New Dogg Pound Interview

[prince]

Daz & Kurupt: Hip-Hop Veterans
Monday - January 30, 2006

— by Mark Lelinwalla


When veterans talk, you should take heed and listen. BallerStatus.net had the distinct pleasure of chopping it up with two of the West Coast's finest -- Daz Dillinger and Kurupt –- in late 2005 as they gave us the rundown on their future projects, offered some industry insight and described how the Dogg Pound got back on the same page.

The West Coast is back for all you suckas!

BallerStatus.net: First of all, Welcome to New York. Tell us why y'all are out here.

Daz: We're basically promoting every album we're a part of. Every time I come here I go to Tad's (Steakhouse) and get me a big motherf---in' steak. But we went and spoke to my homegirl Amanda Diva and some Sirius stuff.

Kurupt: Yea, we're chillin' and talking to the people.

BallerStatus.net: Can you compare California to New York City?

Daz: Everybody is gangbangin', shooting motherf---ers up, robbing. We're smoking weed every day, but they're probably doing the same thing out here (NYC), just in different formats. It's the same, just different styles. It's all a hustle. We wake up and think about how we're getting paid.

BallerStatus.net: Was it the West Coast Peace Summit arranged by Snoop that put the Dogg Pound back on the same page?

Daz: Well, see, we did that before. We did that back on April 1st and everyone thought it was an April's Fool thing. We didn't plan for it to be on April Fool's Day. It just happened like that. The next day we were at my daughter's birthday and we all chopped it up.

BallerStatus.net: So are we definitely getting a Dogg Pound album?

Daz: We got one right now -- Dillinger & Young Gotti 2: The Saga Continues with 12 songs.

Kurupt: Then we got the DPGC album dropping with me, Nate, Snoop and Daz. Soopafly is on there, RBX and that's coming in March. We're all done with that.

BallerStatus.net: What can we expect from that?

Daz: Paul Wall, P. Diddy, David Banner, the whole DPGC and RBX. Kurupt's solo album is crazy. We went out there with the single to Shade 45.

BallerStatus.net: And how was that received?

Daz: They played the motherf---er four times. Just to get the singles out there, we're going to be smart. We're going to have DPG radio where we put all our singles because a record is only good for the first three weeks or so and then it's Internet bound.

Kurupt: Ya daamn right.

Daz: Limewire is a motherf---er.

BallerStatus.net: Hip-hop used to be strictly between the East and West. Now, the South's grind is shining and it seems like they're at the forefront. Do you think they're winning?

Kurupt: I think we're ALL winning. We're all a part of hip-hop history over here. When one wins, everyone wins because it makes rap big. Right now, the East, West and South make so much sh-- that hits people on the top of their heads. A lot of people are collaborating together from all over.

BallerStatus.net: On The Eminem Show album, Em had a song called "Till I Collapse," in which he gives his list of who he believes the fans and media recognizes as the best MCs. You're on his list. Where do you, Kurupt, personally think you stand in the game?

Kurupt: Maan, I think I'm pretty tight you know [laughs].

Daz: I'm going to tell you like this. Now that we're getting back to this sh--, he's going to get back to the forefront.

Kurupt: Yea, I'll fly again.

Daz: Everyone talks about being a gangster and all of that, but when it comes to skills he got that. [Kurupt] grew up on the East and West.

BallerStatus.net: You guys are obviously veterans of the game. Does it bother you that hip-hop fans out there are often fickle and go with what makes them hit the clubs, instead of something with substance?

Kurupt: Oh, everyone is fickle. They been doing that to real MCs forever. A lot of fans will choose a hot beat over a super lyrical MC. It happened to Rakim, all of them.

Daz: That's why the beats are so important. My sh-- is just bass. Boom, boom. It's going to hit hard.

Kurupt: My sh-- is word wars. WORD WARS. I throw words like boomerangs.

BallerStatus.net: Daz, who have you produced for in the recent months?

Daz: I did a joint for T.I. on the Urban Legend album called "My Life," my album that I'm doing right now with Jermaine Dupri, the Youngbloodz. I did something for the Young Gunz, a whole bunch of people.

