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Tha Dogg Pound “W.A.W.G. (We All We Got)” Review

June 12, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Tha Dogg Pound is best known as the rap supergroup who made landmark appearances on such West Coast classics as Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle back in the 1990s. Kurupt and Daz Dillinger, who comprise the group, signed with Death Row Records in the early stages of their career before branching out into more independent solo work. Though Tha Dogg Pound has remained somewhat active in recent years, the duo are best known for their 1995 debut Dogg Food. Now, the pair have linked with West Coast legend Snoop Dogg, for a full-length collab album titled W.A.G.W. (We All We Got). Snoop is an early pioneer of Tha Dogg Pound’s sound and a cousin to Daz Dillinger. Now that the gang is all back together, let’s dive into the tracklist of this exciting new album and see what exactly the trio has cooked up.

The Album Contains The Rawest West Coast Sound In Years

W.A.G.W. (We All We Got) opens strong, with tracks such as “Smoke Up,” “We All We Got,” and “Imma Dog.” The Dogg Pound released “Smoke Up” ahead of time as a teaser to the album, and it still holds up after numerous listens. The track delivers on the old-school West Coast style, instantly transporting listeners back to the mid 1990s. The song is quite brief, serving as an easily-digestible opener. It also proves that Tha Dogg Pound have not missed a step in over 30 years behind the mic.

Likewise, “Imma Dog” serves as a major stand-out on the album, with a bouncing bass sample and thick, snappy synths. DJ Battlecat went absolutely haywire producing this cut, with some kooky sound effects that make you feel like you’re being abducted by an alien spacecraft that landed in Long Beach. There’s even a moment where the instrumental interpolates some hood-style circus music, which shouldn’t go hard on paper, but absolutely slaps.

There Are A Few Duds In The Mix

Despite the many prevalent highlights in the album, Tha Dogg Pound has given us a few ill-advised misses as well. One such track includes the vulgar sex jam “Inside Of Her,” which offers tactless lyrics describing the female anatomy in painstaking detail. Many old-school rappers created joints like this, but they need to leave them in the past unless these OGs can find a way to speak with more nuance. “LA Kind Of Love” is another hard skip, with a nearly unlistenable instrumental that sounds like a Katy Perry B-side from 2010. While we can certainly appreciate the Doggs for trying to diversify their sound, this is not a step in the right direction.

The Album Shows Great Artistic And Personal Growth

Despite a few minor missteps, Tha Dogg Pound mostly delivers a powerful, mature meditation on their decades-long careers on W.A.G.W. Tracks like “Grown Up” offer something of an OG anthem, with lyrics such as “I’m looking at things a little different/ I got grandchildren, self-resilient/ This is how I’m living.” These bars help to demonstrate that these OGs have moved away from the street and started diversifying their financial portfolio with safer long-term investments, to give back to their families.

The penultimate track on the record, “Always On My Mind,” opens with some positively murderous piano stabs, as Tha Dogg Pound shoutout their lost loved ones, including Nate Dogg, BadAzz, Nipsey Hussle, and others. The track also interpolates vocal rhythms from Tupac Shakur and the Outlawz’ classic track “Homeboyz.” This song brings a lot of heart and touts the best Daz Dillinger verse on the project. On “Always On My Mind,” Daz raps “They say, put it on the dead homies, it’s just an everyday hood slang/ Sleep is the cousin of death, we in our last days/ I lost my mother, lost my daddy, lost my brother/ It’s Heaven or Earth, do you know just where you’re going?“

W.A.W.G. Concludes On A High Note

With only 14 tracks spanning 47 minutes of run time, W.A.G.W. (We All We Got) manages to be incredibly concise and surprisingly versatile. The album closes out with a DJ Premier-produced posse cut titled “Who Da Hardest?” This track features vocals from DGPC affiliates RBX and The Lady of Rage. Rage opens the track with some incredibly hard lyricism, further cementing how powerful her career could and should have been when she first came out in the late 90s. This track also has Kurupt’s best verse on the album, which opens with the bars “Tyrannosaurus Rex, complex the octagon/ Eight sides to this genetic aquatic Pteranodon/ The template has been set, this when the sharks hit/ Composin’ words of wizardry cold as the artic.“

Tha Dogg Pound has proven with this record that they’re more than just a legacy act surviving on old classics. This album might not top anyone’s album of the year list, but it will certainly get heavy rotation. Especially from fans of that long-lost authentic West Coast sound.

