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On March 15th 2011, Nathaniel Dwayne Hale aka Nate Dogg,
died at the age of 41. Dubcnn is celebrating the life of Nate Dogg with our
"Remembering Nate Dogg" series that will be posted
as news updates and then catalogued here in this "Remembering Nate
Dogg" tribute page. Here you will find all the interviews we conduct,
the quotes we collate, the media we present and any related items that support
and celebrate the life of Nate Dogg.
This section will be regularly updated with new content so ensure you check back
regularly.
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Remembering Nate Dogg Series | Media
(Audio & Video)
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Remembering
Nate Dogg #11: Bad Azz Speaks // April 13th 2011
Remembering Nate Dogg #11: Bad Azz Speaks
- By : Nima - April 13, 2011
Bad
Azz: (On first meeting Nate Dogg) I met
that nigga so long ago, I think I met Nate in front of Big C-Style's
house. I was greatly expecting to meet him at that time, cause I had been
hearing a lot about 213 after Snoop did "Deep Cover" when I used to hang
around at Big Styles house. Nate Dogg actually came over there one
day, and we didn't really share a lot of words, I was kind of trippin' off
his whole demeanor and everything, cause I was kind of new to these cats.
They were a little older than me and I was trying to get on with the music
after me and Big C-Style kinda got tight.
My fonder memories are of when I started going to the studio with them like
a year or so later. We had kind of a distant relationship until the more
mature years when I got a little older and started politicking with him. We
had some good moments on tour, I remember a couple of times when I was
chilling with Snoop and Nate had lived around the corner from Snoop,
we used to go over to his house all the time.
I remember he had a fuckin'
jacuzzi in his living room! He had a big nice house, but he was like a
bachelor, so he got this like 5 or 6 bedroom house with a fuckin' jacuzzi
right in the room when you walk into the dining area! I was laughing when we
went in and saw that! A jacuzzi in the living room!
But as far as inspirations, he was to me like Snoop Dogg or Warren G or 2Pac
or anybody that was older than me that perceived what I was doing. Nate
was probably 5 years older than me, and he'd watch and give advice and help
me become me without having to make so many mistakes. It was blessing to be
around these guys and to lose him at this time after he had his strokes his
devastating…
I saw him after he had the first stroke, I never got to see him after he had
the second one. I just talked to some of the boys, I always asked Half Dead
about him cause that's his first cousin and he would talk to Nate's
mom a lot. I would always ask him about him and he'd give me updates on his
condition, but it always seemed kind of stable, like he was still doing the
same way. So to hear that he passed and knowing that he had been going
through it the last couple of years really hurt me.
(On the "Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto" video)
That was one of my favorite songs that I did with Nate involved and
if you really notice, there is not one song with just Bad Azz and Nate
Dogg. Everytime we got down, it was a family affair, and that song was dope
for me. But for the majority of my career, I always wished for a straight
Bad Azz and Nate Dogg jam, but it was one thing that never crossed
paths like that to make it happen. But that song was very special to me.
(On Nate Dogg's legacy) I'm very very pleased as a
friend and a part of the Dogg Pound with how everybody is supporting him. I
saw him on the frontpage of Yahoo.com and a lot of people that come from our
cloth don't get these kind of props when they pass. They were talking about
it on the news, in all the newspaper, they shortened the memorial services
because they didn't expect to see so many people down there.
It's just a good look and it makes me proud that people pay enough attention
to us and our music that in an event like this, people show this kind of
respect and love. His music is on all the stations, and when me and Roscoe
performed last week the club was playing all Nate Dogg songs. It's a
good thing that when a person does have to leave, that we can celebrate them
and make them feel appreciated.
Watch: Snoop Dogg, Daz, Nate Dogg, Bad Azz & Tray Deee -
Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto (Video)
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Remembering
Nate Dogg #10: Lil Half Dead Speaks // April 11th 2011
Remembering Nate Dogg #10: Lil Half Dead
Speaks - By :
Nima - April
11, 2011
It's been a little
while since our last "Remembering Nate Dogg" episode, but the
fans let us know on
Facebook
that they wanted some more, so we're back today with the tenth installment
of "Remembering Nate Dogg".
This time we spoke to Nate Dogg's first cousin, Lil Half Dead,
who many of you know as one of the earliest Dogg Pound affiliates who's been
around Snoop & the rest of the gang since day one. He tells us about the
passing of their grandmother shortly before Nate's passing, growing
up together and his legacy in Hip-Hop.
