Warren G (b. Warren Griffin III, 10 November 1970, Long Beach, California, USA) is the half-brother of Dr. Dre, Griffin's parents relocated to Long Beach from Tennessee and Oklahoma before he was born. He was raised in a staunchly Christian tradition, and despite affiliations with gangsta rap, he maintained his allegiance to "Jesus" at the top of his list of dedications on his debut album. It was Dre's World Class Wreckin' Cru which inspired him to follow a musical path. He first began rapping and producing while working at the local VIP record store. Later he helped form Dre's Dogg Pound collective, with Nate Dogg and his best friend, Snoop Doggy Dogg. The trio also worked together as part of the unrecorded 213. His role in the development of west coast rap was crucial - he is credited with having introduced Snoop Doggy Dogg to Dre (a meeting recalled in his debut album's "Do You See"). Having subsequently produced a track for M.C. Breed ("Gotta Get Mine"), and appeared on both The Chronic and Doggystyle, he then wrote, produced and guested on Mista Grimm's "Indo Smoke" and 2Pac's "Definition Of A Thug". "Indo Smoke" appeared in the movie Poetic Justice, while "Definition Of A Thug" was included on the soundtrack album, Above The Rim, which hit the number 1 spot on the US R&B album charts. Griffin's own debut as Warren G, "Regulate", was the keynote to that album's success. Built around a sample of Michael McDonald's "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)", which his father had played constantly when he was a child, it also became his first US Top 10 single - the first release on Chris Lighty's Violator imprint. Regulate...G Funk Era his debut album, immediately achieved triple-platinum status, and confirmed the accessibility of his approach. He also departed from rap norms with his employment of live musicians. Following a US tour with R. Kelly and Heavy D, he concentrated on producing the debut of his proteges, Da Twinz, who were part of the collective involved with "Regulate". In 1996, he scored further international success with "What's Love Got To Do With It", a hit single from the soundtrack to Super Cop which topped the German charts and reached UK number 2. His disappointing second album, Take A Look Over Your Shoulder, was released as part of a new contract with Def Jam Records in 1997. The album incorporated cover versions of Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff" (a UK number 2 hit) and the Isley Brothers' "Smokin' Me Out" (with a chorus sung by Ronald Isley). I Want It All featured a stellar cast list of guest MCs, including Snoop Dogg, Mack 10 and Kurupt. And then at the end of 2001 Warren G made a "comeback" with Return Of The Regulator, featuring the single, "Lookin' At You" with Latoya Williams. Features a lot of appearances from West-coast artists such as Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg. Unfortunately this album did very disappointingly, as it sold a miserable 219,000 copies. But despite that, he still continued with his music - leaving Universal to join an independent label, and then releasing In The Mid-Nite Hour in late 2005. Sound Files (MP3) Regulate (w/Nate Dogg) - from the album Regulate...G Funk Era I Shot The Sheriff - from the album Take A Look Over Your Shoulder What's Love Got To Do With It (w/Adina Howard) - from the Supercop soundtrack Lookin' At You (w/Latoiya Williams) - from the album Return Of The Regulator

DISCOGRAPHY

Regulate...G Funk Era Released: 1994 Label: Def Jam

Take A Look Over Your Shoulder Released: 1997 Label: Def Jam

I Want It All Released: 1999 Label: Restless

Return of the Regulator Released: 2001 Label: Universal

In The Mid-Nite Hour Released: 2005 Label: Hawino/Lightyear

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