[Via]

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Warren G’s Debut Album ‘Regulate…G Funk Era’ Turns 30 Years Old!

June 7, 2024 by newhiphopnews

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On this date three decades ago, Death Row Records producer and Dr. Dre’s brother Warren G dropped his debut album ‘Regulate…G Funk Era’.

Executive produced by the late Chris Lighty, The Def Jam/Violator signee took his solo act on the road and brought it cross country to NYC to distinguish himself from the rest of his legendary peers from Death Row Records. The strategy worked, with the album being certified platinum by the RIAA two years following its release.

The album’s title track is by far the most memorable track from the album, however, another track entitled “So Many Ways” made it into the 1995 Martin Lawrence/Will Smith silver screen smash Bad Boys.

Salute to Warren G, the late Nate Dogg, the late Chris Lighty, Dr. Dre, the Violator squad and Def Jam for this timeless piece of Hip Hop History!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Warren G’s Debut Album ‘Regulate…G Funk Era’ Turns 30 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Warren G’s Debut Album ‘Regulate…G Funk Era’ Turns 30 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Bow Wow Teases New Collaboration With Chris Brown This Summer

May 29, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Bow Wow had hits in the 2000s. The rapper made the leap from teen star to grown man with hits like “Shortie Like Mine” and “Like You.” The thing is, he stepped away from the music scene in 2009. His last studio album was New Jack City II, and since then, he’s focused on reality TV and hosting gigs. It’s been a successful avenue for him, but it looks like he might be working on some new music. The rapper got on X (formerly Twitter) on May 29 to tease something major with Chris Brown…

We’re not going to beat around the bush since Bow Wow didn’t. He didn’t bother with any subtle hints or photos, he just tweeted: “Bow Wow x Chris Brown… June 2024.” There’s always a chance that the collab could be non-musical, but given what these two artists have gotten up to in the past, a song seems like the most obvious outcome. Bow Wow and Breezy worked together on the aforementioned “Shortie Like Mine” in 2006. The song, which also featured Johntá Austin, peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the US Hot Rap Songs chart. It was certified Platinum in the United States, and remains one of Bow Wow’s signature hits.

Bow Wow Has Been Teasing His Final Album Since 2021

Bow Wow and Chris Brown have two other songs together. “Outta My System” also dropped in 2006, while “Ain’t Thinkin’ Bout You” was released three years later. Their upcoming collaboration will likely be for Bow Wow’s album Before 30, which was first announced in 2021. The rapper told Hot 97 that he will drop one more body of work before calling it a day on music. “I’ma do one more album,” he told the host. “It’s gonna be the last one and it’s gonna be called Before 30. I’ma have Snoop [Dogg] narrate the whole thing. So it’s gonna be kind of a different project, 10 songs.”

Bow Wow gave fans an update on the album in 2022. He confirmed Before 30 was coming, and claimed that it would be released through Death Row Records, which is now owned by Snoop. “Spoke to Snoop last week,” he tweeted. “Very soon. My plan is to put my final album on Death Row and close my music career out where it began. I’m tryna do the D Wade and come home and close it out.” Things went quiet once again in 2023, but this latest teaser suggests that the rapper is finally ready to begin the Before 30 rollout. Let’s see what Breezy and him have in store.

The post Bow Wow Teases New Collaboration With Chris Brown This Summer appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Gala Music and Death Row Records Drop “Finesse” and “Baggin U Up” from Tha Dogg Pound

May 23, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Leading Web3 entertainment company Gala Music, in conjunction with Death Row Records, premiered two new songs from the iconic Hip-Hop duo Tha Dogg Pound (Daz Dillinger and Kurupt). The highly anticipated tracks “Finesse” and “Baggin U Up,” featuring Snoop Dogg and October London, are available exclusively on the Gala Music platform.

