The story behind the forgotten rapper
Domino is that he found no love among his West Coast brothers. Rumor has it, the whole Left Coast thought he had stolen the up-and-coming
Snoop Dogg's style and therefore he was boycotted, prematurely ending his career after just one album. His debut is filled with that laid-back, slippery soul with booming bass that figured heavily into
Snoop's early G-funk, and while it does sound a bit like
the Doggfather, it's at best an influence.
Domino has his own way of leaning, a much jazzier stance that fits perfectly with
DJ Battlecat's beats and productions. Flutes, mellow guitars, and plenty of other soul-jazz sounds fill the album and dominate the first hit, the classic "Ghetto Jam," which ends in genuine jam session. The second hit, "Sweet Potato Pie," is even more fondly remembered thanks to
Domino's skill at delivering rhymes that "ain't rated PG" with just the right amount of deadpan humor. "Do You Qualify" is a bit creepy since it's
Domino's way of asking "Are you jailbait?," but most everything else here goes splendidly with round beds, mirrors on the ceiling, and black-velvet paintings of naked Nubian goddesses.