Daz Dillinger is a rapper and record producer from Long Beach, United States. Born Delmar Arnaud in 1973, he is also known as Dat Nigga Daz and works in gangsta rap, hip hop and West Coast hip hop.

Death Row Records and Tha Dogg Pound

He becomes associated with Death Row Records at the height of West Coast rap’s popularity, after Warren G introduces him to Dr. Dre during the period when Dre records The Chronic. Dillinger contributes to The Chronic, Snoop Doggy Dogg’s Doggystyle, Tupac Shakur’s All Eyez on Me and many of Death Row’s major releases.

With Kurupt, he releases Dogg Food under the name Tha Dogg Pound. The album goes multi-platinum and becomes one of the label’s key releases. After Dr. Dre leaves Death Row, Dillinger becomes one of the label’s main producers and works on Snoop’s Tha Doggfather as well as compilations and soundtracks.

Solo work and later labels

After the deaths, departures and imprisonment that leave Death Row diminished, Dillinger remains the label’s main active artist for a period. He releases his solo debut Retaliation, Revenge and Get Back in 1998 under the name Daz Dillinger. The album reaches gold status.

Around 2000 he leaves Death Row and starts his own imprint, DPG Recordz. He then issues his second solo album, R.A.W., independently. Although it does not match the commercial reach of his Death Row work, it gains cult status in the underground West Coast rap scene. He continues to release EPs and LPs as the head of his label.

Collaborations and disputes

In 2002 Dillinger and Kurupt split after Kurupt returns to Death Row and aligns again with Suge Knight. The two subsequently exchange diss tracks. They later reunite at the “Protect the West” peace meeting in 2005, alongside other West Coast rap figures.

Other releases and affiliations

Dillinger also releases So So Gangsta on Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def label. He is associated with Tha Dogg Pound, N’Matez, DPGC, Death Row Eastsidaz, The S.T.O.P. Movement and Tha Gang. He records through D. Dillinger Music and Delmar Arnaud Musiq.