This release marks a continuation of Tha Dogg Pound’s triumphant return. In April, they dropped the single “Smoke Up” featuring Snoop Dogg, and now they’ve announced their new album, W.A.W.G. (We All We Got), which will be released on May 31, 2024, on Gala Music and other major streaming platforms. This album is their first with Snoop Dogg since their reunion in 2005 and their first on Death Row Records since their 1995 debut, Dogg Food.

Since its emergence in the early 1990s, Tha Dogg Pound has been a trendsetter and barrier-breaker in the music industry. Its collaboration with Gala Music highlights its commitment to innovation, offering fans new ways to engage with its music through Web3 technology.

“Gala Music is at the forefront of ushering both established and emerging artists into Web3 and introducing them to the many opportunities that exist in the space,” said Gala’s President of Music, Leila Steinberg. “And we couldn’t be more excited to partner with Death Row Records and a legendary Hip-Hop group, Tha Dogg Pound, on their first Web3 releases!”

Gala Music seamlessly integrates Web3 and music, providing a unique and immersive entertainment experience. Their relationship with Death Row Records began in 2022 with the release of Snoop Dogg’s album, Bacc on Death Row (B.O.D.R.), via Gala’s platform. Through cutting-edge technologies and strategic partnerships, Gala Music redefines how fans connect with their favorite artists.

The post Gala Music and Death Row Records Drop “Finesse” and “Baggin U Up” from Tha Dogg Pound first appeared on The Source.

The post Gala Music and Death Row Records Drop “Finesse” and “Baggin U Up” from Tha Dogg Pound appeared first on The Source.

Snoop Dogg Reveals Tragedy That Inspired New Dogg Pound Album

May 14, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Tha Dogg Pound was a legendary part of Death Row Records. While they lacked the crossover success of 2Pac or Dr. Dre, the duo anchored the label’s catalog with hits like “Let’s Play House” and “New York, New York.” The latter was a diss song with a Snoop Dogg chorus. The collab led to the formation of the DPGC, or Dogg Pound Gangsta Clicc, which has dropped multiple albums over the last three decades. Snoop Dogg thought DPGC was done a few years back, but personal events led to a reunion that he’s subsequently been grateful for.

Snoop Dogg talked about the Dogg Pound reunion during a recent appearance on Home Grown Radio. The rapper admitted that he’d been on the outs with Dogg Pound co-founder Daz Dillinger, and therefore reluctant to work with him. It’s worth noting that Snoop and Daz are cousins, so the rift went beyond the studio. It was ultimately the death of Snoop’s brother, Bing Worthington, that led to the two men setting their issues aside. “My little brother had passed away,” the rapper said. “And one thing about my little brother is he loved the f*ck outta Daz. He loved us together.”

The Death Of Snoop Dogg’s Brother Inspired The Reunion

Snoop Dogg decided that he wanted to honor Bing by putting out new music as a family. “I started calling family members,” he noted. “I reached out them, I was like ‘Y’all get Daz’. Me and him get on the line, we communicate, and I’m like ‘Come over and see me.’” Snoop and Daz reconciled, and then called Dogg Pound’s other co-founder, Kurupt. One thing led to another, and suddenly, the group was making music again. The concept of reconciliation informed the title of the new album, W.A.W.G., which stands for We All We Got.

The lead single for the album addressed the issues that Dogg Pound’s members have been going through. It also set the record straight on their future plans. Namely, that they aren’t going anywhere. “Smoke Up” sees Snoop Dogg, Daz Dillinger and Kurupt come together as a unified force. “F*ck what you heard,” Snoop raps. “Somebody said the Dogg Pound broke up/ Shut yo b*tch a*s up, n**ga, now smoke up.” W.A.W.G. is due out May 31.

