Debut album by Tha Dogg Pound, Long Beach duo formed by rappers Delmar "Daz Dillinger" Arnaud & Ricardo "Kurupt" Brown. The production is done almost entirely by Daz Dillinger aka Dat Nigga Daz, and some beats are performed by DJ Pooh, Kurupt, Dave Swang and Emanuel Dean. The mixing is done by Dr. Dre. Ricardo Rouse plays the guitar, Butch the percussion and Superfly the keyboards. Guests, often uncredited, are Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg, The Lady of Rage, Big Pimpin Delemond, Prince Ital Joe, Kevin "Slo Jammin'" James, Ricky Harris, Val Young, Kevin Vamado, Stacey Smallie, Rochelle Wright, Mr. Malik, Mz. So 'Sentral, Big-C Style, Joe Cool and Big Tray Deee.
Kurupt & Daz Dillinger sign as solo artists with Death Row Records and are part of the group of artists working on Dr. Dre's debut album, "The Chronic", in 1992. In the same year, they formed the duo and later worked on Snoop Doggy Dogg's debut album "Doggystyle" (1993), as main guests, and on the soundtracks of the label "Above the Rim" (1994) and "Murder Was the Case" (1994). Tha Dogg Pound's first album is the fifth to come out under Death Row after the four just mentioned, and is scheduled for July 1995, with Warner Bros. distribution: however, due to the protest of various political entities against the excessively violent and misogynistic content of the product, the release is postponed. Warner Bros. exits the distribution agreement with Interscope Records, which makes an agreement with Priority. The album comes out three months later. It's a sort of first cousin of "The Chronic" and "Doggystyle": the topics and the production are similar and there are several protagonists of the two CDs.
Kurupt's pen focuses on violence, weapons, women, weed, gangsterism and braggadocio. The two performers exhibit excellent chemistry, both are at their best, and their rapping style is slow, relaxed, confident, energetic and youthful, blessed with a remarkable soundscape. The rhythms chosen by Daz are g-funk which sounds inspired by the one served by Dre in the previous acts: boom bap funky, dry, hard and dusty midtempo drums, cool and relaxed mobb samples, accessible melodic synths, elegant pianos, dark keyboards, deep bass lines, guitars. The musical carpet is dynamic and changes in each song, favoring the velvety and effortless performance of the MCs, in particular Snoop Doog goes very strong (some beats seem to be born specifically for his light-hearted style, where he's completely fit) and Kurupt rips every cut.
As on Death Row's previous g-funk albums, the girls' input elevates numerous tracks as the album's best moments. Nancy Fletcher's beautiful voice on the hook turns on "Respect", which also boasts an excellent and dope rhythm, relaxed and dark samples and a velvety and energetic delivery of the rappers. Val Young's melodic performance complements Snoop & Kurupt's duet in "Smooth", over a nice slick rhythm by DJ Pooh. "Let's Play House" features a splendid rnb soul chorus performed by Michel'e, on a funky boom bap with syncopated dusty drum machine, amazing synths, fresh samples and a smooth slow delivery by Dogg Pound. Rochelle Wright & Stacey Smallie give another highlight of this album: Daz Dillinger's production is perfect, he combines fantastic synths, deep heavy bass line, dusty dirty midtempo drum and excellent samples, creating a fresh rhythm on which Dogg Pound flows brilliantly and the girls, uncredited, offer an ethereal hook along with Nate Dogg.
Finally, The Lady of Rage blasts her track with a razor-sharp flow, youthful, hardcore, entering with a top entry on Daz's funky musical carpet. The work is completed by the excellent contribution of the guests employed to rapping. Snoop Dogg is credited in two songs, nevertheless, he participates in nine, which is equivalent to more than half of the disc: the second part of the album deals with various laid-back productions which for him are unmissable brushstrokes, worthy of the best paintings made by Dre in '92 / '93. Last but not least, the anthem "New York, New York". For many, the real fuse that sparked the coastal war. The original video of the song was supposed to have featured many NY top rappers, the beat is similar to what DJ Pooh gives to Notorious BIG for a TV commercial. Nonetheless, while Dogg Pound and Snoop Doggy Dogg are making the video in New York, the set is fired upon in a drive-by. The three artists then decide to shoot another video in which they kick down buildings in the city, triggering the response of C-N-N, Mobb Deep and Tragedy Khadafi "LA, LA". The dissing is fantastic, starting with DJ Pooh's production: lean and hard midtempo drum, beautiful deep bass line, excellent samples, mobb, relaxed and gloomy. The beat is laid-back, Kurupt's delivery is calm, velvety, the dissing is lethal, and the icing on the cake is Snoop Dogg's hook: it's incredibly simple, it's on another level of delivery, mellow, effortless, wonderful.
Released by Death Row, Interscope and Priority, the album takes hip-hop back to the top spot on the Billboard 200 a semester after 2Pac (Bone Thugs-n-Harmony don't count: even the Dogg Pounds know it and diss them here) and bring the West Coast back to the top of the rap chart, after the fall brought a flashback from some of the best East Coast artists of the time and history, with solo albums by Kool G Rap and AZ. In less than two months, it's certified double platinum and one of the best-selling products in the years 1995 and 1996. Deservedly, I want to add. Deservedly. This album goes beyond the ordinary. For music, rap, guests, mood and general quality of the project, it seems to be an album in the wake of those of Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg: composed of 17 tracks and 71 minutes of listening, it's considered the last official album of the g-funk era in the golden age, excels everywhere, it's fun, shines with its own light and is one of the best records released on the West Coast season.
Highlights: "Respect", "New York, New York", "Smooth", "Let's Play House", "I Don't Like to Dream About Gettin Paid", "Some Bomb Azz *****", "A Doggz Day Afternooon", "Sooo Much Style".
Rating: 8.5/10.
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