Customer Reviews

Cali Iz Active

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Tha Dogg Pound - Cali Iz Active (KOCH, 2006)

And another entry in the long list of this year's disappointing albums from veterans is Tha Dogg Pound's Cali Iz Active. Kurupt and Daz still got that chemistry together, though; it's too bad that they're rapping like it's still 1992.

It's really a shame because in the 90's, Kurupt used to be really dope with his and Daz used to rhyme tight and produce tight jams. But on this album, Daz doesn't produce anything (which is already a one-star deduction) and his and Kurupt's rhymes are both uninspired. Overseer Snoop Dogg shows up a few times on here and though I can say the same about his deteriorated rhyme prowess, he steals the show from the Doggs. You can even look at the song titles and tell that this album would be unoriginal ("Sittin on 23z", "Keepin it Gangsta", etc.).

The saving graces on this album are productions by Battlecat (who is still severely underrated) and Soopafly (him too). Also, the Ice Cube-assisted "It's All Hood" adds some life to the party. "Fakina** H**s" featuring and produced by David Banner would also be good if the beat didn't sound like a rip-off of Jay-Z's "Dirt Off Your Shoulder".

If Cali is active, this album should not be proof. How did 2Pac say it? "All you old rappers tryin' to advance/It's all over now, take it like a man." -EJR

Just 8 months since thier last group album and on the same day as a Kurupt solo album, Daz & Kurupt (with Snoop) are bacc. Probably tied for their worst group album (with their last 2 -- all barely 4 stars). Between Daz & Kurupt I have around 24 albums they're associated with, and this is definitely in the bottom 33%. With 16 songs, Daz & Kurupt are on every song, Snoop is on 7, 2 are almost a classic, 7 or 8 are good, 2 I Skip and the rest are average. Guests are on 6 songs, and as a few reviewers stated, they need to do that early/mid 90's west coast upbeat music that made all us all love 'em and quit trying to do southern music (it sucks for the most part, and you aren't doing it any better). Production has it's high spots and lows, not enough west coast sound and Daz did NO SONGS! Battlecat does 4 songs, Soopafly does 3 (2 very nicely as usual), LT Moe, Swizz Beatz, David Banner, 1500, Jazze Pha, J-Dubs, Ryan Leslie, Rick Rock, Mr. Bangledesh all do 1. I'd have liked to hear some rapping from Bad Azz, Crooked I, Tray Deee, Nate Dogg, Warren G, or Roscoe - but maybe next time. A good album for their fans but they've done much better.

#1 - 9 (kurupt, daz, snoop, battlecat -- nice beat)
#2 - 9.5 (kurupt & daz -- tight beat)
#3 - 7.5 (kurupt & daz)
#4 - 6.5 (daz & kurupt)
#5 - 8 (daz, Kurupt, snoop, puff daddy)
#6 - 9.5 (daz & kurupt -- tight beat)
#7 - 7 (daz, snoop, kurupt)
#8 - 8 (kurupt, daz, lady of rage)
#9 - 5 (snoop, daz, rbx, kurupt)
#10 - 8.5 (daz, snoop, kurupt)
#11 - 8 (kurupt, daz, david banner)
#12 - 6 (daz, snoop, rbx, kurupt)
#13 - 5 (daz, paul wall, kurupt -- dirty song)
#14 - 9 (daz, kurupt -- tight beat)
#15 - 8 (kurupt, snoop, daz, oliver brown)
#16 - 7 (daz & kurupt -- dirty song)

KURUPT -- Ricardo Jones -- b. 11/23/72 -- b. Philadelphia, PA moved to Hawthorne, CA
DAZ DILLINGER -- Delmar Arnaud -- b. 5/25/73 -- b. Mississippi moved to Long Beach, CA, moved to Atlanta, GA
SNOOP DOGG -- Calvin Broadus -- b. 10/20/72 -- Long Beach, CA

DPGC!!
Check all my Reviews

Tha Dogg Pound was banging 10 years back,but they lost there Groove long ago. the flows are tired&there are too many hands on the Production end. seems to be going through the motions&hoping to catch somebody feeling the vibe,but you just can't recapture where things were at back in the day. Snoop is just hall passing these days so him being on cruise control here comes as no suprise.

