Daz
Dillinger is making his feelings known about the treatment his cousin Snoop Dogg
received from police, as well as his views on the music industry and his belief
that slavery is alive and well."I am beginning to believe that slavery
is back,” the multi-platinum producer/rapper (born Delmar Arnaud) revealed
in a press statement. “Everything is a plantation, rather you work downtown
or you work at a factory, we are still in a plantation. And just because someone
receives money doesn’t mean they are free. Especially if they are threatened to
lose the money if they don’t do what they are told. This is slavery in 2006 and
in 2007, and it is my goal to make sure we escape and get free." Daz’
frustration is his reaction towards Snoop’s recent run-ins with the law,
which Daz labeled as “police harassment and unfair targeting."Snoop
was in court Monday (Dec. 4) to answer charges of carrying a 20-inch collapsible
baton in his luggage at John Wayne Airport in September. The
lyricist is set for another court appearance Dec. 12 on charges of illegal drug
and gun possession after being arrested Oct. 26 at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank.
His
most recent arrest came in Burbank Nov. 28 after a performance on The Tonight
Show with Jay Leno. Snoop
must appear in court Jan. 11 to answer the charges, which were given after police
stopped his vehicle and found a handgun and small amounts of marijuana and cocaine.
"Snoop
Dogg is another black man that is getting harassed,” Daz said. “If you
take the title Snoop Dogg away, there wouldn’t be any media attention. He’d silently
be harassed every day until they created some type of scenario to lock him up.
Luckily and hopefully the media can shine its light on this ridiculous double
standard of the legal system." The
Dogg Pound member’s outrage has sparked plans to set up community centers
to help young African-American and Latino men and women learn about the music
industry as a way of getting them off the streets. Additionally,
Daz is speaking out on the controversy surrounding the shooting of Sean Bell,
the 23-year-old man who was shot execution style by New York authorities the night
before his wedding. A
protest rally in regards to the shooting of Bell is slated to take place tomorrow
(Dec. 7) in New York. "This
has got to stop,” stated Daz, who called for black people to “raise
our voice and if necessary our fists against this continued and blatant murder
against Black people." The
recent slate of events, coupled with Daz’ dissatisfaction with the music
industry and his former label So So Def Records, serve as motivation for an upcoming
release titled Slavery is Back."Hanging
around Tupac, his political mind state definitely rubbed off on me,” Daz
said. “I have been political. However this industry doesn’t want anything
now that doesn’t have you killing yourself or dancing."The comments
come amid Daz’ recent departure from So So Def after reaching a creative
stalemate with the powers that be. "At
So So Def I wanted a different route. I wanted a different direction, but I never
was heard,” Daz said. “They wanted me to tap into a market that was
in the ’90s. They wanted me to dilute my message.” Fans won’t have
to wait long for a musical helping of Daz. The rapper’s next release Dogg Chit,
will mark the last time Daz will actively use the "N-word" on wax on
material he said possess a “self hatred mind frame.” He
vows instead to take more responsibility for his lyrics as well as redefine the
term he helped popularize. “I
speak to those black men who are out there barely trying to survive. But there
are different levels of being a gangster," Daz expressed. "The president
of the United States is a gangster and I want to address those issues and the
many levels and sophistication that is attached with that word…black people
are operating on a lower level, gang banging. Real power is owning a country not
a block. Especially not a block that has no resources on it. The streets we are
fighting for doesn’t have oil in it, diamonds in it. So what are we killing each
other for? It’s time for Black men and Black women to realize that yes you maybe
a gangster for killing someone. But if you are killing someone and have the fear
of going to jail over your head, that isn’t a gangster. A real gangster like President
Bush doesn’t even have to fear that. I want to expose that. And in my upcoming
album Slavery is Back I will." Dogg
Chit is scheduled to hit stores in February 2007. Slavery is Back will
hit stores in 2007.