Lil Half
Dead: "Nate was my first cousin, we have the same
grandma, my father is his sister's brother and we grew up together after he
came out here from Mississippi in '86. Ever since then, we've been hanging
around, they used to come out here in the summertime and stuff when we was
way younger, we'd be playing in our grandparents' backyard, we had a swing
set and all that type of shit. We used to just be chillin', hitting girls up
at the park and having fun, you know?
We grew up in a musical family, so we knew that we had it. That's something
people don't be knowing about me, I sing too, I'm not just a rapper. That
comes in our family, and Nate took it to another level. My family
sings Gospel music so they had to get used to us making this rap music and
stuff like that, but they never doubted us, never came at us wrong,
disrespected us or said we were making "devil music" or none of that.
They understood that this was the way we made our living. That's better than
us out here robbing people and doing the wrong things. Me, Snoop, Warren G,
Nate Dogg, we got together and said we're gonna make this happen, we
gotta get off these streets!
What people don't understand is, my cousin Nate Dogg changed the
game! He was one of the first that was singing on hooks and putting it out
there like that. Only one other person ever did that before Nate Dogg,
and it was a MC Shan record from back in the days, "Left Me Lonely". That
was the first one, but Nate Dogg took it to a different level man.
People don't realize how much music that man had. My cousin has an archive
of music, regardless wether it was with other people or not.
I'm finna really miss him and the game is really gonna miss him. All the
T-Pains and the Akons and all that, they need to thank Nate Dogg!
They really do. Ever since he had his first stroke, things haven't been the
same, and that's when dudes jumped in taking advantage of the situation. His
first stroke shocked everybody out of the blue man. People never look sick,
it wasn't like he was losing weight or moving slower or nothing. It just
happened and it really fucked everybody up like "Damn!".
He had been sick for three years but the whole public don't know that. He
had been sick for a while, but it's new to a lot of people so to them it was
a shock. But my grandma just passed about a month before he did, and I sort
of felt that Nate ain't gonna hold on much longer, because our
grandma was our life. That was the main person that had us straight, made
sure we were some good boys and we owe everything to her.
So when our grandmother passed, I just knew it man… I knew he wasn't gonna
be able to hold on, because he needed that energy from everybody and our
grandmother was very strong about church and all that… And when she died, I
don't think they told him right away, but when they did tell him, I guess…
But all I can say is that I miss my cousin, I missed him when he was sick
and still here. Me and him weren't seeing each other too much, but this shit
is just crazy to me…
Nate loved everybody in Long Beach and everybody loved Nate
Dogg. But Nate Dogg didn't mess with everybody like that. If you
wasn't doing what he was doing, making music, trying to get some money in
your pocket or trying to be right, he wasn't messing with you! He wasn't
with the riffraff in the streets and all that type of the stuff - even
though he's from the streets. But Nate Dogg was a different kind of
dude, he was a special man.
He was always very private, reserved, didn't show too many emotions. And
that right there came from the military. Nate Dogg, you couldn't tell
whether he was happy or sad man. But I know two happy people though. I know
Tupac and Biggie are like "Man, we got them hooks up here now!" I know
they're happy. Rest in Peace Nate Dogg."
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Remembering
Nate Dogg #9: Big C-Style Speaks // March 29th 2011
Remembering Nate Dogg #9: Big C-Style Speaks
- By : Chad - March 29, 2011
As
we continue mourning the loss of Nate Dogg, Dubcnn is back with a new edition
of the "Remembering
Nate Dogg" series. Today, we caught up with Long Beach pioneer
and founder of the LBC Crew, Big C-Style. He shares some old memories and
talks about his favorite Nate Dogg jam.
Big
C-Style: "Nate Dogg was a good friend of mine, we go back from us
being kids out there on the block. Him coming home from the service, me and him
would hang out, sing a couple of tunes together off a little thunderbird but we
never knew that either one of us was going to be involved in the music game like
that and we ended being in the music game together and shared a lot of good times.
We went around the world together, Japan and different places all over the world.
He's a truly good friend of mine and im going to truly miss him.
Nate
Dogg as an artist was a great person. He had a talent and sound that nobody else
had. Him and Bo Roc used to go back and forth, who was taking each others style
cause both of them from Long Beach and both grew up together so they both were
singing and used to challenge each other at singing. Other than that Nate was
a person that worked hard at his craft and he was good at what he did and he been
doing it forever and he was a great person to work with. Like i said, he did a
lot of good things with us and we did a lot of good things around the world.
[On
his Favorite Nate Dogg song] I like so many of them, but one of them was the
one off the Gang Related soundtrack, "These Days". That was one of my
favorites!
