Nate Dogg | |
|---|---|
| Born | Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (1969-08-19)August 19, 1969 Long Beach, California, U.S. |
| Died | March 15, 2011(2011-03-15) (aged 41) Long Beach, California, U.S. |
| Education | Long Beach Polytechnic High School |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1990–2008 |
| Children | 9 |
| Relatives |
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| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Discography | Nate Dogg discography |
| Labels |
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| Formerly of | |
Musical artist | |
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011), known professionally asNate Dogg, was an American singer and rapper fromLong Beach, California. He gained recognition for providing guest vocals on several hit rap songs between 1992 and 2007, earning the nickname "King of Hooks".[1][2]
Hale began his career in 1990 as a member of213, a hip-hop trio formed with his cousinSnoop Dogg and friendWarren G.[1] Hale guest appeared on the latter's 1994 single "Regulate", which peaked at number two on theBillboard Hot 100 and was nominated forBest Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the37th Annual Grammy Awards.[3][4] Hale would soon become a fixture in theWest Coast hip-hop genre, frequently collaborating withDr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, andXzibit in the 1990s; his deep vocals became sought after forhooks, and he began working with other artists throughout the 2000s, such asEminem,50 Cent,Fabolous,Mos Def, andLudacris. As a featured artist, Hale performed on 16Billboard Hot 100 chart entries, which includes his appearance on the number one-single "21 Questions" by50 Cent. Hale also guest appeared on the singles "The Next Episode" byDr. Dre, as well as "'Till I Collapse" and "Shake That" by Eminem. Hale released three studio albums, as well as a string of moderately successful singles as a primary artist in the 1990s.
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale was born on August 19, 1969, inLong Beach, California.[5][6][7][8][a] Hale metWarren G atLong Beach Polytechnic High School.[citation needed] As a youth, he sang at the New Hope Baptist Church in Long Beach, where his father was a pastor.[7] He also sang at Life Line Baptist Church inClarksdale, Mississippi.
At age 17, Hale dropped out of high school, left home, and 30 days later enlisted in theUS Marines.[10] He was stationed atCamp Schwab inOkinawa Prefecture, Japan, in the Matériel Readiness Battalion of the3rd Force Service Support Group, which supplied ammunition to most of thePacific. After three years as an ammunition specialist, he wasdischarged in 1989. Hale would recall that he joined the military because he "wanted to see if he was a man".[11]
In 1990,[12] Nate Dogg,Snoop Dogg,[13] and Warren G formed a rap trio called213.[12] They recorded their firstdemo tape in the back of record storeV.I.P. in Long Beach. The demo was later heard byDr. Dre at a bachelor party.[14]
Nate Dogg debuted on Dr. Dre's first solo album,The Chronic, in 1992. Nate's trademark singing, complementing the newgangsta rap soundG-funk, was well received by critics. He signed to Dr. Dre's label,Death Row Records, in 1993. Nate Dogg also featured on Snoop Dogg's debut solo album,Doggystyle, in 1993, his singing prominent on the track "Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)".
In 1994, Nate Dogg co-wrote his duet with Warren G, the single "Regulate". That same year, Nate also featured on "How Long Will They Mourn Me?" fromThug Life's albumThug Life, Volume I. In July 1998, amid his departure from Death Row, the label released his double album, delayed about two years,G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2. In 2001, hisElektra Records follow-up,Music & Me, peaked at No. 3 on theBillboardTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[15] He also had aneponymous album that saw unauthorized release in 2003.[citation needed]
Nate Dogg was often sought to sing on other artists' tracks, usually to sing thehook. As a featured artist, he charted 16 times on theBillboard Hot 100, and in 2003 reached No. 1 via50 Cent's "21 Questions".
