Daz Dillinger: Only on the Left Side

Daz Dillinger: Only on the Left Side Daz Dillinger is mostly known for his membership in the rap duo Tha Dogg Pound, with Kurupt, and his work with Death Row Records. Daz, formerly known as Dat Nigga Daz, appeared on hip-hop classics like Dr. Dre's The Chronic, Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle, and Tupac's All Eyez On Me. Now well seperated from Death Row's heyday, Daz releases his eleventh solo album Only on the Left Side. If you couldn't tell by the cover, Daz is a Crip and "only on the left side" is a reference to the Crips. Only on the Left Side is an interesting listen. His old-school gangsta rap style reminds us of Doggystyle before Snoop started making R&B tracks. It reminds us of when guys like Suge Knight, Dr. Dre, and Tupac ruled the hip-hop world. In a lot of ways, Only on the Left Side is like a trip back in time. There are certain times when the album feels a little passe, but for the most part it is a welcome trip back. Daz's collaboration with Keak Da Sneak "Dip Drop Stop Dip" injects a little of modern West coast hip hop flare into the album and Daz teams up with his old friend Kurupt for the album's closing track "Thiz How We Live". Surprisingly it's Daz' mainstream attempts that fall the most on deaf ears. The Swizz Beatz produced "I'm From The Hood" is maybe the worst track on the album. The ballad "Regretz" features Nicole Wray and Tyrese throws off the pace of the entire album. "Me & My Cuzzin" featuring Snoop Dogg is a little slow, but is still a solid track. In the end, Daz might be looking to rebound after not charting a solo album since 1998. I am not sure if Only on the Left Side has the commercial appeal to do it. The heyday of Death Row style gangsta rap is long gone and there doesn't seem to be much of a market to bring it back. A couple hip hop historians will see this album as a welcome addition to their collection, but the modern rap fan will probably look at this as an unwelcome artifact. Rating: 6.9/10 MP3: Daz Dillinger "Only on the Left Side" Buy: iTunes