As one of the first artists to sign with Death Row Records, Daz Dillinger stands as a pivotal pioneer of G-funk and an emblem of ’90s and ’00s West Coast gangsta rap. Born Delmar Drew Arnaud in Long Beach in 1973, he first left his mark with guest spots and production credits on Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle before breaking out as a member of the Dogg Pound with Kurupt. In those moments, he proved himself a slyly nimble lyricist who combined unashamed raunch, California slick talk, and spurts of menace. In subsequent years, he crystallized his status as a skilled West Coast stalwart capable of trading bars with the likes of Tupac Shakur on the Daz-produced “Got My Mind Made Up” and Cam’ron on “Live My Life (Leave Me Alone)” as he threaded one generation of gangsta rap to another.