Tha Eastsidaz's Tray Deee (File)
Photo: TVT

Tray Deee of Tha Eastsidaz was sentenced to 12 years in a California state prison on Wednesday for his role in a 2003 shooting.

Appearing in Long Beach Superior Court, the rapper, born Tracy Lamar Davis, pleaded no contest to shooting at an occupied vehicle and remains in county jail awaiting transfer to an as-yet-undetermined prison, according to prosecutor Cynthia Barnes.

In a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop two charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and one firearm-possession charge in exchange for Davis admitting to personal use of a firearm and assistance to a criminal street gang. According to Barnes, the latter charge came in light of evidence that Davis threw a gang sign at two unidentified men seated in a car before opening fire. Neither man was injured in the shooting.

Davis, who formed Tha Eastsidaz with Goldie Loc and Snoop Dogg in 1999, had been in county jail for more than a year awaiting trial. Prior to the incident, Davis and Goldie Loc had accused Snoop of failing to pay them back royalties for their two albums.

Tha Eastsidaz are still signed to TVT and have a handful of songs recorded for their third album, but it is not yet scheduled for release, according to a label spokesperson. It's unknown how Davis' incarceration will affect the completion of the album.

• Tha Eastsidaz
• Snoop Dogg

Tha Eastsidaz's Tray Deee
Photo: TVT

Big Tray Deee, one of the members of the Snoop Dogg side group Tha Eastsidaz, remains in a Long Beach, California, jail after being arrested Friday night for allegedly shooting at a small group of people outside a grocery and drug store in Long Beach. No one was injured in the incident.

Tray Deee, whose real name is Tray Muhammad, is being held on $151,000 bail on five felony and misdemeanor charges including assault with a deadly weapon, driving a stolen vehicle and presenting false identification to a police officer.

According to witness reports given to police, Muhammad, 37, was engaged in a confrontation with the group and, after an exchange of words, Muhammad pulled a gun from the glove compartment of the vehicle, which turned out to be stolen, and fired at the group before leaving. He was picked up at a home in nearby Fontana and a search yielded a rifle and a 9 mm pistol.

Muhammad is expected to be arraigned in a Long Beach courthouse on Wednesday unless he posts bail, in which case another arraignment date will be set.

Recently, Muhammad made claims against his former mentor, Snoop Dogg, saying that the superstar rapper had failed to pay Tha Eastsidaz back royalties on their two albums released in 2000 and 2001. Snoop's spokespeople did not return calls for comment by press time.

• Tha Eastsidaz

Snoop Dogg
Photo: MTV News

The first album spawned by Snoop Dogg's Doggy Style Records partnership venture with MCA is about to hit. Welcome to Tha House Volume 1, featuring Bigg Snoop Dogg, Soopafly, LaToiya Williams, Mr. Kane and E-White (collectively known as the Doggy Style All-stars), will be released on July 30, according to a source close to the project.

The first official single will be Williams' R&B tune "Fallen Star." That video is set to start filming May 1 in Los Angeles. "Locs at Night," by Mr. Kane, and the camp posse cut

"Doh'Doh'," produced by Hi-Tek, will also be released to mixtape and mix show DJs in the next few weeks. Around the same time the album drops, a documentary will be released — also titled "Welcome to Tha House" — on VHS and DVD. 

On the solo tip, Snoop is working on his next LP, Bigg Snoop Dogg Has Paid Tha Cost to Be Tha Boss, which is set to drop in late September. Hi-Tek, Just Blaze, Fredwreck, Battle Cat, the Neptunes, DJ Scratch and new Dogg House in-house producer Quazedelic have all supplied beats.

As he's doing with the label compilation, Snoop is also going to put out a film to accompany his album. He's starring in "Boss'n Up" as a hustler from Long Beach, California, named Corde, who moves to Miami. While in the M.I.A, Corde learns the ins and outs of pimping and builds a dynasty with the help of hordes of ladies of the evening. 

Interestingly enough, Snoop's fans will have a chance to own his real-life big pimpin' mobile, the Snoop Deville. He's going to be giving the vehicle away as part of a contest that promotes his album.

Snoop's other acts, Tha Eastsidaz and Doggy's Angels, whose albums are put out by TVT Records, are both in the lab working on LPs as well.

