Oakland stand up! If you’ve ever nodded your head to a West Coast classic, chances are DJ Daryl was behind the boards making it slap. From producing platinum hits for Tupac Shakur to crafting anthems for Master P, Richie Rich, and even today’s heavyweights like Gucci Mane and E-40, DJ Daryl is not just a music producer — he’s a walking chapter in hip-hop history.
Hailing from Oakland, California, Daryl Anderson, better known as DJ Daryl, came out the gate as a founding member of the legendary rap group 415 — dropping raw, unfiltered street gems like Snitches & Bes, Groupie A** B****, and Sideshow. Their sound was so original, it lit a fire under the West Coast. Don’t believe it? Snoop Dogg, Warren G, and Nate Dogg have all said it themselves: 415 was the blueprint for their own supergroup, 213.
But Daryl wasn’t done there. He leveled up in a major way when he linked with Tupac and produced the powerful and timeless Keep Ya Head Up — a socially conscious anthem that hit #2 on the Billboard Rap charts, went platinum, and became a staple in hip-hop and pop culture alike. That’s his beat you’re feeling.
Before Tupac’s tragic death, DJ Daryl had already produced an entire unreleased album with him called Troublesome 21. The project was put on hold due to the backlash surrounding Ice-T’s Cop Killer at the time. But like all great music, the work found its way into the world. Songs like 16 on Death Row, Let Them Thangs Go, and Black Starry Night ended up on Tupac’s posthumous albums — and they still hit like fresh cuts.
DJ Daryl also brought his magic to the No Limit Records empire. He produced If I Could Change, a heartfelt track by Master P that became the first song from the label accepted by MTV — a huge moment that also made its way into the cult classic film I’m Bout It.
His fingerprints are everywhere: he cooked up heaters for Richie Rich on his Seasoned Veteran album (released on Def Jam), which climbed to #11 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart and #35 on the Billboard 200. He even stayed relevant in today’s trap era with High-End featuring Gucci Mane, BG, and Philthy Rich on E-40’s Rule of Thumb: Rule 1. And let’s not forget Ask About Me for D-Shot — because they still talkin’ about DJ Daryl.
But he’s not just making noise in the studio. DJ Daryl is a brand ambassador for Waves Audio, a world-renowned audio tech company based in Tel Aviv, Israel. That means he’s not only producing fire — he’s helping shape the tools the next generation will use to do the same.
The bottom line? DJ Daryl isn’t just part of the culture — he helped build it. And with more projects in the pipeline, he’s not looking back. Oakland raised him. Hip-hop crowned him. The future’s still riding his rhythm.
💿 Follow DJ Daryl @Djdaryl and stay tapped in — because legends don’t retire, they just keep dropping classics.
© 2025, Variety Press. All rights reserved.
