Nate Dogg

The King of Hooks: Long Beach singer whose deep choruses defined G-funk and 2000s rap hits.

Nate Dogg, born Nathaniel Dwayne Hale, was an American singer, rapper and songwriter from Long Beach, California. From 1992 to 2007 his warm, soulful choruses lifted dozens of hip-hop records, earning him the nickname King of Hooks. He started out in the trio 213 alongside his cousin Snoop Dogg and friend Warren G, then became a go-to guest voice for Dr. Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent, Ludacris and many others. He placed 18 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and is credited with inventing gangsta singing, a style that pairs R&B and soul vocals with gangsta rap lyrics.

Quick Facts

Birth Name: Nathaniel Dwayne Hale
Birth Date: 1969-08-19
Birth Place: Long Beach, California, U.S.
Death Date: 2011-03-15
Burial Place: Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Long Beach, California, U.S.
Education: Long Beach Polytechnic High School
Occupation: Singer · rapper · songwriter
Years Active: 1992–2011
Spouse: LaToya Calvin · 2008
Children: 9
Relatives: Butch Cassidy (cousin) / Snoop Dogg (cousin) / Lil ½ Dead (cousin)
Works: Nate Dogg discography

Facts from the source article.

Lore & Background

Hale was born on August 19, 1969, and grew up largely in Clarksdale, Mississippi, where his father was a pastor and his mother led the church choir; he first sang there at age 4. After his parents divorced he returned to Long Beach at 14 and attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School. At 17 he left school to join the United States Marine Corps, serving as an ammunition specialist at Camp Schwab in Okinawa Prefecture before his discharge in 1989. In 1990 he formed 213 with Snoop Dogg and Warren G, cutting a demo at VIP Records that reached Dr. Dre. He appeared on The Chronic in 1992 and signed to Death Row Records in 1993.

Reader's Guide

His biggest charting features include 21 Questions with 50 Cent, which reached number 1, Regulate with Warren G, which reached number 2, and Shake That with Eminem, which reached number 6. Regulate earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. He released three studio albums, including G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2 and Music & Me, which peaked at number 3 on the R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart. He cited Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Maurice White as influences. After strokes in 2007 and 2008, he died on March 15, 2011, at 41.

Did You Know?

He sang on Doggystyle, including the track Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None).
In 2007 he founded Innate Praise, a gospel choir.
Warren G's 2015 album Regulate... G Funk Era, Part II has his vocals on every track.
About 1,100 people attended his funeral ceremony in Long Beach.