Revisiting the G Files

Photo by John Gilhooey

November
10, 1970

Warren
G was born Warren Griffin III in Long Beach, CA.

1990

He
formed the rap group 213 with local friends and upcoming musicians, Nate Dogg
and Snoop Dogg.

1992

After
collaborating and gaining local traction, the trio disbanded to pursue solo
ventures.

Warren
G’s big break came later that year when his song with fellow artist Mister
Grimm appeared on the soundtrack for 1992’s Poetic Justice starring Tupac
Shakur and Janet Jackson.

December
1992

Warren
G added vocal contributions to his step-brother Dr. Dre’s infamous hip-hop
classic, The Chronic, which was dropped during this month.

April
of 1994

Warren
G gained worldwide attention after dropping his hit “Regulate” featuring Nate
Dogg. The song reached #2 on the Billboard
Hot 100 chart and was featured on the Above the Rim soundtrack.

June
7, 1994

His
full length album entitled Regulate… G Funk Era was released and went triple
platinum. “This D.J.” became Warren G’s second Top 10 hit and helped propel the
album’s popularity. The album would go on to sell four million copies
worldwide, with three million of those sold in the U.S., making it certified
triple platinum.

1997

Warren
G dropped Take a Look Over Your Shoulder featuring two singles: “I Shot
the Sheriff,” (peaking at #20 on the U.S. charts and #2 on the U.K. charts) and
“Smokin’ Me Out” (which peaked at #35 on the U.S. charts and #14 on
the U.K. charts). The album went gold, selling just over 500,000 copies.

1998

Warren
G found success in several European countries after collaborating with
Norwegian soprano singer, Sissel Kyrkjebø. Their song “Prince Igor” was
released on the concept album, The Rapsody Overture. In the song, Sissel sings
an aria from 19th century romantic composer Alexander Borodin’s opera, “Prince
Igor,” while Warren raps the lyrics from his song, “Reality,” off his album,
Take a Look Over Your Shoulder.

1999

By
the release of his third album, Warren G had signed on to independent label
Restless Records. For his third album, I Want It All, he revisits his classic
G-Funk approach and reels in collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Mack 10, Kurupt
and Eve. The first single, “I Want It All,” which samples Debarge’s “I Like It”
(1982), went gold. The album’s second single, “Game Don’t Wait,” peaked at #58
on the U.S. R&B Chart. In the United States, this album was certified
platinum.

2001

For
his fourth album, The Return of the Regulator, Warren G signed to multinational
music distribution company, Universal Records. The album released one single
entitled, “Lookin’ at You,” which peaked at #72 on the R&B singles chart.

2004

Following
the reuniting of their group, 213, Warren G, Snoop Dogg, and Nate Dogg released
an album on TVT Records entitled, The Hard Way. The album contained the single
“Groupie Luv” which topped the R&B chart at #48. The album went on to peak
at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 albums
chart and was certified gold.

October
2005

Warren
G released his album, In the Mid-Nite Hour.

December
2005

He
signed with both UK-based digital distribution and sales company, UniqueInc
LTD, and US-based distro-company, Hawino Records. That year, Warren G was also
on the reality television show, Celebrity Fit Club.

2006

The
theme song for Ice Cube’s television show, Black. White. was produced by Warren
G.

2008

Warren
G releases “Mr. President”, addressing the 2008 presidential candidate race,
and also appears on MTV’s Celebrity Rap Superstar as a mentor that same year.

2009

He
released his sixth studio album named The G Files.

March 2011

Following the death of Nate Dogg, Warren G released,
“This Is Dedicated To You” a song in which all proceeds from sales of this
single went directly to Nate Dogg’s mother, family and charity organization.

From June to September 2013

Warren G accompanied many artists on the West Coast
Fest tour, which included Baby Bash, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, DJ Quik, E-40, Mack
10, Suga Free, Tha Dogg Pound and others.