G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2

• Artist: Nate Dogg
• Rating:
• Release Date: July 21, 1998
• Total Time: 133:24
• Type: Lyrics are included with the album
• Genre: Rap

Review

Two years is an eternity in hip-hop, especially for rappers arriving at the tail end of a trend. Such is the case with Nate Dogg, a talented rapper who first made waves on Warren G's seminal "Regulate" in 1993 and then signed a solo contract shortly afterward. If he had been able to deliver his debut album, G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1, in 1995/early 1996 like he intended, he may have been a major star. Instead, the album was shelved due to legal problems at Death Row Records, and he wasn't able to release the album until the summer of 1998. By that time, the record had become a double-disc set named G-Funk Classics, Vols. 1 & 2, and perhaps more importantly, gangsta rap, particularly West Coast G-funk, had diminished in popularity. It was a case of bad timing, pure and simple -- G-Funk Classics sounded dated, and its bloated running length made it seem even more of a dinosaur than it actually was. And that's all too bad, because Nate Dogg has a wonderful, jazzy vocal style that's terrific to hear. If he had fresh productions, his raps would have sounded kinetic and alive; instead, they sound like canned gangsta rap. The album would have been helped immeasurably by a little editing -- there are a handful of great cuts scattered across these two discs, but it takes too much effort to track them down. That, combined with the delay, prevented G-Funk Classics from being the explosive debut it could have been. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Hardest Man in Town	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(4:07)
Intro to G-Funk (Comm. 1)	Nate Dogg, Jason Carmichael	Nate Dogg	(2:13)
G-Funk	Frankie Beverly, Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(4:44)
First We Pray	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(4:07)
My World	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(4:21)
Crazy, Dangerous	Homer Banks, Carl Hampton, Nate Dogg, Raymond Jackson	Nate Dogg	(2:33)
These Days	Nate Dogg, Daz Dillinger	Nate Dogg, Daz Dillinger	(5:00)
Bag O'Weed	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg, Big Tray Deee	(4:34)
Dirty Hoe's Draws	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg, Big Chuck	(5:50)
Scared of Love	Nate Dogg, Danny "Butch" Means	Nate Dogg, Danny "Butch" Means	(5:27)
Me & My Homies (Lyrics)	2Pac, Nate Dogg	2Pac, Nate Dogg	(4:09)
Because I Got a Girl	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(3:49)
My Money	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(4:51)
Never Leave Me Alone	Ralph MacDonald, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, William Slater	Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg	(5:56)
Last Prayer (Comm. 2)	Nate Dogg	Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg	(2:09)
Where Are You Going?	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(5:59)

CD 2

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Dedication		Nate Dogg	(:07)
Who's Playin' Games?	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(2:48)
I Don't Wanna Hurt No More	Nate Dogg, Danny "Butch" Means	Nate Dogg, Danny "Butch" Means	(5:39)
Just Another Day	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(4:16)
She's Strange	Larry Blackmon, Tomi Jenkins, Nathan Leftenant, Charlie Singleton, Nate Dogg	Barbara Wilson, Nate Dogg	(4:31)
Almost in Love	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(4:14)
No Matter Where I Go	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(4:40)
Stone Cold (Lyrics)	Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(4:56)
Friends	Snoop Dogg, Warren G, Nate Dogg	Snoop Dogg, Warren G, Nate Dogg	(4:58)
Puppy Love	Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Daz Dillinger, Kurupt	Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Daz Dillinger, Kurupt the Kingpin	(4:27)
It's Goin' Down Tonight	Nate Dogg, Danny "Butch" Means, Isaac Reese	Nate Dogg, Danny "Butch" Means, Isaac Reese	(4:26)
Nobody Does It Better (Lyrics)	Warren G, Nate Dogg	Warren G, Nate Dogg	(4:29)
Sexy Girl	Nate Dogg, Big Skye	Nate Dogg, Big Skye	(4:05)
Dogg Pound Gangstaville (Lyrics)	Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Kurupt	Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, Kurupt	(3:48)
Never Too Late	Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Nate Dogg	Nate Dogg	(6:11)

Credits

Sean "Barney" Thomas (Producer), Pamela Hale (?), Warren G (Producer), Kurupt (Producer), Nate Dogg (Vocals (Background)), Sam Sneed (Producer), Priest Brooks (Producer), Stasys Balciunas (Art Direction), Carl "Butch" Small (Percussion), Barbara Wilson (?), The Lady of Rage (Vocals (Background)), 2Pac (?), Les Silver (Project Coordinator), Nanci Fletcher (Vocals (Background)), Jason Carmichael (?), Danny "Butch" Means (Performer), Snoop Dogg (Producer), The Lady of Rage (?), Barbara Wilson (Vocals (Background)), Warren G (Performer), Priest Brooks (Keyboards), L.T. Hutton (Vocals (Background)), Isaac Reese (Performer), Isaac Reese (Vocals (Background)), Val Young (?), Jimmy J (Producer), Big Tray Deee (?), Tony Green (Bass), Nate Dogg (Mixing), Snoop Dogg (Performer), Nate Dogg (Producer), Fuskee (Vocals (Background)), Lance Pierre (Engineer), Nate Dogg (Executive Producer), Danny "Butch" Means (Vocals (Background)), Ricky Rouse (Guitar), L.T. Hutton (Producer), Johnny J (Producer), Lance Pierre (Mixing), Teddy Riley (Producer), Six Feet Deep (?), 2Pac (Performer), Big Tray Deee (Performer), Danny "Butch" Means (?), Val Young (Vocals (Background)), Sam Dogg (?), Daz Dillinger (Producer), Six Feet Deep (Vocals (Background)), Big Skye (Performer), Daz Dillinger (Performer), Tommy D Daugherty (Engineer), Isaac Reese (?), Nanci Fletcher (?), Tony Green (?), Fuskee (?), Barbara Wilson (Performer)

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