Another interview from the archives! With the Dogg Pound blokes touring next month, here's a look back into the mind of Daz from almost a decade ago - when things weren't so rosy in the Pound... still, it's funny as hell to read Dat N-word Daz going in on pretty much the entire music industry (besides Snoop, So So Def and 50 Cent).
What’s it like doing your own thing independently versus being a worker bee for a large label like Death Row?
I’ve got more control over my own shit, but I had control over my own shit at Death Row anyway. Because we make the music and give it to them. I’m more of an executive now, I’ve just signed a deal with Jermaine Dupri and So So Def. I’m really happy with that deal, looking forward to expanding my horizons there. I’ma still have Gangsta Advisory and my independency, but that’ll be more a distribution company, getting people manufacturing and distribution deals. I’ll get their record and put it in the stores for ‘em.
So I guess the So So Def thing sees you being more of an artist, and the rest of your business ventures is where you’re being more of the executive, more of a producer...
Yeah, I’m an artist on So So Def, but I’m producing my album, me and Jermaine. But I’ve still got my independency over there, because I’ll be making Daz records on So So Def. But as far as my company and putting records out for other people, I’ma keep doing that in terms of distributing the young kids’ records. Giving them a chance, people who can’t afford to put records out, like the underground artists. That’s where I was born in, the underground, so I still fuck with the underground.
When you look back at your days at Death Row – and I know there is a ton of animosity between you and those guys now – are your memories of being on the label good times or not?
With Death Row?
Yeah. I know there’s bad blood now, but what do you think about...
I think about good times, bullshit times, but it’s all a good experience, just like the army. It’s a real good experience for me to know what I know now. It’s bullshit now though, I don’t give a fuck about Death Row. Anyone on Death Row is my enemy. I’m cool with everybody. Just not fucking with anyone in red.
You won a big court case against Death Row a while back, have you got your money yet?
I’ve got half of it right now. I’m the happiest rapper living [laughs]. The way I’ve got it set up, my mom and my dad look after that money. I get $25,000 a month. The money is in an escrow account. Right now I need to keep going to court to get money from Suge, he’s hiding it. The money that I got before was in companies that couldn’t hide it…I sued Koch, I sued Time Warner. As soon as I put the lawsuit in, the money was stopped. All the money they had in there was on hold until the case finished. So now that we’ve got the money... he’s got cars, houses and shit so when he sells that shit, I’ma get mine.
You got any plans for that money?
I’m just keeping it for security. As far as me being secure, my kids being secure, my moms, my dad... you know what I mean. And I just signed with Jermaine Dupri, so that’s two pots of money. That’s money that I’m going to keep for myself, then I’m going to go over here and make more money. So I’m real satisfied.
From what I’ve read about you in the press, you seem like a very loyal dude...
I’m very loyal and humble until you fuck me. I play dumb to see if you’re going to play me. Everybody in the world should do that. Play dumb to see if somebody’s going to take advantage of you. And once they take advantage of you, beat the fuck out of them. That’s the motto that I live by. I’ve got a new book that my friend gave me, and I follow what this book says every day, it’s called “48 Laws of Power”. Heard of that book?
Nah I haven’t. [NOTE: I've read it since doing this interview.]
It’s a real good book man. Tells you about your enemies, concealing your thoughts, it’s a whole lot of shit that I live by now. I can’t really trust anybody in this rap game right now but Snoop Dogg and Jermaine Dupri. They’re my friends, and everybody else is just trying to get at me. Muthafuckas are dying these days, so who can you trust? You’ve got Death Row and Kurupt’s bitch ass giving our address out, we’re thinking he was our friend, so that relationship is over. Once you’re dead there’s no coming back.
I was about to ask you about Kurupt, and I think you’ve answered that question…
We’ll never be friends. The only thing he can do for me is kill Suge Knight, shut him up.
So if he called tomorrow and said he wanted to leave Death Row and do another Dogg Pound album with you...
I’d say, “yeah, come on over here baby”. Then beat the fuck out of him. As far as talking on the phone, I haven’t spoken with Kurupt in over two years and don’t plan on talking to him. I want to fuck his sister though.
Talking about beating the fuck out of people, I read about how Bad Azz was jumped by a bunch of guys from Death Row while Kurupt just stood around and watched.
Kurupt set him up. Suge told Kurupt to go talk to Bad Azz, and Kurupt was saying, “Oh I’ve missed everyone in the Pound. I’ve missed the homies, what are the homies doing?” Suge sent him over to say that shit.
Does Kurupt have anyone in his corner though? It seems as though anyone that was ever cool with him hates him now.
Ain’t nobody cool with Kurupt. Anybody that do some shit like that…it’s just like gangbanging. If you’re from this set…we call them Transformers. It’s like a Crip turning into a Blood. And muthafuckas been dying over this gangbang shit for years, I wish a lot of my homeboys were still alive. Like my homie L-Dogg. He was the first person in the Dogg Pound to get killed. He was Kurupt’s friend, he brought him to us. But we embraced L-Dogg like he was ours…but when he got killed, Kurupt didn’t even come to the funeral. That’s a lot of respect that Kurupt lost right there. I knew he was a bitch right then.