Nate had been sick for a long time, what happened to him caught
all of us off guard. We were surprised at what happened to him and now that Nate
Dogg passed i see a lot of people reaching out and talking about "R.I.P Nate
Dogg" and "what can we do" and it was kind of sad to me that he
had been in that condition so many years man and I never heard from nobody asking
nothing about Nate Dogg but a couple of few chosen folks. Its just kind of crazy
to me and I wish that Nate Dogg rest in peace and go on to his next journey."
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Remembering Nate Dogg #8: Crooked I Speaks // March
27th 2011
Remembering Nate Dogg #8: Crooked I Speaks
- By : Nima - March 27, 2011
It's
about time for the next edition of dubcnn's "Remembering Nate Dogg" series.
After DJ Quik gave us his thoughts last time, today we link up with someone
from the younger generation who was blessed enough to work with Nate, fellow Long
Beach artist Crooked I. Crooked tells us about his first time recording
with Nate Dogg and the working vibe in the studio. He also expresses his respect
to Nate for always coming back to Long Beach, even after he blew up and was a
widely recognized celebrity.
Crooked
I: "I first met Nate Dogg years ago, I can't even remember when it
was. But I remember the first I did with him. It was me and DJ Battlecat in the
lab with him, I think it was "Crook On Me". His energy was crazy, he showed me
what a real hook master was supposed to do. He took the song to a whole other
level as he always does, it was a crazy thing! We were just sitting around, joking
around, drinking hennessey, trading old school stories and having fun, man!
He
was a cool dude, I used to see him all the time in Long Beach at the bowling alley.
We'd just kick it, drink, holler at each other and talk about music, talk about
life and just chill. He was a real lad back dude and I really respected the fact
that he was visible in Long Beach. A lot times, when artists get on his level,
they're too busy and they don't come back to the city. He was there though! It
was inspirational to see a big celebrity come through the hood, a lot of artists
were inspired by his presence.
He's going down as the best hook master
ever. If you think about all the stuff he has done, all the way back to the old
Dogg Pound stuff, he has an incredible body of work that cannot be matched by
nobody. I think all the up and coming singers who like to collaborate with Hip-Hop
artists could learn a lot from him."
Related media:
Crooked I
- Crook
In Me (ft. Nate Dogg) (Prod. by Battlecat)
Keep looking out for
the "Remembering Nate Dogg" drops, we have much more to come.
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Remembering Nate Dogg #7: DJ Quik Speaks // March 25th
2011
Remembering Nate Dogg #7: DJ Quik Speaks
- By : Nima - March 25, 2011
As promised,
dubcnn returns with the 7th part of our "Remembering Nate Dogg" series. After
speaking with E-40, Battlecat, Kokane, Frank Nitty, The Lady Of Rage and
Fredwreck, today we catch up with the legendary DJ Quik.
Quik
tells us about his experiences with Nate Dogg in the studio, recording such classics
as "Black Mercedes" and "Medley For A V", and he explains what made
Nate Dogg such a special person to collaborate with. Rest in peace!
DJ
Quik : "When I first met him, Nate Dogg
was quiet - but powerful. He always knew what he was doing, he was real confident,
so he just stayed quiet until he was asked to perform his Nate Dogg thing, and
whenever he did, it drove everybody crazy because they couldn't believe what they
were seeing. He was a magical dude when it came to that music. I watched greatness,
the same way that I felt when I saw 2Pac perform, it was no different. Actually,
2Pac wasn't a singer, so in some respect, watching Nate Dogg was more interesting
from a R&B producers' perspective, if you can dig that
When we did
the song "Black Mercedes", Nate Dogg took the lead. He's done it before
on his own albums where he just sang the lead, but that record in particular…
Put it this way, Nate is a church singer and his family is very religious. That
record was secular and he kinda let his religious hair down and he went in on
that record and made it phenomenal.
He's phenomenal, he did that shit
in one take, almost like he had been saving that! I did that track in New York,
came back out here, played it for him and he was like "You want it?"
I was like "I don't know if it's good or not." He was like "Shit,
if you don't think it's good, give me that muthafucka, sign it over to me and
I'll go make it good."
So I gave him the mic and he didn't even write
that shit down. He went in and sang that shit like it had been his song forever
already. Dude was the best at that shit. And it really sucks, because now we're
not gonna have that anymore. There's nobody else to do that shit so fuck, man…
He
had his businesses running, he had his private life and he kept it all popping
but when it was time for him to perform, he jumped on stage and he performed!
