Pics from Nate Dogg Vigil at V.I.P. Records and details on family and early life

[Will_B]

Nate's sister Pamela Hale is now a reporter at the Long Beach Press Telegram office. They did a nice piece on Nate's passing and there's a gallery of pictures of Nate's family and supporters at a Candlelight Vigil held outside V.I.P. Records.


Rapper Nathaniel Hale -- Nate Dogg -- dies at 41

Recording artist had suffered two strokes in recent years.
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/15/2011 10:23:30 PM PDT
Updated: 03/17/2011 07:06:32 AM PDT


LONG BEACH - Nathaniel Hale has been variously described as a "trailblazer" and "game changer" in the rap music world. He was also Ruth Holmes' little boy, the kid with the gospel-trained voice that changed a musical genre.

Hale, or Nate Dogg, the stage name he was best known by, died Tuesday night after a long health battle in the wake of strokes in 2007 and 2008. He was 41.

News of Hale's death spread quickly through Long Beach and the music industry and evoked shock.

Hale was born and raised in Long Beach, where he was a contemporary of rappers Warren G. and Snoop Dogg, who were lifelong friends.

The three first began performing together in the quad area at Poly High School and later created the group 213.

Best known as a "hook singer," Hale provided the singing that undergirded numerous rap songs such as "Regulate," the Grammy-nominated song he recorded with Warren G., "The Chronic" with Dr. Dre and countless collaborations with some of the biggest names in rap and hip-hop.

Overall Hale had four Grammy nominations for songs on which he either collaborated or was part of a group.

Hale's manager, Rod McGrew, said it was rapper Ice Cube who said "If you want a hit, you've got to have

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a Nate Dogg bit."
That mellow crooning voice came from a family where music was language.

Pamela Hale-Burns, a reporter at the Press-Telegram, says her mother formed a trio with Pamela, Nate and brother Samuel that sang at churches in Mississippi and California. Sometimes Ruth would join in as well.

Wron G., the uncle and manager of Warren G., says Hale's crooning brought a "smooth, sweet vibe" to the genre and forever changed it.

Kelvin Anderson, owner of the iconic VIP Records, where Snoop Dogg, Warren G. and Hale got their recording start, said Hale's vocals smoothed the edges of the hard core, gangsta rap style and made it more palatable to the masses.

"He was definitely a trailblazer," Anderson said.

Wron G. said "Regulate" changed the game in rap and hip-hop.

"That song opened hip-hop to white kids, and I challenge anyone to grill me on that," Wron G said.

And while that debate could be long and hard, most agree Hale carved out his own niche in the genre.

"Years from now when we look back on the genre and look at the difference makers," McGrew said, "he'll be on that list."

With collaborations with about 100 artists, Hale was prolific in his shortened career.

"Think about a single voice that's recorded with as many (artists) as Nate, you'd be hard-pressed to find one," McGrew said.

Hale also had a solo career, with albums "G-Funk Classics Vol. 1 & 2," "Music and Me," and "Nate Dogg."

The singer also suffered from drug and alcohol abuse problems and run-ins with the police.

Hale-Burns said whatever substance or legal issues her brother faced, he didn't burden his family with them.

At the time he suffered the stroke, Hale was working on gospel music and had formed a choir called Innate Praise that included American Idol finalist Jacob Lusk.

Hale-Burns said her brother always told her that he would return to the religious fold and when he did, he would do it right.

She said when she learned about the gospel music, "to me that was the person who loved God. I think that made my mother happy."

In the last years of his life, Hale was unable to talk, although he could blink and spell out messages using his eyes and an alphabet board.

But Ruth never wavered in caring for her son.

Hale-Burns said at times when Snoop Dogg, Warren G. or others would call, they'd provide a speaker or earpiece for Hale, and "he would cry or laugh. But he enjoyed hearing from them."

She adds it was only in death that she realized some of what her brother meant.

She said the outpouring has been overwhelming.

"I knew my brother was a celebrity," Hale-Burns said, "but I am learning how much my brother was loved. He would have loved to see that."

On Twitter, Long Beach music legend Snoop Dogg tweeted, "We lost a true legend n hip hop n rnb. One of my best friends n a brother to me since 1986 when I was a sophomore at poly high where we met."

Hale is survived by his mother, Ruth Holmes; father, Daniel Hale Sr.; sisters Pamela Hale-Burns and LaTonia Hale-Watkins; brothers Samuel Hale, Emmanuel Hale and Daniel Hale Jr. and six children.

Funeral and memorial plans are pending.

http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_17622472

Photos of the Vigil

http://lang.presstelegram.com/photos/photos.asp?a=1193561

[KC-HOODSTA]

I think battlecat was in one of those pics

[Episcop Cruel Cvrle]

Nice to see people paying respect to a true legend.

[Will_B]

Nate's sister very active on Twitter
http://twitter.com/phaleburns

[jaytee]

Thanks for posting this as well as the twitter link for his sister.

I always wondered if Nate would return to his Gospel roots at some point.  I would have loved to have heard what he was planning to do.

[J-Dub562]

I wish I could have made (especially since I live just a couple miles away), but I couldn't ditch my school work...even for this.

[Fonky Fresh]

What about his cuzz Butch Cassidy the kid ? No word from him?

[Will_B]

Think Mista Rosa posted a quote from Butch in the Twitter thread..

[Mista Rosa]

From Butch Cassidy's twitter:

"Thank U 4 shown My Cousin Nate Dogg Love & Payin Respect to the family. He Fought A good Fight, Now he Can Rest. #KingofGfunk 4ever"

BC's twitter: http://twitter.com/butchcassidyLBC

I thought Nate was born in Clarksdale, Mississipi ?? He shouts out the city in a song " Clarksdale Mississipi one for my folks" something like that. Don't remember the name of the song, just that Nate is almost rapping that line.

I wish we could also have more stories on his teen years and the Marines.

[Elàno - banned]

I thought Nate was born in Clarksdale, Mississipi ??

i tought he was born in long beach...

[Will_B]

No he moved to long beach in 84 with his mom and siblings after his parents split.

[Mista Rosa]

No he moved to long beach in 84 with his mom and siblings after his parents split.

Props on the info. But i would have thought that he had moved younger, so he was 15 when he moved to LB damn.

[Will_B]

Yeah and Snoop said they were tight since 86.

[Will_B]

Battlecat was one of the people payin his respects for Nate.

[Elàno - banned]

Battlecat was one of the people payin his respects for Nate.