When’s "Death Row Killa" coming out?
I’ve got the movie and soundtrack ready to come out in October.
So it’s all done, ready to go?
Yeah, it’s done. Soopafly got the first single coming out, it’s called “A Message to Ricky”. If Kurupt want to get back, tell him to fight Soopafly. And I’ll fight Suge Knight.
Throw that on the DVD.
Hey, I’ll fight anybody. I was born for this. I’ve been in the gym, I’m cut up, six-packed out. I’ve been training – street training and hood training.
I don’t want to stick on the Suge subject for too long, because I know you are probably sick of questions about him...
I like talking about his ass. I make up shit about him every day. He’s a funny, fat character.
Well, one thing that I was curious to know, is did he change or was he always like he is? Did it just take a while for your eyes to be opened to his dealings?
He always been like that, but he also changed, in terms of how he dealt with us. When Tupac got killed we opened our eyes up to something different. We made Death Row, he didn’t make Death Row, we made Death Row. As far as you can see today, what does Death Row have to offer anybody? Nothing. The people who was on Death Row were me, Snoop and Nate Dogg and we’re still doing this shit. We all legends in this rap game. He’s like a fuckin’ Berry Gordy or something. See, you don’t hear shit about Berry Gordy no more, know what I mean? Same thing with Suge Knight.
Have you seen the "Biggie & Tupac" documentary.
Yeah I’ve seen that. What did you think? When you see that little fat white muthafucka snitching his damn brains out?
Well all the evidence certainly points to one person...
Suge Knight, right? He was just jealous, and look where he is now – in jail. So you know, fuck him. I hope someone sticks him in there.
So you thought the documentary was on point?
It was some real shit. I know the little dude that shot that. They could never catch homie though, ‘cause I be moving too quick. I’m in the streets, so you’ve really got to catch me in the streets.
I thought it was strange that a documentary maker from the UK could uncover more information than the entire LAPD investigation.
That’s what I’m saying. You know why? Because Suge was paying the police.
What do you think of hip-hop’s latest marketing tool – recording a diss track towards 50 Cent or Eminem.
Who did that? Ja Rule?
Well yeah, but I’m hearing rappers come out of nowhere to diss these guys. It’s totally fabricated beef.
It’s just because they’re on top. Must be some Ja Rule fans who are dissing him or something, because I’m dissing the fuck out of him [Ja Rule] too. I’m down with Eminem and 50 Cent to the fullest. We just did a DPG-Unit album in four days on the road. Me, Snoop, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks and Soopafly. That’s a real hot album. Whoo Kid is putting that together. And that Tupac track with 50 Cent (“The Realest Killas”), I put that together.
I thought it might have been one of your Tupac verses.
Who else is going to have some Tupac verses? Hey, I’ve got about 50 more Tupac tracks that I’m saving until 2050. I’ve got Tupac tracks up the ass that nobody going to hear. His mother is trying to get them off me, but hey, what you going to do, pull a gun on me? I don’t know where they at, do you know where they at? [laughs] And the Outlawz, they mad at me but I don’t give a fuck about the Outlawz because they’re all bitches.
I read Young Noble was saying you’re disrespecting Tupac’s legacy and stuff like that...
You know why he’s saying that? Because they want the songs I got. They don’t have no more songs. It’s over for them. They need something to get back, and they think they’re going to get my songs. Fuck that shit. Fuck the Outlawz and fuck everybody down with them. I ain’t never seen them bust one fuckin’ gun. I ain’t heard nothing from the Outlawz in years. They ain’t putting in work, it’s over for them.
Didn’t they align themselves with Ja Rule and those guys?
Yeah, that’s why they bitches and punks and pussies. Go over there and sing with Fat Albert and them [mimicks Ja’s singing].
What did you think of the Benzino-Eminem “beef”? The most ridiculous shit you’ve ever heard?
That was the most jokingest shit in the fucking world. Benzino... you see, he out of the rap game right now. He’ll never get another record deal. The only way he might get another record deal is through the Source. Fuck The Source. I’m on the cover of XXL. That’s who I’m rolling with. I don’t give a fuck about The Source magazine. Dave Mays too, he’s a bitch. All them muthafuckas over there, Suge Knight done punked them. I’m not scared of Suge Knight. If Suge Knight walked in this room right now, somebody gonna die – and I’d get up out of here.
I think you and Snoop did a lot in terms of breaking down Suge’s “boogieman” image...
I was the first one to say “fuck Suge Knight”. On my “This is the Life I Live” I said: “A gangsta ass decision was made / to have Marion Suge Knight straight blown away / I want to run the streets and rule the world...”. Then I pumped Snoop up to say the same thing. Now everyone is seeing the real character of Suge Knight, he ain’t doing shit. His hitman was doing all his dirt, but he’s dead right now. When I come out with my book, the whole world will be like “Damn!”. It ain’t snitching though, I ain’t a snitch. It’s just the truth. Just telling the truth about a bitch ass muthafucka who fucked up the rap game. He got rid of two people I liked – I liked Tupac and I liked Biggie. He’s the devil.
