Warren G

Warren G exploded out of the burgeoning Long Beach rap scene in 1994 with the smash single "Regulate," a duet with longtime friend Nate Dogg, and its accompanying album, Regulate...G Funk Era.

G grew up in Long Beach listening to his parentsÕ extensive collection of jazz, soul and funk records, also frequently hanging out at the local V.I.P. record store. As a teenager, he and his friends Nate Dogg and future superstar Snoop Dogg formed a rap group called 213, after their area code. Eventually, the V.I.P. record store allowed the trio to practice and record in a back room. It was here that Snoop cut the demo "Super Duper Snooper," which G played for his half-brother Dr. Dre at a party. Dre invited all three to his studio and wound up collaborating with Snoop on The Chronic. While G also made several contributions, he opted to develop his talents mostly outside of DreÕs shadow. He honed his musical skills while producing such artists as MC Breed and 2Pac.