The post Snoop Dogg Reveals Tragedy That Inspired New Dogg Pound Album appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Warren G Shuts Down Rumor That He Was Beaten Up By Dr. Dre

April 17, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Warren G is Death Row royalty. The rapper was one of the key members of the West Coast crew, courtesy of hits like “Regulate” and “This DJ.” According to Death Row co-founder Suge Knight, however, Warren G didn’t always get along with his peers. During the April 14 episode of Knight’s podcast, Collect Call With Suge Knight, he claimed that Warren G was beaten up by his own step brother, Dr. Dre. The claim that was denied by the Regulator himself.

Suge Knight started the episode by reflecting on Death Row’s heyday, but things took a turn for the awkward when Knight switched to the Warren G story. “You know when you was trying to use the phone when you wasn’t supposed to in front of Andre — your brother — slapped your a*s around,” he stated. “You start[ed] saying, ‘Okay blood. Okay blood. Please don’t do it no more, I’m sorry.’ You can say that that didn’t happen, but everybody knows it’s true.”

Warren G Exposes Knight’s “Tough Guy” Act

Despite Knight’s insistence that the incident was true, Warren G wasn’t having it. The rapper hopped on Instagram to call out Knight. “History would repeat itself, because n***a you wasn’t the only n***a in the room, n***a,” he reasoned. “You wasn’t by yourself. It was other people in the room, too. I’m not gonna say no names because like you said, we don’t talk…So why you on here talking? Let that sh*t go, man.” Warren G also criticized Knight’s reputation as a tough guy. He claims he defended Death Row’s honor whenever Knight got into trouble in the 1990s. “When you was at the comedy store,” Warren G added. “Fighting that little buff a*s n***a, who saved your muthaf***in ass? Me.”

To call Suge Knight’s reputation dubious would be an understatement. The ex-bodyguard is currently serving 28 years in prison, and will not be eligible for parole until 2034. Warren G, meanwhile, is getting ready to go on tour with fellow West Coast icons Snoop Dogg and DJ Quik. The trio will be embarking on the Cali To Canada tour, which kicks off June 3rd in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Death Row Records’ ‘Above The Rim’ Soundtrack Turns 30 Years Old!

March 22, 2024 by newhiphopnews

On this day in Hip-Hop history, Death Row Records, in conglomeration with Interscope Records, released the soundtrack to the popular film, Above the Rim. Winning the 1995 Source Award for Soundtrack of the Year, this album featured so many hits that it could have stood alone from the movie as a compilation album.

Acting as executive producers of the project, Suge Knight and Dr. Dre curated one of the most popular movie soundtracks of all time. This album featured artists 2Pac, Warren G, SWV, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, The Lady of Rage, and more. Due to the popularity of the artists and the success of the movie, the soundtrack sold 2,000,000 copies in the year of its release and peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Although it fell short on the mainstream chart, the album was able to grab hold of that #1 spot on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Here are some videos from the outstanding soundtrack to help jog your memory of its greatness.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Death Row Records’ ‘Above The Rim’ Soundtrack Turns 30 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Death Row Records’ ‘Above The Rim’ Soundtrack Turns 30 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip-Hop History: Dogg Pound Singer Nate Dogg Passed Away 13 Years Ago

March 15, 2024 by newhiphopnews

On this date in 2011 in Long Beach, California, Nathaniel Hale, better known as rap/R&B crooner Nate Dogg, died from complications after suffering several strokes. He was 41 years old.

Introduced to the rap game by his Long Beach homie Snoop Dogg via their trio 213, which was the group that was brought to Dr. Dre by his little brother Warren G that made everyone in the trio West Coast legends.
Nate was a trailblazer in the rap/R&B fusion, with smash hits with Fabolous, Mobb Deep, Mos Def, Ludacris and many more, earning four Grammy nods.

Salute and condolences to the entire 213 family from the Mind Squad, The Source Magazine and the entire Northstar Media Group. Nate was an intricate member of our culture and will truly be missed.

The post Today In Hip-Hop History: Dogg Pound Singer Nate Dogg Passed Away 13 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip-Hop History: Dogg Pound Singer Nate Dogg Passed Away 13 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Tupac’s Thug Life: Where Are They Now?

