Dogg Food

Last updated
Dogg Food
DoggPoundDoggFood.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 31, 1995 (1995-10-31)
RecordedDecember 1994 – April 1995
Studio
Genre
Length71:19
Label
Producer
Tha Dogg Pound chronology
Dogg Food
(1995)
Dillinger & Young Gotti
(2001)
Singles from Dogg Food
  1. "New York, New York"
    Released: September 17, 1995
  2. "Let's Play House"
    Released: November 15, 1995

Dogg Food is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Tha Dogg Pound, released on October 31, 1995, by Death Row Records, Interscope Records and Priority Records. [2] [3] The album features guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Michel'le, The Lady of Rage, Tray Deee, and Mr. Malik. Two singles were released from the album: "Let's Play House" (featuring Michel'le and Nate Dogg) and "New York, New York" (featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg).

Contents

It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart on November 18, 1995. [4] The album sold 278,000 copies in its first week. [5] It is one of the last high-selling and critically acclaimed releases from the label, preceding only Tha Doggfather and Tupac's releases as an anticipated album, and is the last to be "officially" produced under the G-funk era of hip-hop, with Death Row Records' future releases diverging from the style. Though Dr. Dre was Death Row's top producer, the album was mostly produced by Daz Dillinger, while Dre mixed the album. Dogg Food led the way for Daz to become the top in-house producer for Death Row until his departure in the late 1990s.

The video for the first single, "New York, New York", caused some controversy when Snoop appeared in it kicking down buildings throughout New York. The trailer of Tha Dogg Pound was shot at during the process of making the "New York, New York" video although no one was injured. The song is one of three tracks on the album not produced by Daz, as DJ Pooh provided the beat. [6]

Background

Its controversial lyrics were the subject of shareholder protest. The album was supposed to be released in August 1995, but as a result of the controversy from Time Warner, the release was delayed by two months. [7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Entertainment Weekly A [10]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [11]
Muzik Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
RapReviews8/10 [14]
Spin 5/10 [15]

The Encyclopedia of Popular Music wrote that the album "revealed a comparative deftness of touch and a penchant for self-parody largely lacking in [the group's] more esteemed colleagues." [9] The Washington Post opined that Tha Dogg Pound's "variation on what has become a stale formula is less sample-driven than most gangsta funk; instead, it focuses on the formidable verbal flow and rhyme skills of Daz and Kurupt." [16] The Baltimore Sun wrote that "the music here sounds wonderfully fresh, from the growling synth-bass of 'Smooth' to the dreamy, slightly tropical pulse of 'Big Pimpin' 2'." [17] Trouser Press called the album "a low-key, unambitious and only mildly imaginative replay of Doggystyle, rolling over familiar G-funk terrain with the same minimum of venom and violence." [18]

Commercial performance

Dogg Food debuted at number one on both the US Billboard 200 and the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, selling 278,000 copies in its first week (the week ending on November 5, 1995). [5] The album was certified 2× platinum on January 5, 1996.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"  Dat Nigga Daz 0:18
2."Dogg Pound Gangstaz"Dat Nigga Daz5:22
3."Respect" (featuring Prince Ital Joe)
  • Arnaud
  • Brown
  • Delemond Williams
Dat Nigga Daz5:54
4."New York, New York" (featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg) DJ Pooh 4:51
5."Smooth" (featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg)
DJ Pooh4:35
6."Cyco-lic-no" (featuring Mr. Malik)
  • Arnaud
  • Brown
  • Broadus
  • La Morris Edwards
Dat Nigga Daz4:56
7."Ridin', Slipin' and Slidin'"
  • Arnaud
  • Brown
  • Sentrelle Conerly
  • Dat Nigga Daz
  • Dave "Swang" Knight (co.)
4:02
8."Big Pimpin 2"WilliamsDat Nigga Daz1:36
9."Let's Play House" (featuring Michel'le and Nate Dogg)Dat Nigga Daz3:24
10."I Don't Like to Dream About Gettin Paid" (featuring Nate Dogg)
  • Brown
  • Broadus
  • Hale
Dat Nigga Daz5:13
11."Do What I Feel" (featuring The Lady of Rage)
Dat Nigga Daz3:31
12."If We All Fuc"
  • Arnaud
  • Brown
  • Broadus
Dat Nigga Daz3:13
13."Some Bomb Azz Pussy"
  • Arnaud
  • Brown
  • Broadus
Dat Nigga Daz4:29
14."A Doggz Day Afternoon"
  • Arnaud
  • Brown
  • Hale
Dat Nigga Daz2:46
15."Reality" (featuring Big Tray Deee)
  • Arnaud
  • Brown
  • Dat Nigga Daz
  • Emanuel Dean
6:16
16."One by One"
  • Arnaud
  • Brown
Dat Nigga Daz5:09
17."Sooo Much Style"
  • Arnaud
  • Brown
Kurupt 5:44
Total length:71:19

Notes

Sample credits

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [26] Gold50,000^
United States (RIAA) [27] 2× Platinum3,000,000 [28]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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