I was expecting a lot from the new Dogg Pound album... I knew that they would never be able to go back to the greatness they showed on the classics "Dogg Food" or "Dillinger and Young Gotti", but I was hoping for a good album. With Snoop supervising and the group being on Koch I still had high hopes for Cali iz Active, especially after hearing the banging single "Calli Iz Active" and seing the video (the video is one for the books, a true classic)...
However after getting the album, I was very disspointed. First of all, again - no Daz production. Supafly produced 3 songs, and his beats were all very good. The Swizz Beats song ("Sittin' on 23z") is boring, useless and the beat sounds like at least 5 former Swizz Beatz' songs... Even Battlecat's beats (other than the title song) were nothing special. Two of the best beats were made by Down-South producers (David Banner on one of the best songs - "Stank A__ H__s" and Jazze Pha on "She likes that") and they do not really fit Dogg Pound's trademark West Coast style (although the group does a good job on both songs...
Anyway, the production is not horrible, it's not wack... But overall it's just not something you'll feel. The other problem is the rapping itself. I am sorry, but on most songs, Daz and Kurupt spit the same old uninspired lyrics. Oh - and another thing: this whole album is laid-back stuff. There isn't even one hard-sounding beat (other than the banging David Banners song, which is about sex anyway), no hard hitting gangsta lyrics... nothing like what we got on "dilliner and Young Gotti".
However, I still decided that I'd give the album a "good" rating. Since it's not wack. You can still listen to it and enjoy some of the song. But if this album shows that Cali Iz Active, then Cali, we have a problem. I really really hope Daz did better on his solo album (I think he will, because he worked on it for a long time and he did all the producing, along with JD).
If you are a Dogg Pound fan, you should get this album. But if you're just a fan of West Coast music, there are much better albums to get this year. Look through my former reviews and you'll see a few titles (the new albums by Celly Cel, Suga Free, MC Eiht...)

Big Snoop Dogg and the Dogg Pound together again representing the West Coast to the Fullest. With Nate Dogg on the hook of a few songs and Diddy on a track as well. Professional Production by Battlecat, David Banner, Rick Rock and Swizz Beats.

I would like to start by saying that this is my 2nd album i bought by DPG. the first one was "The Saga Continues" and that album was much better than this.

"Cali is active" got some great outstanding beats and guest appearances are great but still something is missing!!!? the old Kurupt spit some hot s**t on the previous album but on this album he sounds like he's tired of rapping. his lyrics sometimes are at peak but most of the time they are off beat. Daz got some nice verses but like Kurupt, he sounds like he's not even trying.

If u a hardcore fan of DPG then buy the album, if not then buy their previous album "Daz & Kurupt 2: The Saga Continues"!

i don't ussualy review any thing but after i read the reviews i got mad because i don't know why they are hatting on this album because i thought that this album is good. It has always been the same no matter what snoop dogg any of the dpgc releace.

this album is supposed to be a dpgc album bt it is more like a dpg album because kurupt and daz are on every track.

this album has no message surrounding the lyrics but that is the same case with most of the rap albums these days. so that is not a problem because it has been the case for some time ever since jay z retired the rap world has been dominated by club songs from the south. this album shows the dpgc just enjoying themselves.

The album has great production from the begining to the end. there is the production of the likes of battlecat, soopafly, jazze pha, swizz beatz. even the new comers sound great. i think that it is a matter of time until we see them doing some thing on snoop's album.

i read some negative reviews about the tracks featuring south side artists. they are saying that they sold out and are trying to emitate the wave of music from the south that is dominating the rap game these years but that is not true. It just happens to be that they are close freinds with david banner and that is why he is on this album. as for the track with paul wall i thought that it is one of the funniest tracks that i heard in ages.

to conlcude i want to say that it is true that this album is not prfect but it is one of these albums which would be in my car for a long time to come.

