Tha Dogg Pound

Members	Real Name	D.O.B.
Dat Nigga Daz	Delmar Arnaud	May 25th, 1973 Long Beach, California
Kurupt	Ricardo Emmanuel Brown	November 23rd, 1972 Philadelphia, Pa.
Snoop Dogg	Cordozer Calvin Broadus	October 20th, 1972 Long Beach, California
Nate Dogg	Nathaniel Dawayne Hale	August 19th, 1969 Clarksdale, Mississippi

Tha Dogg Pound is essentially a rap group made up of mainly Kurupt and Daz with Snoop Dogg appearing as the group’s breakthrough artist who formed Tha Dogg Pound after receiving his own career from Death Row Records. After Dre’s The Chronic album dropped, Snoop assembled Tha DPG to perform on his début top-selling album, Doggystyle which showcased the larger extended family of Tha DPG with Warren G, Nate Dogg, RBX, Lady of Rage, Tray Deee and Bad Azz calling themselves Tha Dogg Pound Gangsta Clicc (Tha DPGC). As years passed the group eventually split into solo careers and performing clicks. Together they put up a united front for Death Row Records as a family of gold and platinum selling artists representing the west coast gangsta rap/hip-hop scene to the fullest. Hailing from either Snoop’s eastside Long Beach County neighbourhood or by-relation to him or Dre DPG were Bangers, dealers, thugs, rappers and actors Tha DPG had real talent, rising from the cracks in the concrete jungles of Los Angeles.

The main artists, Kurupt and Daz dropped their virgin verses on Dre’s, Chronic bomb, Snoop’s, Doggystyle classic, Murder Was The Case and Above the Rim soundtracks. By 1995 their début album hit the streets, Dogg Food selling 3 million copies continuing the campaign of controversy over violent and misogynist lyrical content. Singles off this album were "Let’s Play House" featuring Dre’s companion and long-time running mate Michel’le on vocals. Also the track, "New York New York" added fuel to the fire of the supposed ‘East/West beef’ between Bad Boy Entertainment and Death Row records. At the video shoot the DPG’s trailer was shot up with warnings over disrespecting the east in their video.

The New York New York video shoot took place in Times Square, Manhattan New York City, right in the heart of the enemy’s territory. After a radio interview with Bad Boy’s Notorious BIG who seemed shocked and disgusted with Death Row’s Dogg Pound in town, while on set for the video in the middle of the day, around 1:30pm the trailers were repeatedly shot up by a lone suspect from across the road outside a convenience store apparently waiting for Snoop to exit his trailer but before Snoop could walk down to the set the shooter opened fire on their trailer. All members of Tha DPG were inside smoking copious amounts of weed making the trailer itself a hotbox of smoke. The only witness to the event from the other side of the road was Snoop Dogg’s father Vernon. Soon after, thanks to the vigilant service of Wrightway Security officer Frank Alexander who rescued the artists from the trailer and into a nearby van before fleeing the scene and returning to their hotel 30 miles outside of NYC. Back at the hotel the Death Row artists’ received numerous death threats warning them to leave New York City, mostly directly at Snoop.

The following year they appeared on Death Row’s brightest new addition Tupac’s album, All Eyes On Me. After the notorious disbanding of Death Row Records with Suge facing serious jail time after the assassination of Tupac Shakur, both artists established themselves as well-selling solo artists, heading up their own record labels. Kurupt started Antra Records while Daz started DPG Recordz. By 2003 a strong rift ensued between the pair, with Kurupt claiming that Daz had betrayed him. By ’04 Kurupt signed back with Death Row Records after Suge’s release from prison and resumed the role of executive producer for the label’s prejects. His awaited release Against Tha Grain has been postponed several times by Suge Knight. Daz is still in control of DPG Recordz with his 2005 release Tha Dogg Pound Gangsta LP.

In April ’05 at the West Coast Conference held by Snoop Dogg, Kurupt and Daz reconciled their feud and recorded "Push Back" that same night. Future projects from the stars of Tha Dogg Pound Gangsta Clicc are in talks. Throughout the years, Tha DPG have managed to keep abreast of the game while still lkeeping in touch with their hardcore inner-city LA roots. They remain major role players in the foundation of west coast gangsta rap, continuing the reality raps of LA’s underground.

Discography:

• 1995 Dogg Food
• 2001 Just Doggin' (EP)
• 2001 2002
• 2001 Dillinger & Young Gotti
• 2004 Last of Tha Pound

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