When it was time for him to record, he'd get in there and record. Dude was the
perfect workhorse. And you would never want to waste his time, because you knew
that his time was valuable. You would already have the beat as good as you could
have it before he got there, and when the runners would come back there and say
"Nate Dogg is coming in", we were happy, just to know that he was coming
in the studio.
The only other time I felt like that was when I was at
Westlake recording studios and Michael Jackson had to come in and do an overdub.
They was like "Michael Jackson is coming in" but my balls was so big
back then I was like "So? I'm in here mixing my second single tonight:"
But I felt that excitement about somebody coming into the studio, cause ultimately
I'm a big Michael Jackson fan and to know that he was coming in and was in the
next room and to get a chance to see him walking through the hallway… It
was like "God!"
With Nate Dogg it wasn't that serious but you
excepted the same quality of work. When Nate Dogg came in, it was blunts and fuckin'
Hennessey time, and we're gonna kick it! And still get the work done! He had perfect
pitch, he never ever once sang out of key. I never heard him out of key, ever,
anywhere.
We also did this song called "What They Think Of You"
for Dr. Dre and Truth Hurts that ended up getting bootlegged - actually the beat
got stolen but that's old news. That was hot, "What They Think Of You".
"Medley For A V" is the best shit ever with him and El Debarge singing
together. We did that! Long live Nate Dogg!"
Related
media:
DJ Quik - Black
Mercedes (ft. Nate Dogg)
DJ Quik - Medley
For A V (The P***y Medley) (ft. Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, AMG, 2nd II None)
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Remembering Nate Dogg #6: Fred Wreck Speaks // March
24th 2011
Remembering Nate Dogg #6: Fredwreck Speaks
- By : Nima - March 24, 2011
As we
continue mourning the loss of one of Hip-Hop's greatest artists Nate Dogg,
dubcnn is going continuing our "Remembering
Nate Dogg" series.
Today we caught up with one of Nate's
most frequent collaborators, producer Fredwreck. From Nate's solos, to
collaborations on Snoop's, Kurupt's and many other projects, we often heard Nate's
soulful voice over Fred's funky production. He talks to us about first being intimidated
by Nate, why he was much more than just a hook master and special memories of
working with Nate.
Fredwreck:
"I tried to remember the first time I met Nate, but I could not remember
for the life of me. But I will tell you this: the first time I met Nate, I was
so intimidated, because he just had this aura to him. He never smiled and things
like that. But after sitting with him and just connecting - I don't even think
it was over music, we were playing video games and cracking jokes. The hard shell
went away and he was just a teddybear inside, you know what I mean?
That's how I always remember him: the joking, funny Nate. Nate, not Nate Dogg.
I know him as Nate. He was very quiet, he was very reserved but also very focused
at all times. No matter what he was doing. When he would play basketball he would
be focused, when he would play video games, he was focused, when he was writing
he was focused. He had precision focus, I can't explain it any other way.
Me and him would probably be together like four days a week, not just working
but also hanging out. We tried to work as much as we could, whenever we felt like
it we just did it. We didn't work to work, we worked to have fun. It was having
fun, he inspired me and I like to believe that I inspired him. One thing I learned
from him is to not put myself in a box. A lot of people only know Nate Dogg for
the music that was released, but they don't know him for the music that wasn't
released, the type of things and talents he had as a songwriter.
They
always tried to put Nate Dogg out as the hook master, the West Coast Hip-Hop this
and West Coast Hip-Hop that… He was so much more than that! One day people will
realize that he was a great songwriter and he was a great artist. He was so much
bigger than being put in a box as just a West Coast hook master. He was an incredible
songwriter. He was not just soul, he was everything and there is so much music
that will come out that he has done and people will realize that this guy really
could sing all sorts of stuff - whether it's soul, funk or pop records. He could
do it all. It's easy to focus on his musical talents and things like that, but
deep down inside he was just a good, funny person. He was hilarious."
On making the song "Hardest Muthafuckas":
"Me and Kurupt were at Larrabee Studios with Ren and Xzibit. Nate Dogg
came in and he was just like "I got a hook for it" He went in there
and laid it straight down, it was just too easy for him. It was always too easy
for him and that was the inspiring part about it. He made things so easy that
you would look at it and be like "You know what? It doesn't have to be that
difficult, you don't have to put that much thought into it." That's another
thing that I learned from him: not to overthink things. When you overthink and
overdo things, it's too much! It was so easy for him, it was just inspiring."
