Tha Dogg Pound

Tha Dogg Pound

Tha Dogg Pound, also known as D.P.G. (Dogg Pound Gangstaz), is a rap duo made up of Kurupt and Daz Dillinger. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the labels success.

An extended family, referred to as D.P.G.C. (short for the Dogg Pound Gangsta Clique), has over time been made up of Daz, Kurupt, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Soopafly, RBX, Warren G, Tray Deee, Bad Azz, Lil' 1/2 Dead, Lil C-Style, Lady of Rage, E-White, Goldie Loc, Roscoe, and Wayniac & Trip Loc.

The group made their 1992 rap debut on Dr. Dre's The Chronic, on various songs. They also appeared on Snoop's classic Doggystyle, and the Death Row soundtracks Murder Was The Case and Above The Rim. Their solo, Dogg Food, was released in 1995. It was another addition to the controversy of rap music due to the sexual and violent lyrics and went on to sell three million albums.

In 1996, they were featured on 2Pac's Death Row Records legendary and widely acclaimed debut All Eyez on Me. Kurupt and Daz went on to have solo success in 1998. They both eventually left Death Row Records, and Kurupt started Antra Records, while Daz started D.P.G. Recordz. In 2002 a feud arose between them because Kurupt had claimed that Daz betrayed him. Kurupt signed back to Death Row Records, and his awaited release Against Tha Grain has been postponed several times. Daz is still on D.P.G records, with his new 2005 release Tha Dogg Pound Gangsta LP. Sometime in April 2005 at the West Coast Conference held by Snoop Dogg, Kurupt and Daz reconciled and recorded their new single "Push Back" that same night. There will be two new Dogg Pound albums out this year. The first will be a D.P.G.C. album with Tha Dogg Pound, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Soopafly, Warren G, Bad Azz, and Tray Deee.

The group in 1993-1995

Before The Chronic album came out, Tha Dogg Pound consisted of Dat Nigga Daz, Kurupt, and Snoop. They instantly took the westcoast music industry by storm. When Snoop's debut album Doggystyle was released in 1993 it looked like Tha Dogg Pound was shortened to just Daz and Kurupt.

In 1995, Daz and Kurupt released their first album Dogg Food under Death Row records. Daz and Kurupt were featured on most Death Row albums from that point on.

Kurupt and Daz leave Death Row

Shortly thereafter, Kurupt left Death Row but remained in Tha Dogg Pound. Kurupt released two albums in 1998 (Kuruption!) and 1999 (Tha Streetz Iz A Mutha) that had Daz and the rest of DPG on them. However, in 1998 Daz was making noise of his own over at Death Row by making his own label called Mobstyle Muzik, which was his first taste of the independent scene. Mobstyle's first release Poppa Snoop Presents Mobstyle Muzik Volume 1 failed and Daz returned to Death Row. In 1999 he started up Dogg Pound Recordz along with Christopher "Big C-Style" Bowden through Death Row Records. Daz eventually parted ways with Death Row and released his first independent album R.A.W. in 2000. That was followed by the DPG album Dillinger & Young Gotti.

Reunion

In late 2002, Kurupt went back to Death Row Records. Daz, Snoop and the rest of DPG took many shots and dissed Kurupt harshly for making the move. Kurupt did the same and declared war between both camps once again. It was like that for years until early 2005 when Kurupt and Daz made a truce. They started rapping again and even made a new album together. After The Western Conference in 2005 the two of the agree to revitalize the group with Snoop and Nate joining it and Snoop taking over the producing, distributing tasks.

The Dogg Pound are currently working on a joint venture reunion comeback project called Cali Iz Active under the aegis of Doggystyle Records.

Albums

• 1995 Dogg Food (3x Platinum); #1 US, #66 UK
• 2001 Dillinger & Young Gotti; # 124 US
• 2001 2002; # 36 US, #112 UK
• 2003 DPG - The Unreleased Collection (Japan only)
• 2004 The Last of Tha Pound
• 2005 Dillinger & Young Gotti II: Tha Saga Continuez; # 66 Top R&B US
• 2006 Cali Iz Active #28
• 2007 Dogg Chit

Singles

• Tha Dogg Pound - "What Would You Do" (feat. Snoop Dogg & Big Pimpin' Delemond)
• Tha Dogg Pound - "New York, New York" (feat. Snoop Dogg)
• Tha Dogg Pound - "Let's Play House" (feat. Nate Dogg & Michel'le); # 45 US
• Tha Dogg Pound - "Because of You Girl" (feat. Tha Realest, cameo appearance by Heather Hunter)
• Tha Dogg Pound - "Nothin' But the Cavi Hit" (feat. Mack 10); # 38 US
• Tha Dogg Pound - "Just Doggin'" (feat. Nate Dogg and Michel'le)"; # 99 UK
• Kurupt - "Who Ride Wit Us" (feat. Daz Dillinger)
• D.P.G. - "Coastin"
• D.P.G. - "DPGC Muzic"
• D.P.G.C. - "Real Soon"; # 49 AUS
• D.P.G.C. - "Cali Iz Active"

Awards

Grammy Award nominations

Tha Dogg Pound has been nominated for one Grammy Award but has not yet won an award as of 2006.

Category	Genre	Song	Year	Result
Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group	Soundtrack	"What Would You Do"	1996	Nominated

External links

• Official fan site
• Tha Dogg Pound Lyrics