Debut album by Warren Griffin III aka Warren G, Long Beach rapper and producer, childhood friend of Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg, and stepbrother of Dr. Dre. Raised between crime and hip-hop, Warren G learns the rudiments of production from Dre and finds a steady job, starting his musical career early in the nineties with hip-hop group 213, which he co-formed with Snoop and Nate Dogg.
When, after several attempts, Warren G manages to put his group in contact with Dr. Dre, the Compton producer welcomes the boys and signs them as solo acts for his Death Row label, letting them all participate in his celebrated solo classic debut: however, Warren G decides not to sign with Death Row and he takes another direction. Launched by his appearances on the Dre and Snoop albums and some soundtracks, the artist gets a contract with Def Jam and prepares his debut album: he carries out the entire production with the help of numerous live instrumentalists, and calls several local rappers in the role of guests.
The album is similar to those of Dr. Dre and Snoop, being carved from the same tissue: lush, excellent, relaxed and top-quality g-funk rhythms, mobb samples, plaintive, melodic and accessible synths, slow and tight drums, generic gangsta lyricism — here inferior than the bars provided by Snoop — and plenty of space reserved for guests. Warren G's rap is clear, smoothness, calm, relaxed, fit with the rhythms, often dope, and his loyalty to Long Beach is somehow rewarded by a light, cohesive and regular sound. With ten tracks, plus two skits, and around 37 minutes of listening time, it boasts an Illmatic structure and great replay value: Warren G maintains a consistently high level of quality thanks to a sublime production and lets some rappers of lesser caliber vent, such as Tripp Locc and Wayniac of the Twinz group, Jah Skillz of the 5 Footaz, The Dove Shack and Lil Malik, among others.
Twinz participate in the "Recognize" posse, where Warren G steps aside a lot and there's an uncredited Snoop Dogg hook on good funky-mobb production, with synths and midtempo drum. Jah Skillz dominates "Super Soul Sis", her soloist cut, on a great funky soundscape with mobb samples and a quiet bouncy drum machine to support three verses that the girl performs with an effortless and relaxed style. "This Is the Shack" is a solo cut by Dove Shack rappers, C-Knight, 2 Scoops and Bo-Roc, while Lil Malik appears in "What's Next", also getting more space than the LP's author. Finally, the last track features a posse with Jah Skillz, Warren G and Twins.
Distributed by Rush Label Associated and Violator, the album is a huge commercial success, second on the Billboard 200, first among rap records, triple platinum, gold in Canada, silver in the UK. The masterpiece is "Regulate", one of the best tracks of the decade in every genre, a summer hit that remains five months in the charts and is a worldwide success, ripping certifications in three continents and becoming one of the best-selling rap songs of the year: wonderful samples (from Bob James' "Sign of the Times" and Michael McDonald's "I Keep Forgettin'"), organ hints, flawless bass, accessible midtempo light drum pounding, smooth relaxed delivery in which Warren G and Nate Dogg create one of the most laid-back gangsta cuts of the era and one of the best back and forth in hip-hop history. Perfect. 8.5/10.
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