On Nate's last days and his health process: "I would
rather not speak about that. The guy has his family, it's a private thing between
him and his family. What he was going through was private, that's why I never
spoke about it and people that have spoken about it shouldn't have been speaking
about it. It wasn't something for the people to know. I know everyone wants to
know and people like to be on the gossip line, but the reason why I've never said
anything is because it's a private thing between him and his family. It has nothing
to do with me, nothing to do with anybody. I was just hoping for the best, that's
all."
Related media:
Kurupt -
Hardest Muthafuckas (ft. Nate Dogg, MC Ren & Xzibit) (Prod. by
Fredwreck)
Nate Dogg -
Ditty Dum Ditty Doo (ft. Snoop Dogg & Tha Eastsidaz) (Prod. by
Fredwreck)
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Remembering Nate Dogg #5: The Lady Of Rage Speaks // March 22nd 2011
Remembering
Nate Dogg #5: The Lady of Rage Speaks
- By : LilJay - March 22, 2011
For
today's "Remembering
Nate Dogg" series, Dubcnn caught up with an artist best known as
being one of Nate's label mates during his time at Death Row Records, The Lady
of Rage. Rage shares some old memories with Nate Dogg and recalls the last
time seeing him. Read the piece below, R.I.P Nate Dogg.
The
Lady Of Rage: "I
just wanted to reflect on Nate and what he meant to me. To me he was just a cool
guy, just so smooth. He always looked serious, but once he broke that smile on
you, you kinda knew he was approachable. His outer shell was not as hard as his
inner shell. I mean he was nothing to play with, as we all know he knew how to
handle a golf club quite well, so you better approach with caution. But Nate,
for the most part was just him being cool with his cognac, laughing and playing
video games. I remember going to his house a few times, it was hard to get him
to do his vocals because he was playing "Call of Duty" forever. He would
be on that thing forever, I think days! Or I used to play with him Evander Holyfield's
"Real Deal" Boxing on Sega when video games was coming out real tough.
And I beat him a couple of times, but you would always hear him say "Nah
Rage, I don't remember that, I don't remember that!".
I
remember talking to him when he had his first stroke. He asked me did I know anybody
that ever survived or came back from a stroke. I told him I couldn't recall anybody
that I knew, but everybody that I knew that had a stroke was older. I told him
he was young and that he could bounce back. And I believe that he did. The second
time he had a stroke, I went to the hospital. I was supposed to see him the first
time, but my daughter got sick and I was really unable to go. And the second time
he had a stroke I made it my business to be there, but no one was allowed to see
him at that time for a very long time. So I never got to see him, and that's one
of my biggest regrets that I didn't get to see him before he left. But I did talk
to him when he had his first stroke, and I just wish that I could have seen him
and talked to him, maybe give him some type of inspiration. You can come back
from this, but in my mind I'm thinking that he didn't wanna be that way and he
was just ready to go. He just didn't wanna be that way. I talked to a lot of guys
before this happened, and most guys don't wanna be taken care of, they don't wanna
be debilitated. They don't wanna be unable to help themselves, they would rather
leave here than be here. And maybe it got to that point with him as well, he probably
thought 'This ain't for me. Maybe the angels need me to sing a hook or two.' Maybe
I'm wrong, maybe I'm crossing the line for saying that, I don't know. And I don't
want to offend anybody, but that's just what I think. I just wish I could have
talked to him.
He will be greatly missed, sorely missed. I know Snoop,
Warren, the Dogg Pound family, and most of all his biological family is going
through a hard time right now. I know they've stuck with him by his side through
thick and thin and was there to the end. Nate Dogg was loved, I mean the tributes
that they've been doing on KDAY and all the other stations, I forgot some of the
songs he had. I was like 'Wow, Nate had a gang of stuff!'. So I just know that
he's gonna live on forever, his music is gonna live on forever. I plan on attending
his services on Saturday, I contemplated that because my last memory of him was
at the House of Blues. We did a show with Snoop, maybe 3 or 4 years ago. And he
was over there in his corner with his cognac and with his hat on. I think it was
a hat or it could have been a bandana, he was cool whatever he had on. That's
my last visual memory of him, and I didn't want to see him in any other state.
But I've been thinking about it and I don't know if it would be disrespectful
for me not to be there and pay my last respect. But just not wanting to have that
vision of him laying in a casket in my mind, I just don't wanna see that. But,
I'm gonna go and I will pay my respect.
And that's how I feel about
Nate. Nathaniel! I remember we used to talk about how his mother and grandmother
called him Nathaniel, Nathaniel! So everytime I saw him I'd be like 'Wassup Nathaniel?!'
