Warren G is an American rapper, producer, and songwriter whose relaxed delivery and polished production helped define the melodic side of 1990s West Coast hip-hop. Born Warren Griffin III on November 10, 1970, in Long Beach, California, he emerged from the city's close-knit rap community and became one of the most recognizable artists associated with G-funk.
As a teenager, Griffin formed the group 213 with his friends Nate Dogg and Snoop Dogg. Named after Long Beach's telephone area code, the group developed a style built on laid-back rhythms, melodic vocals, and the use of funk and soul samples. Although 213 did not release a major-label album during its early years, its members became central figures in the West Coast rap movement.
Warren G's first significant break came through "Indo Smoke," a 1993 track by Mista Grimm featuring Warren G and Nate Dogg that appeared on the soundtrack to the film Poetic Justice. His connection to Dr. Dre, his older half-brother, also placed him near the creative environment surrounding The Chronic and the wider rise of G-funk. Warren G soon signed with Def Jam Recordings, establishing himself as a solo artist rather than simply an associate of better-known West Coast rappers.
His breakthrough arrived in 1994 with "Regulate," a collaboration with Nate Dogg first released on the soundtrack to Above the Rim. Built around a prominent sample of Michael McDonald's "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)," the track combined Warren G's narrative rap with Nate Dogg's distinctive sung hook. Its cinematic storytelling, smooth instrumental, and restrained vocal style made it a defining record of the era. The song reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Warren G's signature recording.
"Regulate" led Warren G's debut album, Regulate... G Funk Era, released in June 1994. The album also produced "This D.J.," another major hit, and presented a softer, more conversational variation on the hard-edged West Coast sound. Warren G's production emphasized atmosphere and groove, drawing on funk, soul, and R&B while leaving room for his collaborators. Both "Regulate" and "This D.J." earned Grammy nominations in 1995.
Warren G followed with Take a Look Over Your Shoulder in 1997, an album that included "I Shot the Sheriff," a reinterpretation of the Bob Marley song, and "What's Love Got to Do with It," featuring Adina Howard. His later major-label releases included I Want It All in 1999 and The Return of the Regulator in 2001. While these albums did not match the cultural impact of his debut, they showed his continued interest in combining rap with classic soul, funk, and R&B voices.
In the 2000s, Warren G continued recording through independent projects, including In the Mid-Nite Hour in 2005 and The G Files in 2009. He revisited his best-known sound with the 2015 EP Regulate... G Funk Era, Part II, which included previously unreleased Nate Dogg vocals. The project underscored the enduring importance of their partnership and Warren G's role in preserving the musical character of Long Beach G-funk.