Did you know anything about the ins and outs of the Tupac-Biggie beef?
Suge fuelled the fire. It was a bunch of bullshit.
Has Snoop really quit smoking?
For a second [laughs]. I’ve got him on tape here. That’s his line at the shows we do: “Muthafuckas thought I stopped smoking weed. I did... for a second.” We’ve got a new song called “Smoke Weed, Get Drunk & Fuck”. That’s a real big song we’ve been doing through the tour, now Jay-Z, 50 Cent and them, they’re using it too. So you see them on tour and they’re saying our words too. That’s cool though, ‘cause we friendly people. Until you fuck over us. To any people we cool with, don’t fuck over us. Because we’re the realest thing in hip-hop. I’m the loyalest person living, when I say I’m down and committed to something, I’m down and committed to it. I’m cool with everyone I’m down with. That’s why people like the Outlawz are mad at me, because they’ve been fucked. And they did some bitch-ass shit. Kurupt, he’s a bitch. Roscoe, he’s a bitch.
We spoke about the wave of 50 Cent/Eminem disses before, are there any other trends in hip-hop that piss you off?
Everything else is cool. Except for the West Coast, everyone over here is feuding right now. You heard about what happened to Xzibit right?
Nah, what happened?
Well he was in the restaurant the other day, and some Latinos came in and asked if they could get an autograph. He was brushing them off, like fuck ‘em. So one of the Latinos started poking at him, then Xzibit said, “If you keep poke me again we’ll have to go outside and fight.” So the Latino did it again. Then they go outside, and the Latino dude socked him and another Latino came across and slapped him in the head with a 40 ounce bottle – almost cut his lips off. He got 86 stiches in his mouth. So I don’t think Xzibit going to be rapping no more. He’s got to get plastic surgery. He’s been crying for two days. But if you act like a bitch, something will happen to you. So Kurupt, something will happen to you soon. JT tha Bigga Figga, you’re a bitch too.
What happened with JT?
I did two songs with him and he didn’t pay me for them, so I beat him up. He’s mad about that, then Suge Knight punked him so he feels like he has to roll with Suge Knight.
What do you think about C-walking now being a mainstream dance, rather than something gang affiliated?
Where I’m from, if you C-walk then you have to represent. Like Snoop said: “Quit C-walking if you ain’t a gang banger.”
You even see Aussie kids doing it now, do you look at that as a cool thing, that it’s reached across the globe, or a sign of disrespect?
Shit, they want to be Crips [laughs]. Me and Snoop, we the King Crips. Kurupt, he ain’t a Crip, he’s a Blood. But when I see them Crip Walking, I quote that line from Snoop. Because if Bloods come up in here, what are you going to do? Freeze up? Because they will check you and see what set you’re from, then you really have to represent. Like when I walk down the street, I’m in Seattle right now, there’s a gang of Bloods down the street and I’m walking by myself. But they respect me because they know I’m not playin’ no games. I’ll get down and whip somebody’s ass.
Are you still going to do any work with Ras Kass when his legal shit is sorted out?
Fuck no I ain’t working with no fuckin’ Ras Kass. He’s in jail right now, he’s going to do about four years. Him and Xzibit and them ran out on us one day, we had a fight at the Venice Shoreline. We was in there, and they were like “Long Beach niggas...”, and we were squabbling and he was saying he was from Carson.
I remember you saying you wanted to help get his record out.
I was at first. I was just saying if he had nowhere to put it out, I’ve got a distribution deal, I can put it out. Because if you’re going to jail you need some loot. Put the record out! I’ll get you paid. I’m not going to take any money from you. Why would I take the money from your record when I can put my own shit out. I can put out three albums in a week. I put records out every week and every month. I’m going to drop my whole catalog again, with the DVDs and everything.
Who is an artist that you’re a fan of that most people wouldn’t pick you being into?
I’m pretty much into everything. I’m into rock n roll. I’m working on a rock n roll album right now. Me and Snoop got a rock album coming out called “Nine Inch Dicks”. Me, Snoop and the Snoopadelics.
What’s up with you and Natina (Kurupt's ex-girlfriend)?
That’s just some shit we put together as a little joke, everyone thinks it’s real though, huh? I’m divorced though, I’m not trying to get married again. Fuck a bitch. I ain’t saying fuck Natina though, that’s my homegirl.
Australia’s had Snoop, Bad Azz, Kurupt all toured Australia...
I’m the only one that’s never been down there!
When are you going to hit Australia?
When I get this passport shit together. I’m working on it right now. When I do my So So Def deal I think that’s when I’m coming down there with Jermaine. We gonna represent real big for So So Def.
You must have got a good deal with So So Def to leave what you were doing with your own label, in terms of money and creative control.
Yeah, I’ve got creative control for myself, and I’m a producer too so I’m happy to be in there to get some more work as well. And I like Jermaine, we’ve always been friends, since Kris Kross. I’ve been a fan of his and he’s been a fan of mine. I’m just happy that someone gave me the chance, someone that’s not scared of Suge Knight. And I want to do it to Da Brat [laughs]. I want Da Brat to be my girlfriend.
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