When critically
acclaimed producer cum rapper DR. Dre released the track ‘Kush’
featuring Snoop Dogg and Akon in September 2009, many adherent lovers
of west coast rap couldn’t help but point out a miss. Although ‘Kush’,
Dre’s first
official track since 1999, received rave reviews, the track which
brings back the highly favoured Hip-Hop themes of the 90s was missing a
certain silky, burly voice. Yes, Akon was excellent on the track plus
he has also come up a long way, but when veterans like Dre and Snoop
reunite to rhyme about blunts sure fans will be tempted to wish the
hook was laced by fellow west coast veteran, Nate Dogg.
His start
Born Nathaniel
Dwayne Hale in Long Beach, California, Nate Dogg went from singing as a
child at New Hope Baptist Church, where his father was a preacher, to
being that cocksure rapper’s delight collaborator and stencil for
penning hooks for rap music. Having successfully set the standard for
injecting smooth vocals into rap music, it is difficult not to suggest
that singers like T-Pain, Neyo and Akon all borrowed from the manner he
remains ubiquitous in the tracks he featured in. He created a niche for
himself by being the melody for Rap music and birthed G-Funk, a
nonofficial subgenre of rap music, with his rapper acquaintances.
His musical career
kicked off when he formed the musical group 213 with then high school
friends, Snoop Dogg and Warren G after serving in the United State
Marine Corps for three years. A 213’s demo got popular and eventually
drew the interest of Dr. Dre who latter enlisted him on his 199x rated
classic album, ‘The Chronic’. The success of his collaboration on ‘The
Chronic’ saw him becoming the nucleus of the emerging west coast rap’s
headquarters, ‘Death Row Records’, collaborating with all label mates
including 2pac and Snoop Dogg.
A rare type
In 1994, he teamed
up with Warren G and recorded one of the most favoured Hip-Hop tracks
of all times, ‘Regulate’. The track further fizzled the boundary
between rap music and RB as he eloquently pampered G’s cutting rap
verses with his unique style. Although he wasn’t a rapper himself, he
rightly sits as a pioneer figure in west coast rap. He had the exact
90s Hip-Hop attitude; brash, raunchy and confrontational. Little wonder
all rappers sort his signature vocals on their tracks, even younger
generation rappers including Ludacris, 50 Cent and Eminem amongst
others all featured him at the approval seeking stage of their
respective careers.
With just three
albums, ‘G-Funk Classics Vol. 1 2’ (1998), Music Me (2001)
and Nate Dogg (2003) to his name (plus a 213’s ‘The Hard Way’ in 2004),
Nate Dogg gained prominence and had more impact in the Hip-Hop
community making guest appearances on rappers’ album. At some point his
music career took a turn back to its origin and he formed a gospel
group, Innate Praise.
The end
In 2007, disaster
struck and Nate got hit by stroke. He was reportedly half paralysed but
doctors believed he could recover and gain full control of his body
again. However he suffered a second stroke in 2008 and the fear of him
not coming back to prominent singing gripped fans. He eventually died
on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 at age 41 leaving behind six children. As
expected, a Nate Dogg tribute whirl sets in after his death including
from his long time associates. Although this may appear as just another
process that is common after a death, there is however no denying that
Nate left a mark on Hip-Hop. Going by Snoop’s tribute line “all doggs
go to heaven”, earthling’s rare talent now sings in the celestial
choir!
