conference and gave Snoop his blessing, because when you tell the world you're the Reggae Jesus you need the backing of reggae's most powerful name, even if you have a twinkle in your third eye.
Snoop's new album will be bolstered by a documentary of the same name, which will focus on Snoop's music and his rebirth. A coffee table book is also planned.
The press call follows news that Snoop was banned from entering Norway for two years after he tried to enter the country with marijuana.
The artist is a strong supporter of decriminalising marijuana but it unlikely the issue was a factor in his rebirth.
How long he stays a Lion will depend on sales. Snoop has sold more than 12 million records in the US, and over 30 million albums worldwide but his last album, Malice n Wonderland, performed poorly so a change of style and a raising of his profile may have been needed.
But artists who change direction risk much and the album charts are littered with unloved U-turns (Kylie's foray into Indie, Radiohead's avant garde Kid A, Lauryn Hill's spiritual misadventure, MTV Unplugged No 2.0 are just a few).
Expect the Dogg to make its comeback when Snoop's reggae album runs out of puff.
Snoop Dogg becomes Snoop Lion, readies reggae CD
Snoop Dogg wants you to know that he's tired of hip-hop, is Bob Marley reincarnated and is embracing reggae instead of the culture of guns he once rapped about.
Also, he's got a new name: Snoop Lion.
The artist said at a news conference Monday in New York that he was "born again" during a visit to Jamaica in February and is ready to make music that his "kids and grandparents can listen to."
The former gangster rapper is releasing a reggae album called "Reincarnated" in the fall. He said that in Jamaica, he connected with Bob Marley's spirit and is now "Bob Marley reincarnated."
Bob Marley's son Rohan attended the conference and gave Snoop his blessing.
"I feel like I've always been Rastafarian," Snoop said of the spiritual Jamaican movement. While there, he said, he visited a temple, was renamed Snoop Lion and was also given the Ethiopian name Berhane, meaning "light of the world."
Snoop didn't explain why he was switching from "Dogg" to "Lion," but it's likely a reference to the Lion of Judah, a religious symbol popular in Rastafarian and Ethiopian culture.
Later, he played five songs for a small crowd, including one called "No Guns Allowed." It features his daughter and includes the lyrics, "No guns allowed in here tonight, we're going to have a free for all, no fights."
"It's so tragic that people are doing stupid things with guns," he said.
Snoop, best known for hits like "Gin and Juice" and "Drop It Like It's Hot," is an avid supporter of marijuana rights and has been banned from entering Norway for two years after trying to enter the country with a small amount last month.
He said that in Jamaica, where he stayed for 35 days, he grew closer to his wife, who saw his transition. He added that he's excited to perform music that his family and children can listen to.
"As a 40-year-old man ... I've got to give them something," he said. "That's what you do when you're wise."
Snoop Dogg said he's not completely retiring from hip-hop but is "tired" of the genre because it is no longer challenging.
"Reggae was calling ... it's a breath of fresh air," he said. "Rap isn't challenging; it's not appealing."
The album was produced by Diplo and will feature Snoop singing. It will be released on Vice Records.
The album will be followed with a documentary of the same name, also produced by Vice. It features Snoop making music and will include some personal elements of his life, a producer of the film said. It will debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
A coffee table book about Snoop's rebirth is also in the works.
"It feels like I'm 19 or 20 years old again," he said.