Under Tha Influence

One of hip-hop\'s greatest (and longest-lasting) producer/emcees, DJ Quik has been making hits for more than 20 years now. (He dropped his classic debut, *Quik Is the Name*, back in 1991.) In addition to making his own hits (including \"Tonite,\" \"Jus Lyke Compton,\" and \"Pitch in on a Party\"), he discovered and mentored rappers like AMG, Suga Free, 2nd II None, Playa Hamm, and Mausberg, and he worked extensively with West Coast royalty Dre, Snoop, Tupac, Nate Dogg, Kurupt, and Daz. *Under Tha Influence* is his sixth album, originally released in 2002; it was his first on an independent label. Though not as flawless as some of his earlier projects, it\'s still a quality effort, overflowing with his signature ultra-funky keyboards, always-clever party-and-Bs lyricism, and big-name guests (Dre, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, Suga Free, El Debarge). Check out \"Get Tha Money,\" \"Put It on Me,\" and \"Come 2Nyte.\"

During DJ Quik's decade-long descent from superstar status to near obscurity, he lost much of his fan base mostly because he failed to change his style.