2002
DazandKuruptwere two  of the fiercest up-and-comers in the left-coast rap game when they were  still signed to Death Row records. So it's too bad thatTha Dogg  Pound 2002joins a slew of other questionable releases (Snoop  Dogg'sDead Man  Walkin', theChronic 2000compilation) put out by label CEO Suge Knight to snuff out his former  artists own legitimate new releases. But then again, if you own your  former artists' master tapes, names, and publishing rights, like Knight  does, you can do whatever you please with their old studio outtakes.  Sadly,2002is littered with sloppy subpar mix-downs ("Livin the  Gangsta Life"), dated and uncomfortable subject matter ("Don't Stop"  featuresTupacdissing theNotorious B.I.G.),  and lame lyrics that shouldn't see the light of day ("Crip wit Us"  awkwardly obsesses about cash, guns, and overpriced cars). On the other  hand,2002flaunts guest appearances by a who's who of the  hip-hoperati fromJay-ZtoXzibit, while  "Smoke" and "Every Single Day" do a decent job of encapsulating the  groovy G-funk mantra of the classic Death Row era. True Death Row fans  can cop this release, but it might also be in their best interest to  check out the independently releasedDillinger and Young  Gottireunion album that demonstrates just how much the duo  have progressed since they recorded material found on this album.--Dalton Higgins