• Snoop Dogg
• Tha Eastsidaz
• Doggy's Angels

Snoop Dogg
Photo: MTV

Snoop Dogg's triple-X video, "Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle," took home two trophies at the 2002 Adult Video News Awards last Friday, and the Doggfather and his entourage took over a fellow pornster's hotel room to celebrate.

The rapper's first foray into the porn world won the Best Music award and was named Top Selling Tape of 2001, according to a spokesperson for the movie's producer, Hustler Video. The flick features 11 previously unreleased songs by Snoop protégés Tha Eastsidaz. Snoop cast the actors and wrote the score, and he can be seen rapping and cavorting in several sequences that introduce X-rated scenes.

The Doggfather and some members of his entourage were on hand to accept the honors, which were presented at a ceremony held at Las Vegas' Venetian Hotel. At a porn-star-studded afterparty, the rapper and nearly 70 of his closest friends commandeered a penthouse suite bedroom belonging to actor Jason Sechrest, Sechrest said Thursday (January 17). When Snoop's security denied Sechrest and others from entering the actor's room, citing a "chicks only, no dudes" rule, hotel security was called to escort Snoop and company from the premises.

Plans for a "Doggystyle 2" video are being discussed, the Hustler spokesperson said.

• Snoop Dogg
• Tha Eastsidaz

Nate Dogg
Photo: Def Jam

Nate Dogg has made more cameos lately than Alfred Hitchcock ever did — a practice he will curtail as he gears up for the release of his own Music & Me. The follow-up to 1998's G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2 is scheduled to arrive in stores December 4, and Nate said he will not appear on anyone else's songs until his album is released.

The crooner's new collection will be decidedly more upbeat than G-Funk Classics, released after a tumultuous stay with Death Row Records.

"I'm definitely talking about having fun, with ladies and drinks," Nate said of his new album. "That's part of my life. I do that a lot. This album is a lot lighter than the last album, which was heavier because I was going through a lot during the Death Row days. It came out after Pac passed, so a lot of stuff was going on. I got a lot of load off this album."

Nate Dogg, who said he owes his success to his distinctive voice, unloads by himself on seven of the 14 songs on Music & Me. He's joined by Dr. Dre, Jermaine Dupri, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Tha Eastsidaz, Lil' Mo and others on the album's other half.

Despite his many collaborations of the past few years, and the bevy of rappers popping up on his own album, Nate Dogg said his album's title was inspired by his unbreakable relationship with music.

"That's all I know how to do, just make music," he said. "Wherever I go with my life, even the good times and the bad parts, only two people are with me, God and my music. That's what keeps me from killing people. Sometimes I have some stuff in my head, man, you wouldn't believe. But I can go to the studio and talk about it. That's my way of releasing."

Nate Dogg releases by himself on the bluesy, Bink-produced lead single, "I Got Love." He shot the video for the cut and its remix the final week of September. The remix features guest vocals from Fabolous, Kurupt and up-and-comer B.R.E.T.T.

Dr. Dre produces and raps on "Your Wife," which is, surprisingly, the first time Dr. Dre has worked on a Nate Dogg album despite being affiliated with the singer for nearly a decade.

Other cuts include "Back Door," wherein Nate explains how he can slip in the back door if a girl's man slips up by going to the club. "Ring the Alarm" is a Jermaine Dupri-produced cut about being in the club when you told your girl you'd be in the studio, and what happens when she shows up at the club. "Real Pimps," featuring Ludacris, and "Dumb Ditty Do," featuring Snoop and Tha Eastsidaz, are club songs. The title track describes what Nate's gone through in the music industry and how music soothes him.

Beside Dr. Dre, Music & Me features production from Mike City (Carl Thomas), Battlecat (Snoop Dogg), Damizza (Mariah Carey), Mel-Man (Dr. Dre), Fred Wreck (Kurupt), Dupri (Lil' Bow Wow) and others.

After working with a variety of acts from a variety of locales, Nate Dogg wanted to achieve universal appeal with Music & Me.

"I see myself as the ambassador of hip-hop," he said. "I do songs with people from everywhere. We ain't got nothing but love. There's so much money if we get out there."

Even though he's enjoyed plenty of exposure thanks to recent appearances on Ludacris' "Area Codes," Fabolous' "Can't Deny It," Shade Shiest's "Where I Wanna Be" and Snoop Dogg's "Lay Low," success was a long time coming for Nate Dogg. As an integral member of Death Row Records during its peak, he appeared on platinum-plus albums from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and others — yet he never released his own album on the storied imprint.

