On the latest episode of “Drink Champs,” N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN chopped it up with West Coast legend Warren G to discuss his legacy, relationship with Tupac Shakur, Suge Knight, and more.
Born Warren Griffin III, he emerged on the music scene in the early ’90s. His debut album, Regulate… G Funk Era, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. The LP’s Nate Dogg-assisted lead single, “Regulate,” became a massive hit, earning a Grammy nomination and reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. He’s also produced numerous tracks for other artists, notably working with Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, MC Breed, and Xzibit. His signature G-funk sound, characterized by smooth beats and synthesized melodies, left an indelible mark on hip hop.
G continued his career as a solo artist with subsequent albums like Take a Look Over Your Shoulder, I Want It All, and The Return of the Regulator. Notably, “I Want It All” featuring Mack 10 achieved RIAA-certified gold status. Beyond his work as a rapper and producer, Warren also had notable placements in films. He contributed to soundtracks for movies like Above the Rim and Poetic Justice.
To help give fans a recap, REVOLT compiled a list of nine facts we learned from the Warren G episode. Check them out below and watch the full conversation here if you missed it.
1. On Straight Outta Compton
Straight Outta Compton was a biopic that documented the rise and eventual dissolution of N.W.A, which included Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and Eazy-E, among others. Unlike several other biographical films, director F. Gary Gray brought on members of the hip hop group as producers. At the beginning of the interview, Warren told N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN that the movie was largely accurate outside of a few missing details.
According to the living legend, “It was some things in it that I felt should’ve been in there… If they would’ve took the time to put everything in there, that movie probably would’ve been a week long, not an hour long.”
2. On introducing Snoop Dogg to Dr. Dre
Warren G and Snoop Dogg initially met at Long Beach Polytechnic High School in the mid-’80s, and eventually, their connection led to the “Gin and Juice” rapper signing to Death Row Records via Dre. G reportedly played Snoop’s demos for the superproducer, and the latter two would later go on to create hits like “Still D.R.E.,” “The Next Episode,” and “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang.”
“That was my plan. Just unselfish and a plan for him to blow because that was my best friend… Just pushing for my best friend and wanting to see him be successful. His name was bigger than me and Nate [Dogg],” Warren stated.
3. On Coi Leray’s “Players” drawing inspiration from Nate Dogg
Coi Leray’s viral hit “Players” arrived as the lead single from her second studio album, COI. It received a remix from Busta Rhymes and dominated the charts. Warren claimed that the song borrowed cadence from Nate Dogg’s signature style, citing the use of “Hold up” in the record. He said, “Whoever wrote that, they had Nate Dogg in mind. It was Coi Leray.”
4. On almost shooting Suge Knight
In the past, Warren G opened up about his rocky relationship with Suge Knight. The incarcerated music mogul got into a scuffle with him after G told Snoop not to sign a record contract he was offered. The former CEO of Death Row Records also allegedly envied Warren for finding success despite not signing with the label.
Later in the interview, Warren G claimed that he almost shot Knight after the two got into a violent altercation. “He walks on me like he tripping and wham, snatch my s**t. Mind you, I had a 40 Glock on my hip. I could’ve pulled that motherf**ker out and start bustin’,” he shared. “As I’m going down the hallway, he came storming down that motherf**ker: ‘Get that n**ga, Blood!’ Soon as he said that s**t, I took off.”
5. On working with Tupac on “Definition of a Thug N**ga”
G is responsible for producing a number of Tupac Shakur’s early records, namely “Definition of a Thug N**ga.” According to the producer, the record contained parts of his life that he divulged to the fallen icon. In regard to the track, G spoke about the process of creating it and how he sampled various records on the chorus.
“He went in there for about 30 minutes, and he came out that motherf**ker, and he told them to turn it up,” Warren G described the studio session. “He started talking about some of the s**t I was telling him. I’m like, ‘Godd**n, this motherf**ker put the s**t in the godd**n song.’”
6. On Suge Knight bailing Tupac out
In 1995, Tupac was sentenced to roughly four years after being found guilty of sexual assault. In connection to the case, Knight reportedly paid his $1.4 million bond under the condition that he sign with Death Row Records. Warren revealed that he initially planned to get Pac out before the record executive beat him to the punch.
G explained, “I told [Richie] Rich, ‘You tell Tupac I’ma bail his a** out.’ So I was going to put the money up. I didn’t give a f**k about signing. You ain’t gotta do s**t. Give me a verse, that’s it. I just wanted him to get out ‘cause I felt for him. That s**t was f**ked up… Got beat to the punch. Suge got him out.”
7. On having the chance to end the beef between The Notorious B.I.G. and Pac
At the height of his beef with Pac, The Notorious B.I.G. reportedly explained his grievances to Warren G. However, with so many outside voices surrounding the “California Love” hitmaker, the situation took a turn for the worse when he was shot and killed in September 1996. According to the “Drink Champs” guest, the outcome would’ve been less violent if he had the chance to talk to Pac.
“[B.I.G.] was just like, ‘He trippin’ on me and this, that, and this.’ I said, ‘How about this: What I’ll do, when I get a chance, I’ll get at Pac and say, ‘Look, I talked to this n**ga Biggie, and this [is] what he said.’’ I couldn’t get to [Pac] because it was all the other motherf**kers that was around,” Warren stated. “It probably wouldn’t have been as bad as it was.”
8. On him allegedly singlehandedly saving Def Jam
During the 1990s, Def Jam was on the brink of financial collapse and later sold half of its stake to PolyGram Records. Fortunately for them, G’s Regulate… G Funk Era managed to land No. 2 on Billboard‘s Top 200 albums chart and sold nearly 200,000 copies in its opening week. The LP helped Def Jam recover in revenue, paving the way for it to acquire acts like Foxy Brown, JAY-Z, DMX, and more.
“The love was given back to them for believing in me ‘cause nobody was really believing in me… I didn’t know they was in the situation that they was in. When I learned it, they was doing my s**t with credit cards,” Warren G noted. “It just felt great for them to give me my shot and me blow up… and then help the company to where it opened the door for JAY-Z, Redman, Method Man, and DMX.”
9. On Universal Music Group refusing to let go of his masters
Like several other hip hop legends, Warren is in a battle with his former record label to recover his masters, even several decades later. In 2020, he opened up about how the company recouped over $100 million and helped fund other Def Jam artists under the Universal Music Group umbrella. Midway through his conversation with N.O.R.E. and EFN, Warren drew parallels to LL Cool J’s situation with the label and how he has to wait several more years to get his masters.
“The dude [Lucian Grainge] from UMG, the big dog, was the one that was just like… ‘cause Russell [Simmons] got at them like, ‘Can y’all give him his s**t?’ But I’m like, ‘Russell, y’all should’ve gave me the s**t when y’all sold the s**t,’” Warren G revealed. “I guess they’re supposed to come to me in about five or six years. I’m like, ‘I don’t want to be old than a motherf**ker trying to, you know what I mean?’”