(laughs) That's my homie Nathaniel and my little memory that I will hold on to."
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Remembering Nate Dogg #4: Frank Nitty Speaks // March 21st 2011
Remembering
Nate Dogg #4: Frank Nitty Speaks
- By : Nima - March 21, 2011
For today's "Remembering
Nate Dogg" piece, we caught up with one of Nate's close friends,
Long Beach's Frank Nitty. A lot of you might not be aware of their relationship,
but Nitty is the man behind most of Nate Dogg's collaboration with latin artists
and they had been homeboys for a minute.
Frank Nitty gives us a human
approach of the type of person Nate Dogg was and the positive vibe that surrounded
him. Read th piece below and see the positive influence Nate had as a big homie
to somebody like Nitty:
Frank
Nitty: "A lot of people don't know how close me and Nate Dogg
were, but he's the one who schooled me about being positive, staying positive
and representing positive. We didn't have too many positive people representing
and that man meant a lot to me. He was so legendary in the game and I kinda looked
up to that, because at the time there wasn't nobody legendary that was actually
riding for the positive side.
He always encouraged me to go to church.
I looked up to him, because on top of the business he schooled me that being negative
sucks you in. That's what kept me riding. I just want people to know that he was
a real real positive person and a lot of people don't know how positive he was.
That's why me and him bonded so much and we did a lot of work together.
One of my favorite memories with him was when we were at club Incahoots together
and his baby moms tried to file child support on him and came up there with some
papers and I had to throw her out the club and shit *laughs* He was like "Nitty
go handle that." She came in the club to serve him some papers and I had
to grab her and throw her out the club, that shit was funny. That's one of the
funnier memories.
Other than that, Nate Dogg just understood the game
and he understood the value of music. He used to always tell me "Nitty, I
think I got a frequency that's ahead of time. We need to do some positive music."
We always wanted to do a project called "Operation Save The West Coast"
and that was something I started up a long time ago but it just never really happened
because he was always moving. But he was into pushing this positive movement to
where it's supposed to be.
That motivated me because I never saw anybody
from his generation that was so heavy on pushing this movement. He used to tell
me a lot of stories about negative stuff and tried to tell me that all these people
in the industry ain't really what it is. He taught me a lot of stuff about the
game and it opened my eyes about not caring about this Hollywood shit.
He actually kind of saved me because there were times where I was getting involved
heavily in this rap shit and once he told me these stories and stuff, it just
made me look at the rap game on a whole other level. Everybody is out for themselves
homie. Don't nobody care about no unity. All they care about is worship, getting
females and living that sodom and gomorrah lifestyle.
We always talked
about how the rap game was sodom and gomorrah and we needed somebody to stand
up. Still to this day, nobody ever really got up on that. Nate Dogg was different
on that level. It's just sad and I'm still tripping out on this shit.. It's crazy.
It feels like it ain't even happen… like damn my nigga is gone, I can never hear
that nigga's authority again.. He always had authority when he talked, he was
real serious. He didn't hang out a lot, he was serious, a lot of people didn't
really know how to talk to him.
If you wasn't close to him or immediate
family, people didn't know how to talk to him because he didn't give you that
vibe. It was crazy how he looked at a lot of people. To him, either you were positive
or you were negative. You had to show him that you were positive for him to open
up to you, because if he didn't know you, he'd just be quiet and put his locs
on and stare at you or try to figure you out. He definitely had a beautiful soul
and he was big to me. He was bigger than Tupac to me, shit… That's how I look
at it."
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Remembering Nate Dogg #3: Kokane Speaks // March 20th 2011
Remebering Nate Dogg #3:
Kokane Speaks - By : Nima
- March 20, 2011
We continue on with our "Remembering
Nate Dogg" series on dubcnn. Yesterday we spoke to Battlecat
(see the update below this one) and today we linked up with West Coast crooner
Kokane aka Jerry B. Long, who for years was right behind Nate
Dogg when it came to being the go-to artist for hooks. Check out his thoughts
on Nate Dogg, their friendly competition, and why no one should be allowed to
refer to themselves as the "hook king" ever again:
Kokane:
"Nate Dogg was the heart of the soulful sound on the West Coast. Not just
West Coast because we don't want to subject him just to one region - he was global
with it. I met the brother back in 1990, when him, Snoop and Warren G came up
to the Above The Law studio on La Cienega.