In March, five of six charges were dropped against Nate in a case stemming from an incident during which he allegedly kidnapped his former girlfriend and set her mother's car on fire. A judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to hold him on charges of arson, kidnapping, domestic abuse, battery and terrorist threats. In August, Nate pleaded guilty to possession of an unmarked gun, for which he was placed on three years' probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.

Nate Dogg said he's ready to put his problematic past behind him.

"The problems didn't stop coming," he said. "I just learned not to let them worry me. It takes time to learn how to throw a curveball and life don't throw nothing but curveballs. I'm hitting now, so I'm alright."

• Nate Dogg
• Dr. Dre
• Jermaine Dupri
• Ludacris
• Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg
Photo: MTV

Snoop Dogg is all about sharing on his Puff, Puff Pass tour, which kicked off September 14 in Phoenix and was recently extended through October 20 in Chicago.

The laid-back rapper is donating $2 from each concert ticket sold at most of the stops on the outing to the American Red Cross, his spokesperson said Friday (September 21).

Snoop will share the stage with Tha Liks, Kurupt, Doggy's Angels, the Eastsidaz, Bad Azz and, on a few dates, Warren G.

Tha Liks and Kurupt were out with Snoop on a summer tour that came to an end August 26 in Detroit (see "Snoop Dogg, Tha Liks, Kurupt To Fire Up Tour"). The Dogg has been promoting last year's Tha Last Meal. He has since been featured on the Eastsidaz's Duces 'N Trayz: The Old Fashioned Way and Tha Dogg Pound 2002.

"Bones," which marks the rapper's first starring role in a movie, opens October 24.

Tha Liks are supporting their recently released fourth LP, X.O. Experience, which includes the singles "Best U Can" and "Run Wild," produced by the Neptunes and Rockwilder, respectively. Xzibit and Busta Rhymes guest on the album.

Puff, Puff Pass tour dates, according to Snoop Dogg's spokesperson:

• 9/21 - Valley Center, KS @ Kansas Coliseum
• 9/22 - Houston, TX @ Aerial Theatre at Bayou Palace
• 9/23 - Corpus Christi, TX @ Concrete Street Amphitheatre
• 9/24 - McAllen, TX @ Villa Real Convention Center
• 9/25 - Dallas, TX @ Smirnoff Music Centre
• 9/26 - Tulsa, OK @ Tulsa Convention Center
• 9/27 - Atlanta, GA @ HiFi Buys Amphitheatre
• 9/28 - Orlando, FL @ UCF Arena
• 9/29 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
• 9/30 - Tampa, FL @ USF Sun Dome
• 10/2 - Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues
• 10/3 - Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
• 10/4 - Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
• 10/5 - Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Arena
• 10/6 - New Haven, CT @ New Haven Coliseum
• 10/7 - Albany, NY @ Pepsi Arena
• 10/8 - New York, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom
• 10/10 - Toronto, ON @ Sears Theatre
• 10/11 - Montreal, QC @ Molson Centre
• 10/12 - Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum
• 10/13 - Rochester, NY @ Blue Cross Arena
• 10/14 - Cleveland, OH @ CSU Convocation Center
• 10/17 - Detroit, MI @ Cobo Arena
• 10/18 - Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
• 10/19 - St. Paul, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
• 10/20 - Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom

• Snoop Dogg
• Tha Eastsidaz
• Doggy's Angels
• Kurupt
• Bad Azz

Marion "Suge" Knight
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — Celebrities such as model Tyson Beckford, producer Stevie J., and singers Coko and Dionne Warwick were in attendance Thursday night in Tribeca for a screening of the controversial documentary "Welcome to Death Row." Co-executive-produced and directed by S. Leigh Savidge, the film focuses on the rise and fall of Death Row Records, depicting the label's incarcerated CEO, Marion "Suge" Knight, as a maniacal bully with a penchant for abusing his employees.

In addition to featuring candid film and video, news footage, and interviews with Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre and Knight himself, several former artists and staff members, including Nate Dogg and RBX, testify to Knight's alleged heavy-handed tactics in the documentary.

