Tha Eastsidaz

“You put me with the homie Goldie though we never had spoke/ A Insane with a 20 now we hellava close/ And y’alls kids my kids/ So we family now/ ‘Cause I could never see you doing bad without me/ And that’s real.”

–Tray Deee, “Friends” from Duces ‘N’ Trayz…The Old Fashioned Way

On Snoop Dogg Presents Tha Eastsidaz’s sophomore release Duces ‘N’ Trayz…The Old Fashioned Way, Snoop Dogg, Goldie Loc, and Tray Deee celebrate their union. Though their self-titled debut released in 2000 achieved platinum status, and bore two top rap singles, “G’d Up” and “Got Beef,” Snoop Dogg, Goldie, Loc, and Tray Deee weren’t always close.

In fact, at the time Big Snoop Dogg asked his homies from Long Beach, California to join him in forming Tha Eastsidaz, Goldie Loc and Tray Deee were representing rival gangs Duces and Trayz. But they agreed to put their differences to the side. The group used the album title Duces ‘N’ Trayz…The Old Fashioned Way, their new Doggystle/ TVT release, to address the issue.

“It was kinda love to put it back together the old fashioned way because we feel like we back in time before everything started going wrong between Duces and Trayz,” Goldie Loc says about the group’s formation. “Now that they see me, Snoop and Tray Deee having fun together, it makes people that used to not like the whole situation want to have fun with us.”

Their influence transcends gangsta circles, and appeals to music enthusiasts of all types. Duces ‘N’ Trayz…The Old Fashioned Way delivers a potent dose of Tha Eastsidaz’s classic West Coast funk that even surpasses that on their debut. On Duces ‘N’ Trayz…The Old Fashioned Way, the group broadens their musical scope to include contributions from across the map.

Los Angeles, California’s Battlecat infuses buzzing synthesizers, mood setting keys, and popping electric guitars on five of the album’s songs, including the anthemic first release “I Luv It,” and the smooth and sexy “I Don’t Know.” Cincinnati, Ohio’s Hi-Tek issues staggering percolating production on songs like “Eastside Ridaz.” Alchemist, another L.A.-native provides ’70s blaxploitation scores such as “Friends.” Swizz Beatz, the brainchild behind the Ruff Ryders’s erratic militaristic sound, closes the album with the charging “Everywhere I Go.” Ric Roc, raised in both Los Angeles and Alabama, sculpted “Sticky Fingers,” the booming, chime ridden clever metaphoric ode to the mary jane. And, Meech Wells, Jelly Roll, Fredwreck, and DJ Pooh also add chilling, infectious songs to the mix.

Additionally, an All-Star cast of gangsta crooners and fierce MCs appear in droves. Nate Dogg, Butch Cassidy, Lil’ Mo and George Clinton incarnate Kokane keep each track doused with flaming choruses. And MCs Suga Free, Kurupt, Doggy’s Angels, Soopafly, RBX, Bad Azz, and Half Dead add even more heat to the album. Queensbridge, New York’s duo Mobb Deep inject their infamous flavor to the racing “Connected,” and legendary West Coast veteran Mixmaster Spade makes a surprise cameo on posse cut “Dogghouse In Your Mouth.”

With Duces ‘N’ Trayz…The Old Fashioned Way, Snoop Dogg Presents Tha Eastsidaz once again validates their significance in the rap game. Snoop has been a staple artist in hip-hop since his 1992 introduction on Dr. Dre’s “Deep Cover” that served as the launch pad for his standout appearance on the legendary producer’s seminal, post-NWA album The Chronic that sold more than 3 million copies. In 1994, Snoop Dogg’s solo career earned him the quadruple platinum debut Doggstyle, and a Grammy nomination for his song “Gin & Juice.” Each of his subsequent albums has been certified platinum or multiplatinum.

Tray Deee and Goldie Loc don’t take Snoop Dogg’s contributions to hip-hop lightly, and are glad that he had the insight to bring the three of them together. “We did good on our first album, sold a million records”, Goldie Loc adds, “but with this album we vibed real hard and had a lot of fun, and we’re ready to do it all over again!”