The funk will never die. Producer and rapper, Warren G has taken this fact to heart. He was key in the rise of West Coast funk, and specifically, G Funk in hip hop with his 1994 hit single "Regulate." The Long Beach, CA native is back with this fourth album, "The Return of the Regulator" and sat down with BlackPlanet.com recently to discuss his career and style.
Your fourth album Return of the Regulator hits stores on December 11th. I read that your produced 95% of the tracks. Is this new?
I`ve produced all my records and I`ve done a lot of production for other people. Actually, the first time I ever did anything in hip hip was produce a song called "Indo Smoke" off the Poetic Justice sountrack, which went gold. I did "Definition of a Thug" for 2Pac on Poetic Justice. I did "How Long Will They Mourn Me" for 2Pac. I did "You Gotta Get Yours, I Gotta Get Mine" with MC Breed and 2Pac. I did the "Behind the Bars" remix with Slick Rick. I did the "Pick it Up" remix with Redman.
How have you managed to keep up with the times after all these years? Sounds and styles are always changing. Do you havea formula for your G-Funk style?
My formula is making hit records {laughs}. I don`t rush. I take my time and go out and research ideas that I can use and research hit records like Anita Baker`s "Rapture." Every song on that record is a hit, so I say to myself, "This is how you do a hit album. Try to make every record you do where it can be a single." That`s my whole thing . It ain`t even about keeping with the trends, as long as you come different and stay dope. I don`t let a lot of pressure get to me. I just do my thing. I`ma do Warren G and I can do ten more records.
Most artists use studio tools like drum machines and other electronic forms to produce sounds but you use lots of live musicians, right?
I use it all. I use drum machines and all that because I program and produce. I put the whole structure together. I talk to my musicians and I tell them what I want and how I want it played. I love to use live music. It`s just a different feeling to using computerized music, but I use computerized music, too. The majority is live music.
What new thing can we learn about Warren G from "Return of the Regulator?"
I don`t change for nobody. I try to carry myself in a way that I can have longevity in this business. You got to learn to keep relationships with people. I send messages out. I did a song called "Young Locs Slow Down" and that was for the young kids out there. You guys gotta slow down and don`t let these old dudes ruin your life because they`re scared to do something or scared to be a man.
Do you always try and send out a strong message?
I did a song about my mother. She passed away a few years ago. I did a song about herand I`m letting people feel what I went through and from them feeling me, they can feel that they should stay close to their parents, love your parents to the fullest cause we all gotta go through it and it ain`t cool. It hurts. I think about my mama everyday. You could also learn about some of the things I`ve been through in my neighborhood and the streets. I don`t kill a hundred people in my records.
At what point are we in the G Funk era? Are at the beginning, middle or end?
Ain`t no beginning and ain`t no ending. Well there was a beginning but there isn`t an ending. G Funk is here to stay. It`s a branch of P Funk! By the way, I got my Ph.D. from George Clinton.
Check out www.warrengonline.com for Warren G`s bio, news, fan club and photos!
I did a song about my mother. She passed away a few years ago. I did a song about herand I`m letting people feel what I went through and from them feeling me, they can feel that they should stay close to their parents, love your parents to the fullest cause we all gotta go through it and it ain`t cool. It hurts. I think about my mama everyday. You could also learn about some of the things I`ve been through in my neighborhood and the streets. I don`t kill a hundred people in my records.
man i feel this shit right here, it's real thats why warren wasn't there, fo those who didn't know, his mom have passed out...dawm