Classic Non-Album Cuts: Tha Dogg Pound

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Tha Dogg Pound are hip-hop legends.

They helped to build the foundation of Death Row Records and now act as elder statesmen and mentors to Game, Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, and the rest of the new class. They were soldiers in the East Coast-West Coast war, riding with Snoop and 2Pac and having their trailer fired at on the set of the “New York, New York” video. They have released multiplatinum albums and street mixtapes, gone their separate ways and reunited.

In short, Daz and Kurupt have seen and done it all.

Daz has crafted tracks for some of the greats and Kurupt is considered an all-time great lyricist, referenced in classics by both Eminem (“‘Till I Collapse”) and Kendrick Lamar (“Control”). For what it’s worth, Kurupt has a secure spot in my personal top ten.

As I have done with some of my other favorites, I decided to put together a playlist of DPG’s best tracks that don’t appear on their own releases. Songs from official Dogg Pound albums (Dogg Food, Dillinger & Young Gotti, etc.) and solo Daz and Kurupt albums are not included here.

This is not a comprehensive list, but just a rundown of some of my favorites.

Note: I tried to include “Big Body” off Schoolboy Q’s 2016 Blank Face LP, but it has been scrubbed from YouTube, at least for the moment.

Soundtracks

“N–s Don’t Give a Fuck” featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, The Lady of Rage & Dr. Dre off the Poetic Justice soundtrack (1993)

“Big Pimpin'” featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg, Nate Dogg & Big Pimpin’ off the Above the Rim soundtrack (1994)

“Dogg Pound 4 Life” featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg off the Above the Rim soundtrack (1994)

“What Would U Do?” featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg off the Murder Was the Case soundtrack (1994)

“Come Up to My Room” featuring Jodeci off the Murder Was the Case soundtrack (1994)

“Just Doggin'” featuring Nate Dogg off the Sunset Park soundtrack (1996)

“Nothin’ but the Cavi Hit” featuring Mack 10 off the Rhyme & Reason soundtrack (1997)

“Hollywood Bank Robbery” featuring Tray Deee & Snoop Doggy Dogg off the Gang Related soundtrack (1997)

Compilations

“I Wish” off Christmas on Death Row (1996)

“Knick Knack Patty Wack” off In Tha Beginning…There Was Rap (1997)

“Change the Game [Remix]” off DJ Clue’s The Professional 2 (2001)

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As Featured Artists

“Bitches Ain’t Shit” off Dr. Dre’s The Chronic (1992)

“Serial Killa” off Snoop Doggy Dogg’s Doggystyle (1993)

“For All My N–z & Bitches” off Snoop Doggy Dogg’s Doggystyle (1993)

“Doggy Dogg World” off Snoop Doggy Dogg’s Doggystyle (1993)

“Music Makes Me High [Remix]” off The Lost Boyz’ “Music Makes Me High” single (1996)

“Got My Mind Made Up” off 2Pac’s All Eyez on Me (1996)

“Blueberry” off Snoop Doggy Dogg’s Tha Doggfather (1996)

“Brownsville II Long Beach” off Heltah Skeltah’s Magnum Force (1998)

“Clockin’ C Notes” off Made Men’s Classic Limited Edition (1999)

“O.G. to Me” off Scarface’s The Last of a Dying Breed (2000)

“Bang” off The Game’s Doctor’s Advocate (2006)

“Cali Dro” off Birdman & Lil Wayne’s Like Father, Like Son (2006)

“Candy [Drippin’ Like Water]” off Snoop Dogg’s Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (2006)

Randoms and Unreleased

“Puffin on Blunts and Drankin Tanqueray” featuring Dr. Dre & The Lady Rage (1992)

“Just Watchin'” featuring 2Pac, Snoop Doggy Dogg & Charlie Wilson

“NY ’87” featuring 2Pac, DJ Quik & Deadly Threat

“Don’t Stop” [Original] featuring Nas

“Don’t Stop” featuring 2Pac

“Trajical” featuring RBX & The Lady of Rage [N’Matez] (2011)

All entries in the Classic Non-Album Cuts series:

Christopher Pierznik’s nine books are available in paperback and Kindle. Check out more of his writing at Medium. His work has appeared on XXL, Cuepoint, Business Insider, The Cauldron, Medium, Fatherly, Hip Hop Golden Age, and many more. Subscribe to his monthly newsletter or follow him on Facebook or Twitter.