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.