1-Prod by battlecat
2-Prod by L.T. Moe
3-Prod by Swizz Beatz
4-Prod by Battlecat
5-Prod by J-Dubs
6-Prod by Soopafly
7-Prod by Ryan Leslie
8-Prod by Soopafly
9-Prod by Rick Rock
10-Prod by Battlecat
11-Prod by David Banner
12-Prod by 1500
13-Prod by Shondrea
14-Prod by Soopafly
15-Prod by Battlecat
16-Prod by Jazee Pha

A good west coast album for true west fans. They will appreciate the latest from Daz, Kurupt, & Snoop Dogg. Production from Battlecat, Swizz Beatz, Ryan Leslie, Soopafly, Jazze Phae, David Banner & more. The title track is a solid 1st single. "Sittin on 23z" is a banger produced by Swizz Beatz. West coast fans will like the collaborations with Lady of Rage & RBX. Diddy and Paul Wall don't mix with seasoned west coast mc's on a true west coast album. Not as good as Dogg Pound's death row days, but worthwhile album considering all of the commercialized, recycled, boring, typical garbage out lately. West coast is coming - look for the game and dre albums soon!

THA DOGGPOUND
CALI IZ ACTIVE

I have been waiting on this album for a while now, but being that it is a DOGGYSTYLE release I was a little worried. Seeing that everyone that has been signed to Snoop's label and dropped an album has stated that Snoop isn't the greatest CEO and tries to have all the say as far as the sound of the album goes. So I was a little worried.........

1.CALI IZ ACTIVE-the first track is the lead single of the album produced by the great BATTLECAT, who's beat is off the chain and is the perfect backdrop for the returning DPG. KURUPT kicks it off with a great verse that got me hyped about this release. DAZ comes in next with an equally great verse, so this album is starting out great. Snoop kicks it last with a great verse of his own, his flow is excellent on this track, he also closes the song with a nice little thing in the end. Also the hook is excellent, this was a wise choice for a single, and a great opener, also the skit at the end is funny.5/5

2.KUSHN N' PUSHN-things continue nicely with this great song, the beat is amazing. L.T.MOE did a great job with this track, I love the horns in this track. And Kurupt rips this song up with every verse. And to my surprise the one of the two who never got props as a lyricist Daz really shines on this track. Both definitely rip this track to pieces, and L.T.Moe really gave them an excellent instrumental.5/5

3.SITTIN ON 23Z-now this isn't a fault in the album but it does kinda fall out of place. It really isn't any one's fault in particular, because Daz & Kurupt both hold it down on the mic, and the hook is tight. But they sound out of place on SWIZZ BEATZ instrumental, which is actually a nice beat, but the styles don't mesh well together [at least to me]. The bad thing is that is supposed to be a single, I really think that Daz & Kurupt's rhyme scheme would have sounded more natural on this track if it would have been produce by Daz himself. In all honesty though it is an ok song worth bumpin. 4/5

4.STOP LYIN-MONEY MIKE is in the house people with a cool intro, then an excellent Battlecat instrumental hits your ears. This smooth production is perfect for cruising, and you know Daz and Kurupt hold it down nicely. This is the kinda stuff I like to hear, this seems like a more natural fit with a west coast producer behind the boards.4.8/5

5.IT'S CRACCIN ALL NIGHT-here's something I thought I would never hear my self saying, "that joint with DIDDY is hard". At first I was a little worried about [quick to jack an 80's beat] Diddy being on this song. Luckily for all that listen [jack the beat] Diddy didn't produce this song, a guy by the name of J-DUBS produced this monster of an instrumental. Daz kicks it off with a great verse, followed by Kurupt's excellent verse. Snoop shares a verse with Diddy and both hold it down, yes that includes Diddy.4.5/5

6.SLOW YOUR ROLL-finally a SOOPAFLY produced track, and it was worth the wait as he laced an incredible track for Tha Pound to rip to. And of course you know Daz hit the beat perfectly with his verse, but it was Kurupt that stole the show on this track with an incredible flow on his verses, and on the hook. The whole track is great and a nice change of pace because this song sounds like something from their early days.4.8/5

7.HEAVYWEIGHTS-Snoop returns on this track, and helps Tha Pound kick it over a smooth g'ed up production from RYAN LESLIE. This is the perfect song to kick back to and light up, or just kick it playing a game or something. All three take turns dropping some lines then giving the mic to the other member in line. Although it is a cool song I must say that it seems like [on this song at least] that the threesome has lost some chemistry together.4/5