The
brother always had a soulful background and later I found out he came from a church
background. We always compared notes and different other musical things, moving
back up to 1999 when Dogg House was put together by Snoop. It was just magic,
it was like we was always supposed to be together and have that chemistry. The
brother was wonderful, he always had his head on his shoulders.
Out of
the whole group, I would say he was the most mature person that you would meet.
I know he's up on heaven right now riding in that big limo and smiling because
the brother ain't gotta stress, he ain't gotta worry about nothing no more. Being
that this is a competitive industry, between me and him it was steel sharpens
steel. You always try to take the good with the bad and leave it out of the studio
and overtime we was in that studio, whether we did "Ghetto" or "Bottom
Girl", it was magic.
At one time, Snoop wanted us to do a record
with me, Butch Cassidy and Nate Dogg. It did not happen, but I have a lifetime
of memories of the brother, because he is truly, truly the hook king. There is
nobody that's been on as many hot singles as brother Nate Dogg across the range.
He is a real icon and he will dearly be missed. At the same time, as
us as his fans are mourning, we also want to celebrate the legacy that that brother
had to offer. If there was no Nate Dogg, the West Coast wouldn't have pushed as
far as it has been pushed. All the way from Dre, to Snoop to myself and the list
goes on, Fabolous, Ludacris and all those people that he touched. He not only
touched the soulful sound but the also pushed the boundaries on age limits. It
can be a 60 year old grandma singing a Nate song just like a 9 year old girl.
When you have somebody special like that, you put them along the lines of a Michael
Jackson and Tupac and Eazy-E.
We lost a heavyweight in the game and
my heart saddens. But at the same time, I celebrate him because from this point
on, nobody can ever use the title of hook master or hook king, ever. That would
be very insulting to use that, because that man paved the way for a lot of people.
We were fans of each other and his legacy will continue to live on. I will do
whatever part of helping the brother and his family in the best way I can and
spreading the word and just remembering what he did. That is very important and
imperative for us as fans and as comrades to do that.
I'm just happy
that I had the chance to know Nate Dogg, Nathaniel, and when I got the news of
his passing through my boy Pimpin' Young who called me before the news was released,
it just dropped my heart. I was rooting for him, just hoping for him to get better…
I couldn't wait, people would ask me and I'd always say he was gonna get better.
He was always in my prayers and at the same time, I want people to understand
what this man meant to the game, to the West Coast, to the global movement of
our time of sound. There was nobody like Nate Dogg and never will be. From "Lay
Low" to "Next Episode", the list goes on. He was a real person,
a solid friend and he will be dearly, dearly missed. Real talk."
Related media:
Snoop Dogg Presents Tha Eastsidaz -
Ghetto (ft. Nate Dogg, Kokane & Kam)
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Remembering Nate Dogg #2: Battlecat Speaks // March 19th 2011
Remembering Nate Dogg #2:
Battlecat Speaks - By : Nima
- March 19, 2011
First
of all, let me once again say Rest In Peace to the one and only Nate Dogg
again. Yesterday, dubcnn brought you the first part of our new "Remembering Nate
Dogg" series, throughout which we will be talking to artists that were close to
or had the opportunity to work with Nate Dogg throughout their career.
E-40
started it off yesterday, and today we bring you the thoughts of DJ Battlecat,
one of Nate Dogg's more frequent producers, with whom he produced many classic
records, one of which we featured yesterday, "Nah Nah", featuring E-40
and Nate Dogg. Battlecat tells us about first meeting Nate Dogg and what Nate
meant to the world of music:
Battlecat:
"Nate Dogg was destined to be a huge part of something that we didn't even
see coming. How passionate he chose to be and his dreams… I didn't see that far.
I know he merged with greats, with Dre and Dre's brother Warren G. But I had no
idea that his journey would go as far and that his passion would be that strong
to put out such a body of work. For me to actually work with him was definitely
a honor.
The professional impact that he had in his presence, it was overwhelming.
It was an opportunity to see him in action, to see his craft and his way of thinking
as a human being as well as an artist. And it was surprising all the time because
you never know what's gonna come out his mouth or what he had seen to be blessed
with such great talent.
I would like to pick a favorite collaboration I
did with him, but I can't really pick one out of all, so I've got to say from
day one up to his last appearance on a record, they were all dear to me. His whole
composition was dear to me. Nate Dogg was a favorite, period. Just to pick one
would be impossible, because it goes back to what I was saying about him being
so unpredictable and diverse with his gift.
It's too many to name, but
I was so grateful to have an opportunity to have him over my music, because I
was a fan and I had a friend who was a close member of his crew at one time, which
was Domino. So the first time I heard about Nate Dogg before I met him was through
Domino. So my first impression of West Coast music on a mainstream level was a
Long Beach artist. My relationship with Nate Dogg runs deep, from '93 to now.
