Derrick Wade (born February 17, 1979 in

Grenada, Mississippi Grenada is a city in Grenada County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 13,092 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Grenada County. History Grenada was formed in 1836, after federal removal of the Choctaw people who had lo ...

) better known by his stage name Top Dogg and YGD Tha Top Dogg is an American rapper. Raised in Compton, California, Top Dogg was signed to Suge Knight's Death Row Records. He was shot in April 2003 by Los Angeles Police after a heated argument broke out resulting in a shoot out. He has been criticized for having a similar vocal style as former Death Row Records artist, Snoop Dogg.

Career

In 1998, Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight planned to launch many new rappers to come for the second generation of Death Row Records. Although he was incarcerated, he pushed rapper Top Dogg (also known as YGD) as his first new face making his television debut appearance in the video "All About U" on the

2Pac Tupac Amaru Shakur ( ; born Lesane Parish Crooks, June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996), also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He is widely considered one of the most influential rappers of all time. Shakur is among the b ...

"Greatest Hits" album replacing Snoop Dogg. Top Dogg had generated a buzz from a hidden track on the "

Gang Related ''Gang Related'', alternatively known as Criminal Intent, is a 1997 American action crime thriller film written and directed by Jim Kouf starring James Belushi, Tupac Shakur, Dennis Quaid, Lela Rochon, David Paymer and James Earl Jones. The film ...

" titled "Goin Back To Cali" aimed toward

Biggie Smalls Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...

& Puff Daddy. The video, "All About U," received heavy play and Suge followed in 1999 with Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000 album to introduce a brand new roster headed by Top Dogg,

Tha Realest Jevon Jones (born October 11, 1973) is an American rapper better known by his stage name Tha Realest, and formerly Tenkamenin The Vigilante (or simply Tenkamenin). His debut album, '' Witness Tha Realest'', was released on July 14, 2009, followi ...

, and

Soopafly Priest Joseph Brooks, (known professionally as Soopafly born December 8, 1972) is a hip hop producer and rapper from Long Beach, California. He is a member of the DPGC. Early life The oldest of three children, Brooks grew up in Long Beach. He ...

, with

Daz Dillinger Delmar Drew Arnaud (born May 25, 1973), known professionally as Daz Dillinger (formerly Dat Nigga Daz and commonly Daz), is an American rapper and record producer. In the 1990s at Death Row Records, aided the catapult of West Coast rap and gang ...

as the veteran lead-producer. In 2000, the music video for Top Dogg's "Cindafella" track received minor airplay with an innovative concept produced by TC as many earlier videos and directed by K.C. Amos, and his album "Every Dog Has His Day" was shelved as his contract expired and he was not renewed.

Discography

Albums

*2010: ''The Renegade''

Singles

*1997: ''Going Back To Cali'' *1998: ''All About U (Remix)'' feat.

, Nate Dogg,

Dru Down Danyel Robinson (born September 14, 1971), better known by his stage name Dru Down, is an American rapper and actor from Oakland, California. allmusic - Dru Down biography/ref> He is currently a member of The Regime, a collective of rappers th ...

& Top Dogg *1999: ''They Wanna Be Like Us'' *1999: ''We Don't Love Em *1999: ''Top Dogg Cindafella''Top Dogg Cindafella
Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2016-06-23.

Mixtapes

*2008: Top Dogg Vol. 1 - Mix Tape

Compilation albums

*1999: Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000 (Death Row compilation CD). *2000:

Too Gangsta for Radio ''Too Gangsta for Radio'' is a compilation album by Death Row Records, released on September 26, 2000. Production was handled by Cold 187um, Break Bread Productions, Kenny McCloud, Myrion, Quincy Jones III, VMF, Ant Banks, Big Hollis, Blaqthov ...

(Death Row compilation CD).

Other related releases

* 1999 : Dr. Dre feat. YGD Top Dogg - Die Muthafucka Die - (Unreleased Death Row Track) * 2011 : The Stomper feat. Spanky Loco & YGD Top Dogg - We Bang Wicked prod. Gnostik Mindz * 2012 : Mr. Ensane & YGD Top Dogg - Life prod. Ill Slim Collin

References

External links

Allmusic Profile

Discogs Profile

Official Facebook Fanpage
{{DEFAULTSORT:YGD Tha Top Dogg 1979 births Living people Bloods Death Row Records artists G-funk artists West Coast hip hop musicians