BallerStatus.net: Who are y'all listening to right now to keep you inspired?

Daz: Anyone that will KEEP me inspired to hustle. I listen to hustle music, not pop sh--. My daughter listens to that pop sh--, but she's a girl. I listen to Jeezy and other people that inspire me to wake up and get money, so I'll be smiling at the end of the day. Get up and get it.

Kurupt: I got two favorites right now: Young Jeezy and Paul Wall. If you really listen to what Paul Wall is saying, that dude is sick. That man said he might cause a cold front if he opens his mouth.

BallerStatus.net: Who do you look at as the next cat to carry the torch in the West?

Daz: Sheit, us. But there's young cats I like: Young Roscoe, Bishop Lamont. Older or not, it's all about how you're doing it. When we started as kids, we never got to do a lot because we were always working. When we dropped the Dogg Pound sh--, we had to do the Tupac sh--. Now that we're older, we really get seen because everywhere I go, they know who I am. I'm everywhere, in cities you may never think I would be in. I'm walking, doing rent-a-cars and catching buses because I want to do that type of sh--. I like doing things like that because it gets my mind right. If I get lost, I have to think.

BallerStatus.net: Do you think the West Coast Peace Summit was long overdue?

Daz: Yea, man it was. It's good to have everyone trying to settle everything.

BallerStatus.net: Do you think that cats can easily turn back to their old ways and tensions can flare up again?

Daz: Yea, especially when motherf---ers get broke, attitudes flare up. When things aren't going right, tensions flare up because it's a business. Everyone right now in the West is on independent sh--. They're like, "F--- these big companies!" I was independent. I know about this independent sh--. Whomever is pressing the records up, owns the records. The way I do it is I distribute my own sh--, so they have to call me and beg for 5,000 more copies. I sell them a bit, break them off and then I give them more.

BallerStatus.net: So, you use a supply and demand kind of thing?

Daz: Yea, exactly. I press my own sh-- every two weeks. All I have to do is press up 5,000 copies and I'm paid -- $10 a piece, $50,000. I know I'm going to sell. I get distributed through Sony Red in New York. Every time I do something, it's $10,000 off the top. It's a real game. 100,000 copies is a million dollars and I'm good with that. That's ghetto platinum. Artists don't know about that. I own and distribute all my records.

BallerStatus.net: Kurupt, when you got back with the Dogg Pound, many people hinted at a possible issue with you and Suge. Are y'all cool?

Kurupt: Suge is straight, man. It was a mutual thing.

Daz: Just always look up, keep looking up and don't look down when dealing with him.

BallerStatus.net: How long have y'all known each other?

Daz: What, since 1990!? Yea, about when the Chronic dropped. Kurupt, Snoop and all of them were already there with Dr. Dre. I was the last one to come because I was the baby of the family. Warren G taught me how to use the drum machine and I watched Dre laid the track. That's how I learned music.

BallerStatus.net: What's next for y'all?

Kurupt: Well, they're going to be filming "Half Past Dead II" and I'll have a role in there. Look out for that "Dillinger & Gotti" DVD. It has a video for like every song and interviews. Part 4, "Dogg Pound In Canada" DVD, too.

BallerStatus.net: How are y'all received over there in Canada?

Kurupt: Oh, it was lovely. We were out in British Columbia, Vancouver.

Daz: Everybody smokes there. I was like, whaaat. Everybody smokes there.

Kurupt: Yea, we'll be back there.

source: http://www.ballerstatus.net/features/read/id/08789028/

[Layeth THe Smacketh Down]

Props for the interview!
It doens't sound like these guys are faking this reunion just to get some dough.
Maybe that guy from the DPG website is full of shit.

[Dubz]

^exactly what i thought while reading it homes. all the DPG haters can go and shove their heads between their ass cheeks.

[Darksider]

props

[J$crILLa]

no doubt, tight interview

[truedupbluedup]

  Kurupts favorite rapper paul wall?