8.KEEP IT GANGSTA-first off I must say that Soopafly came with heat on this one, his beat is incredible and perfect for Tha Pound. Then Kurupt kicks things off on this excellent track with a nice verse, followed by a good verse from Daz. But it is The Lady of Rage that steals the show on this track with an excellent verse preformed with an amazing flow. I can't wait for her album to drop [if it does].4.8/5

9.HARD ON A -RICK ROCK came with a nice instrumental on this song, kinda feel good feel to it [did that make sense]. Each verse from Kurupt, Daz, and the great RBX are nice, and it sounds good to hear Nate Dogg on here but the hook from Snoop isn't that great. Over all this is just your typical song, and we all know the DPG's are capable of better songs about the opposite sex ["Ain't No Fun"].3/5

10.IT'S ALL HOOD-Battlecat returns with more standout production, now this is that West Coast sound I've been waiting for, Battlecat proves once again that he is one of the best in the game. Daz starts things out with a nice verse; Snoop throws in an extremely great verse after that. Snoop is followed by Kurupt with another great verse form the Kingpin. Ice Cube is featured on the hook, Cali Iz definitely Active.5/5

11.FAKN-DAVID BANNER is in the house bringing a new sound to the album, and it works out well as both Daz & Kurupt both sound good over the track. Kurupt kicks it off with a great verse followed immediately by Daz, after that Banner holds down the hook. Daz starts out the next verse followed by Young Gotti. David Banner spits the last verse ending the song with a good verse.4.2/5

12.DON'T SWEAT IT- the first thing you notice on this track is the tight beat from 1500, he comes nice with this creeping beat. Snoop kicks the intro off as Daz comes in spiting that dp flow, Diggity comes nice on the verse. Snoop lets lose on a nice hook, followed by the ever talented RBX, who as usual kills it. Kurupt kicks the last verse with a nice flow and good word play. Big Nate Dogg comes threw on all the hooks in the background behind Snoop.4.6/5

13.MAKE DAT POP-I love the beat on this track, Mr. Bangladesh came with a great beat for this song, I would say this is one of the best sex type songs from the Pound in a while. Daz kicks things off with a great verse followed by a great verse from guest PAUL WALL. From there we have Kurupt dropping another excellent verse, along with Nate on the hook, and a cameo from Snoop this track ends up being one of the best.4.5/5

14.THROW UP DA C- Soopafly returns to drop a classic instrumental for Kurupt & Daz to ride to. And they easily pull it off on this classic track, with great chemistry trading on and off on the verses, and put forth a great catchy hook. This track is a favorite of mine, and I consider it a classic.5/5

15.SHE LIKES DAT-JAZZE PHA is in the house ladies and gentlemen, and drops a nice bass driven beat for the DPG to get down on. Like some other songs on this track this one deals with the ladies and sex. Daz kicks it off with a nice verse, followed by Kurupt. The final verse both trade off, and hand in a pretty good track with Snoop on the hook.4.5/5

These next two tracks are bonus tracks that came on some copies of the album.

16.DO WHAT U WANNA-LT HUTTON drops a nice, nice, nice beat for the Pound on this track. Kurupt kicks it off first, followed by Daz who kinda holds his own better than Kurupt's verse. They each split the final verse, but other than the beat the best part of this song is the catchy hook by both, great song.5/5

17TAKE YOUR DRAWERS OFF-Jazze Pha returns with excellent production on this track, and he also puts down a very catchy hook. Daz starts it off with an excellent verse, verse two is handled by Kurupt with another excellent verse. Verse three is handled by Pha who does an excellent job, still I love the beat for this track, excellent way to end the album.5/5

over all this is a very solid album, and while not the classic that "DOGGFOOD" is, it is still a very good album. This new album will go down as one of the Pounds best.

This album in my opinion is pretty dope. Only flaws are the tracks with Paul Walk and David Banner, not that those artists ain't hot but them and DPG don't mix. Other than that, the rest of the cd is above average and worth the money. If you like DPG or West Coast rap go pick this up now!

TOP TRACKS:
Cali Iz Active
Keep It Gangsta
Sittin' On 23Z
Throwin' Up Da C
It's All Hood