AMERICAN rapper Snoop Lion’s debut reggae album Reincarnation (RCA Records) has made an encouraging start on the Billboard chart.

The set opened at number 16 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, selling 21,301 copies in its first week.

Snoop Lion

The 12-track album features collaborations with Popcaan, Mavado, Mr Vegas, British pop sensation Rita Ora, Miley Cyrus, Bermudan reggae artist Collie Buddz, neo-soul singer Akon and Canadian rapper Drake.

Among the producers who worked on Reincarnation are Diplo, Major Lazer, Dre Skull and Black Chiney’s Supa Dups.

Reincarnation’s opening sales are a far cry from the rapper’s heyday in the 1990s when his gangsta rap albums returned record numbers.

It is the follow-up to Snoop’s 2011 album Doggumentary which sold 50,000 copies in its opening week.

Reincarnation debuted at number one on Billboard’s Reggae Album Chart.

Elsewhere on that list, Jimmy Cliff’s Grammy-winning Rebirth falls to number 10. To date that album has sold 40,000 copies.

Virginia-based reggae band SOJA moves to number four on the chart with Strength to Survive. The album’s sales tally is 43,235 copies after 65 weeks on the chart.

With 501 copies sold in the past week, California reggae band Rebelution moves to number two with Peace of Mind which has sold just over 61,000 copies.