Otherwise, his successful collaborations are numerous, including2Pac's "All Bout U", Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode",Westside Connection's "Gangsta Nation",Mos Def's "Oh No",Fabolous' "Can't Deny It",Ludacris' "Area Codes",Kurupt's "Behind the Walls",Mark Ronson's "Ooh Wee",Houston's "I Like That",Eminem's "'Till I Collapse", "Never Enough", and "Shake That", andMobb Deep's "Have a Party".[16]
Further, in 2002, appearing on television, Nate Dogg was on a celebrity episode ofWeakest Link, where, finally eliminated byXzibit andYoung MC, he was among the final three.[17]
Hale was known for his deep, melodic vocals, with his music often described as a mix betweenR&B andhip-hop, and his vocal range betweentenor andbaritone.[18] Hale himself considered his voice and style to be mostly influenced by thegospel music he performed in the church choir as a child, though he also grew up listening tosoul and citedMarvin Gaye,Stevie Wonder, andMaurice White ofEarth, Wind & Fire as some of his biggest musical influences.[19]
He is considered to be the inventor of "gangsta singing", a singing style that consisted in the blend of R&B and soul vocals withgangsta rap lyrics. The style was heavily influential to urban culture, with major R&B artists likeR. Kelly andChris Brown later using it.[20]
Hale was charged for a 1991 robbery of a Check Changers shop and for a 1994 robbery ofTaco Bell inSan Pedro, but was acquitted.[21][22][23]
In 1996, he was convicted of a drug offense inLos Angeles County.[24]
On June 17, 2000, for allegedly assaulting his former girlfriend and setting her mother's car on fire inLakewood, Hale was charged with kidnapping, domestic violence, terrorist threats, and arson.[25] Dr. Dre posted a $1 million bond.[26] The charges were dismissed while he pleadedno contest to illegal gun possession by a felon,[24] and received a $1,000 fine and three years'probation.[27]
On April 12, 2002, a tour bus carrying Hale, while outside ofKingman, Arizona, was found with two pistols and four ounces ofcannabis, whereby he was booked and then released on $3,500 bond.[28] The next month, the weapon charges were dropped for his guilty plea on a drug charge, and he was sentenced to probation, community service, and drug counseling.[29]
In July 2006, Hale was charged with misdemeanor aggravated trespassing, telephone harassment, battery assault, dissuading a witness from reporting a crime, and breaking arestraining order. On March 20, 2008, pleading guilty to trespassing and battery, he lost gun-ownership rights for ten years, received three years' probation, and was ordered to a domestic-violence intervention program.[30]
On June 23, 2008, after allegedly threatening his estranged wife by emails and chasing her onInterstate 405, Hale was charged with two felony counts of criminal threats and one count ofstalking.[31][32] He pleaded not guilty.[32] In April 2009, as the alleged victim had failed to contact prosecutors, the charges were dropped.[31] Incidentally, he was also convicted ofdriving under the influence of drugs.[32]
On December 19, 2007, Hale suffered astroke.[33] After a week in Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, he entered arehabilitation facility.[33] Although his body's left side wasweakened, neither his cognition nor voice were affected and he was expected to fully recover.[33] Hale suffered another stroke on September 12, 2008.[34]
On March 15, 2011, Hale died at age 41 in Long Beach of complications of multiple strokes;[35] another, or contributing, suspected cause of death wascongestive heart failure.[3] He was interred in Long Beach atForest Lawn Memorial Park.
In 2013, Nate Dogg's son Naijiel Hale was committed to play football at theUniversity of Washington.[36] A couple of years later, in 2015, Nate's other son, Nathaniel Jr., having adopted the stage name Lil Nate Dogg, released his own album,Son of a G.[citation needed] Naijiel would also begin to create music, adopting the stage name NHale, and released his debut studio album,Young OG, in 2020.[37][38]
It was reported a posthumous and final studio album entitledNate Dogg: It's a Wonderful Life was announced in 2012, with a late spring or early summer 2013 release from Seven Arts Music and United Media & Music Group. As of 2025, the album has not been released and no further announcements have been made.[39]
Studio albums
Collaborative albums
Nate Dogg was nominated for fourGrammy Awards.
| Category | Song | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Rap/Sung Collaboration(withEminem) | "Shake That" | 2007 | Nominated |
| Best Rap/Sung Collaboration(withLudacris) | "Area Codes" | 2002 | Nominated |
| Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group(uncredited withDr. Dre andSnoop Dogg) | "The Next Episode" | 2001 | Nominated |
| Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group(withWarren G) | "Regulate" | 1995 | Nominated |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