I love you and respect you Nate Dogg. R.I.P. DJ Battlecat."
We will
be compiling these articles on the official "Remembering
Nate Dogg" page on dubcnn, where we will be compiling all related
Nate Dogg media. Feel free to share the link and check back with us tomorrow to
hear from Kokane.
.........................................................................................
Remembering Nate Dogg #1: E-40 Speaks // March
18th 2011
Remembering Nate Dogg #1: E-40 Speaks
- By : Nima - March 18, 2011
While it still seems unreal,
the truth of the matter is that one of Hip-Hop's most gifted musicians, Nathaniel
Hale, better known as Nate Dogg, passed away two days ago. Dubcnn, as the
home of West Coast Hip-Hop, has been supporting Nate throughout the difficult
time he had been enduring since his first stroke in late 2007 and it is only right
that we continue to celebrate his life and his timeless legacy now that he is
physically no longer with us.
Throughout the next weeks, dubcnn will
be posting a series called "Remembering Nate Dogg", where we will be
speaking to artists that were close to Nate, getting their thoughts and sharing
some memories about their time with him.
We're starting off the series
today with E-40, who collaborated with Nate several times throughout his
career. Their most notable collaboration was the Battlecat-produced smash "Nah
Nah" off 40's "Loyalty & Betrayal" album. 40 Water
talks to us about his collaborations with Nate, what he thought of him as a person
and what his legacy means to Hip-Hop:
E-40:
"A Nate Dogg hook could change a whole song. Nate Dogg turned songs into
smash hits. Not only that, but he was a friend of mine and a good dude overall.
We lost a true talent and I honestly feel like he had a lot of time to repent
and have conversations with God, so Nate Dogg is now another angel looking over
his loved ones. That's my philosophy on the whole thang.
Me and Nate
Dogg did a song together called "Nah Nah Nah" and it was a big, big
record on the West Coast produced by Battlecat. Nate Dogg came out here and we
went to this one studio, and my homie at the studio usually lets people smoke
nothing but medical marijuana in there, but that particular day, just for the
fact that Nate Dogg and myself were there, I needed him to vibe with me! So we
got nice and made a hit song!
Another memory is Nate coming to my studio
the Orange Room and we did a song called "Sinister Mob", it was an old
school Mobb Music beat and it was on my album "Loyalty & Betrayal".
And the man just busted out rapping! Nate Dogg could rap better than rappers!
(Listen here) *laughs* That boy was rapping on that thang, gassing! In his own
little way, you know? It was funny, I was like "You rap too?" *laughs*
That was one of the only songs he ever rapped on too.
Another song that we did
together was "We Came To Rock Your Body" with The Click and the Dogg
Pound. We did that over at Studio Tone's studio back in the late 90's. I only
have good memories, him coming down here in his own limo, like a SUV limousine
that he came down here with to Vallejo in the Bay Area, he fucked with my homie
D-Shot and my boy Potbelly Will and all of us real tough. So he's truly missed,
we love him, we've lost a true talent. He brought us so much good music and you
can just go back and remember those times through his songs."
Related media:
E-40 -
Nah Nah (ft. Nate Dogg) (Video)
E-40 -
Sinister Mob (ft. Nate Dogg) (Audio)
.........................................................................................
Media (Audio & Video)
Mixes
Dubcnn Presents:
The Best Of Nate Dogg (70min Mix) by DJ Steve1der
DJ September 7th & DJ Age Present:
Nate Dogg - Eternal Legend (Mixtape)
Audio
Snoop Dogg Presents the Eastsidaz - Ghetto
(ft. Nate Dogg, Kam & Kokane) (Audio)
Game -
All Doggs Go To Heaven (Nate Dogg Tribute)
Ya
Boy -
Closer Than Close (Nate Dogg Tribute)
Nate Dogg - Hardest
Man In Town (Extended Teddy Riley RMX)
Nate
Dogg - Just
Another Day (Radio Remix) Feat. Butch Cassidy
Nate Dogg - Never
Leave Me Alone (Rmx) Feat. Lady V & Snoop Dogg
Nate Dogg - Nobody
Does It Better (G-Dub Rmx) Feat. Warren G
213
- Joysticc
(Produced by Terrace Martin)
Video
Dubcnn
TV:
Exclusive
Clip of Nate Dogg, Snoop, Kurupt & Warren at Video Shoot
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