March 6, 2024 by newhiphopnews

These days, Tupac Shakur earns widespread recognition as a legend for his profoundly artistic and socially conscious body of work, all created before his untimely death at the age of 25. Although primarily celebrated for his solo catalog, featuring hit albums like All Eyez On Me and Me Against the World, Tupac contributed to numerous group endeavors, releasing several popular records alongside his collaborators. One of his groups, Thug Life, released only one self-titled album before disbanding, which highlights some of Pac’s greatest lyrical performances.

Though short-lived, Thug Life represents an important era in Tupac Shakur’s life timeline, and the single album produced by the group remains a worthwhile listen to this day. Here’s a look at what the other four members of Thug Life have been up to since the group disbanded following Tupac’s untimely death in 1996.

Big Syke Tragically Passed Away In 2016

Big Syke was a frequent collaborator of Tupac, even joining the legendary rapper on several breakout tracks from the album All Eyez On Me. Syke was a member of both Thug Life and Tupac’s other rap group, the Outlawz, while also maintaining a solo career spanning four studio albums. In 2016, authorities found Big Syke dead in his California home at the age of 48. Despite his young age, they reported no foul play at the scene, stating that Syke perished of natural causes. The Inglewood-born rapper had suffered from health concerns regarding his heart in the years precipitating his passing.

Macadoshis And Morpheme Have Been Mostly Under The Radar

Macadoshis and Mopreme Shakur, Tupac’s stepbrother, founded Thug Life but now appear to no longer seek the spotlight. Like Big Syke, Mopreme was also a member of the Outlawz, and continued to make music for several years after Pac’s death. Preme’s most recent musical output seems to be a 2007 mixtape titled Black & Brown Pride which he released in collaboration with Los Angeles DJ Assassin. Mopreme maintains an official Instagram account which he previously used to sell NFT images and videos, though he has not posted on the social media app in nearly a year.

Likewise, Macadoshis seems to have quietly retreated from the spotlight, occasionally resurfacing to deliver interviews with rap-centric media outlets. In May 2023, Mac appeared on the YouTube series The Art Of Dialogue, to explain the history of Thug Life, including some never-before-shared behind-the-scenes details.

Read More: A Look At The Life Of Tupac Shakur

The Rated R Is Serving A Life Sentence In Prison

The final member of the Thug Life brand, The Rated R, has gone down a very different road than his peers in the years following the group’s split. The former Death Row signee has been serving a sentence in San Quentin State Penitentiary in California since 2004. While details regarding the case that led to R’s imprisonment are quite scant, sources across the web claim he is serving a life sentence for committing a double homicide.

Some supporters of The Rated R have expressed the belief that the rapper was acting in self-defense, though these claims cannot be verified. Since his arrival in San Quentin, R is said to have fully converted to Islam and renounced all forms of violence. Rated R was previously considered for bail in 2021, but ultimately denied, leaving his future uncertain at the time of this writing.

[Via] [Via]

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Today In Hip Hop History: Tupac Shakur Dropped His Fourth LP ‘All Eyez On Me’ 28 Years Ago

February 13, 2024 by newhiphopnews

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On this date twenty-eight ago, the Hip Hop legend Tupac Shakur officially released his fourth album, All Eyez On Me, on the Death Row/Interscope imprint.

The album featured five singles with two topping number one on the Billboard Hot 100; “How Do U Want It” and “California Love.” It made Hip Hop history the first double-full-length solo Hip-Hop studio album released. It was the second album from Tupac Shakur to hit number one on both the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, selling 566,000 copies in the first week. Shortly after his untimely death, the album then won the 1997 Soul Train R&B/Soul or Rap Album of the Year Award. Shakur also won the Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist at the 24th Annual American Music Awards. The album was certified diamond by the RIAA on July 23, 2014.

All Eyez On Me, the biopic about Pac’s life with the same name, was released on June 16, 2017.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Tupac Shakur Dropped His Fourth LP ‘All Eyez On Me’ 28 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Tupac Shakur Dropped His Fourth LP ‘All Eyez On Me’ 28 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.