Warren G

Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970), known professionally as Warren G, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and DJ known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent. Along with Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg, he formed the hip-hop trio 213, named for Long Beach's area code. A pioneer of G-funk, he attained mainstream success with the 1994 single "Regulate," a duet with Nate Dogg. The younger stepbrother of producer Dr. Dre, he introduced him to Snoop Dogg, who was later signed by him.

His debut album, Regulate... G Funk Era, was certified 3x Multi-Platinum. "Regulate" spent 18 weeks in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, with three weeks at #2, while "This D.J.," reached #9. Both songs earned Grammy nominations.

Three songs from his second album, Take a Look Over Your Shoulder, reached the Top 40, as did his 1998 duet with Nate Dogg, "Nobody Does It Better." Both Take a Look Over Your Shoulder and his next album, I Want It All, were certified Gold, the last of his albums to attain certification. His 2001 comeback attempt, The Return of the Regulator, failed to reach his earlier heights despite a star-studded collaborator list, and he was criticized for undermining from his strengths by trying to exceed them.

His next two albums, 2005's In the Mid-Nite Hour and then 2009's The G Files, released independently, were self-produced and escaped popular notice. In the 2010s, he experienced a resurgence in popularity amid the digital age. In 2015, he released Regulate... G Funk Era, Pt. II, an EP featuring archived recordings of Nate Dogg, who died in 2011. In 2017, "Regulate," Platinum since 1994, went 2x multiplatinum, propelled by digital downloads.