"At the time when a lot of the initial interviews were done, the government was investigating Death Row," said Savidge, who is also CEO/Founder of Xenon Pictures, the company releasing the film. "There was grave, grave concern. They had been approached by the FBI [who] were looking to get [the interviewees] to say things about Death Row. In a sense, to connect Death Row to drug money. It was a tremendous amount of fear we faced in getting people to talk when we first started off." Some of the movie's most revealing scenes involve imprisoned drug kingpin Michael "Harry O" Harris. The movie supports Harris' claims that, with the help of attorney David Kenner, he gave Knight money to get Death Row off the ground. Harris is now suing Knight for money he says is owed to him. Harris' wife, Lydia, serves as the movie's other co-executive producer and was the catalyst for the production, Savidge said.

"It was crucial to strike a deal with Lydia Harris," Savidge began. "You've got to look at how you get this story. You either go to Suge Knight, or you go to the guys that Suge Knight fears the most. You go to Mike Harris. "Most of the people who you see in the film have a certain degree of loyalty to Mike," he continued. "The appearance of [Lydia] on the set [when the interviewees were] doing those interviews gave them a since of comfort at a time when no one else would give them comfort." Introduced to Lydia Harris in 1998, Savidge was shown documents that "definitively connect her husband to the beginning of Death Row Records," he said. After meeting with Michael Harris in prison, the filmmaker became more intrigued.

"I love this story," Savidge said. "If you go into film, anybody that wants to succeed in the business is looking for the great American story. That's what this was. You have to factor in the danger. Danger is part of this situation." That danger includes constant death threats made to Savidge by those who "don't want the film to be seen," he said. Knight himself has been vocal about his disdain for the movie, saying only he can tell the real story behind Death Row.

"There are things that flash before you. I'm not somebody who sits at home at night and racks up fear about what's going to happen to me," Savidge said. "That's either a good thing or not a good thing, but nothing is gonna stop me from telling this story and showing it to people and letting people get a sense of perspective on what happened." Xenon, the independent distribution company behind films such as "Tha Eastsidaz" starring Snoop and his rhyme protégés, hopes to get "Welcome to Death Row" in theaters by summer.

• Marion "Suge" Knight
• Dr. Dre
• Snoop Dogg
• Tha Eastsidaz

Tha Eastsidaz, the first act from Snoop Dogg's Dogghouse label, have completed filming a self-titled direct-to-video release set to appear in stores this summer.

Described as an "action packed instant ghetto classic," the film stars Dogghouse CEO Snoop, Tha EastSidaz (Tray Deee and Goldie Loc), reality rapper Suga Free, Tash of Tha Alkaholiks, and former Def Jam West artist Jayo Felony.

With the film, the group continues the trend initiated by the success of Master P's "I'm 'Bout It," an independent release which inspired everyone from Mobb Deep and Redman to Mack 10 and Fat Joe to appear in low-budget videos of their own.

Like others in the burgeoning genre, "Tha Eastsidaz" movie looks to be as violent and direct as the group's lyrics, which detail gunfights and deals-gone-wrong over tracks that evoke the early '90s heyday of Long Beach G-Funk.

Expect to see the group encounter everything from flashy cars and amoral characters to scantily clad women and conversations that end in random violence.

By the time the film hits stores, however, Tray and Goldie will be traveling with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Ice Cube and others, promoting their million-selling debut album on the star-studded "Up In Smoke" tour, which begins in San Diego on June 15 (see "Eastsidaz Added To 'Smoke' Tour; Talk 'Beef' Single").

Dogghouse Records' next release, meanwhile, will be a debut album from rap trio Doggy's Angels, set for release in early fall.

• Tha Eastsidaz

After releasing an album executive produced by Snoop Dogg in January, Tha Eastsidaz will now join Snoop, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eminem, Warren G, Kurupt, and Xzibit for the "Up In Smoke" tour.

The high-powered hip-hop and rap outing will light up beginning on June 15 in San Diego (see "Dre, Snoop, Ice Cube, Eminem To Go 'Up In Smoke'"), and Eastsidaz Tray Deee and Goldie Loc will be out promoting their "Snoop Dogg Presents Tha Eastsidaz" LP and their new single, "Got Beef."

Tray Deee and Goldie Loc recently talked with the MTV Radio Network about "Got Beef," a track that features guest spots by Jayo Felony and Sylk E. Fine, and whose origins grew out of a peacemaking barbecue party.

"It's an L.T. Hutton-produced track," Tray Deee said.